MUSC 2111 — Algebra and Geometry of Music
4 semester hoursUndergraduateLectureNUpath EINUpath FQusually offered: falltypical days: ThBostonTraditional
Engages mathematical thinking in music with regard to its symbolic (how we represent music using numbers and signs); sonic (how mathematical thinking might create insights into musical sound); and grammatical (the logic by which music proceeds from one time to the next) expressions. Music and mathematics both contain objects that exhibit similar properties, such as circularity, similarity, objecthood, spatial dimensionality, dynamics, and processuality. Draws upon various branches of mathematics, including number theory, set theory, algebra, geometry, and statistics. Such representations highlight fundamental musical principles invoked in the process of improvisation, performance, and composition. As such, musical listening is a key component of the course. Ability to read musical notation or musical experience preferred.
Offering history
| Term | Sections | Enrolled | Capacity | Full | Open seats/section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | 1 | 15 | 19 | 79% | 4.0 |
| Spring 2025 | 1 | 13 | 19 | 68% | 6.0 |
| Fall 2025 | 1 | 14 | 19 | 74% | 5.0 |
Snapshots from scheduled scrapes — not live seat availability. "Full" can exceed 100% when sections over-enroll.
Meeting times
Share of recent sections by weekday: M 0% · T 0% · W 33% · Th 67% · F 0%
Common patterns: R (67% of sections), W (33% of sections) — in patterns, R means Thursday
Professors
Fall
Spring
Percentages are each professor's average share of the season's enrolled students in recent terms.
Links
Official catalog (MUSC course descriptions) · Student reviews on RateMyHusky · All MUSC courses · Plan it at numap.app