Music Theory and Aural Skills Placement for Incoming Students
This page contains instructions for the Music Theory Placement Exam for students entering the Fredonia School of Music. Once you take the Music Theory Placement Exam, your scores will be emailed to you by musictheory@fredonia.edu the day after you complete the exam. If you have questions about the exam process, you may direct these to musictheory@fredonia.edu.
Below, are instructions for taking the placement exam.
First read General Exam Instructions and Dates and Times. Then, click on the description that best fits your circumstances and read the instructions. For example, if you are a transfer student, go to V and read the instructions for transfer students; if you have take the AP Exam, go to VI and read the instructions; and so on.
*PLEASE NOTE: Students who have already completed theory classes in the School of Music may NOT take the Theory Placement Exam or Aural Skills Placement Exam for Incoming Students in order to skip ahead into higher levels of theory or aural skills or to replace a D, F or a withdrawal in a Fredonia theory or aural skills course.
Table of content for this page:
I. General Exam Instructions
II. Exam Dates and Times
III. Incoming Freshmen
IV. Incoming Freshmen with two semesters of high-school non-AP theory with a B or above.
V. Transfer Students
VI. Students who have taken the AP Music Theory Exam
VII. Musical Theater Students
VIII. Online Resources to Help You Prepare
I. General Exam Instructions
The music theory and aural skills placement exams are administered online. In order to complete any of these exams, you must have a Google account. Create one for free here.
What you’ll need to take our exams
- A Google account. Create one for free here.
- For theory exams:
- Scratch paper and a pencil
- Please do not use any other resources to complete the exam
- Headphones or speakers for sound files
- Manuscript paper (you can find this for free online) and a pencil
- Please do not use any other resources to complete the exam
II. Exam Dates and Times
For students entering in Spring 2027, exams open on the following dates:
- Tuesday, November 3, 7:00–8:30pm
- Saturday, November 7, 9:00-10:30am
- Tuesday, November 10, 7:00–8:30pm
- Saturday, November 14, 9:00-10:30am
For students entering in Fall 2027, exams open on the following dates:
- Tuesday, May 4, 7:00pm–8:30pm
- Saturday, May 8, 9:00am–10:30am
- Tuesday, May 11, 7:00pm–8:30pm
- Saturday, May 15, 9:00am–10:30am
III. Incoming Freshmen
If you are an incoming freshman, you will take the Fundamentals Exam. Click here to take the Fundamentals Exam.
Spend no more than 60 minutes on this exam. If you pass the Fundamentals Exam with 80% or higher then you take Theory I and AS I only. If you do not pass the Fundamentals Exam with 80%, then we strongly recommend that you take MUS 101 concurrently with Theory I and AS I.
IV. Incoming Freshmen with two semesters of high-school non-AP theory with a B or above.
If you are a an incoming freshman who has taken two semesters of high-school non-AP theory with a B or above, you may attempt to test into Theory II. To do this, Take the Level I Theory Exam and Level I AS Exam. When you take the exam, spend 60 minutes on the Theory Level I Exam, then click on the AS Level I Exam and spend 30 minutes on that.
Click here to take the Level I Theory Exam.
Click here to take the Level I AS Exam.
V. Placement Exam Instructions for Incoming Transfer Students
As a transfer student, you take TWO EXAMS: a theory exam, and an AS exam. Once you know which exams to take, choose date/time from section II above. Spend 60 minutes on the theory exam, then click on the AS exam and spend 30 minutes on that. You have 90 minutes total to complete both exams. To determine which exams you should take see below:
Which exams should you take if you are a transfer student?
Theory
If you have completed one semester of college-level music theory, take the Level I Theory Exam.
If you have completed two semesters of college-level music theory, take the Level II Theory Exam.
If you have completed three semesters of college-level music theory, take the Level III Theory Exam.
If you have completed four semesters of college-level music theory, take the Level IV Theory Exam.
Aural Skills
If you have completed one semester of college-level music theory, take the Level I AS Exam.
If you have completed two semesters of college-level music theory, take the Level II AS Exam.
If you have completed three semesters of college-level music theory, take the Level III AS Exam.
If you have completed four semesters of college-level music theory, take the Level IV AS Exam.
VI. Students who have taken the AP Music Theory Exam
AP Music Theory students: Students who earn a score of 4 or higher on the AP Music Theory Test automatically enter into Music Theory II (MUS 124); students with a 4 or higher on the AP Aural Skills Test enter into Aural Skills II (MUS 122).
Only take an online exam if you want to test into a level above MUS 124 or 122!
If you would like to attempt to place into Music Theory III and/or Aural Skills III, take the Level II Theory Exam, and the Level II AS Exam below.
Once you know which exams to take, choose date/time from section II above. Spend 60 minutes on the theory exam, then click on the AS exam and spend 30 minutes on that. You have 90 minutes total to complete both exams.
Click here to take the Level II Theory Exam.
Click here to take the Level II AS Exam.
VII. Placement Exam Instructions for Incoming Musical Theater Students
If you are auditioning for Musical Theater, you are required to take MUS 101. If you have already taken courses in music theory and would like to attempt to test out of MUS 101, take the Music 101 Fundamentals Exam during any of the Placement Exam Dates listed above. You have 60 minutes to complete the Fundamentals Exam.
Click here to take Fundamentals Exam.
Additional testing to place out of MUS 102 can be arranged by request provided that you have passed the Fundamentals Exam with a score of 85% or higher, or that you have completed MUS 101 (Music for Non-Majors) with a B or higher. If this fits your circumstances, you can take the Level I Theory Exam to test out of MUS 102 (the second semester of Music for Non-Majors).
Finally, if you have taken the AP Theory Exam and scored a 4, you automatically test out of MUS 101 and MUS 102. Additionally, if space permits, and you may enroll in Music Theory II (MUS 124).
See links above to take the Level I Theory Exam.
VIII. Online Resources to Help You Prepare:
There are currently dozens of free and inexpensive music theory tutorials available online, such as musictheory.net, Music Theory Flashcards, and teoria.com.
An excellent, current, and comprehensive bibliography of music theory texts and materials, maintained by Mary Winnerstrom and Garry Potter is available in PDF format from Indiana University here.
Another bibliography is available from the Society for Music Theory here.
The Eastman School of Music offers pre-college courses in music theory, including the AP music theory program, at their Eastman Community Music School here.
Questions?
If you have questions about the exam process, please contact MusicTheory@fredonia.edu.