- Scales
- Music
- Chord
- Jazz
- Music theory
- Aurally identify chords
- Piano
- Read lead sheets
- Aurally identify musical intervals
- Read music notation
- Music Performance
- Music composition
Developing Your Musicianship Specialization
Develop your skills as a musician . Deepen your understanding of music theory to develop your skills as a musician.
Offered By
What you will learn
Aurally identify musical intervals, chords, and chord progressions
Write and practice major and minor scales in a variety of keys
Compose a 12-bar blues with a melody
Define and discuss harmonic function and modal interchange
Skills you will gain
About this Specialization
Applied Learning Project
In the capstone course, you will write and perform a 24-measure musical composition in A A B A song form. This culminating project will combine the skills and knowledge you learn and provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate your growth as a musician.
Students may want to have some knowledge of basic music notation and will need access to an instrument, preferably a keyboard or piano.
Students may want to have some knowledge of basic music notation and will need access to an instrument, preferably a keyboard or piano.
How the Specialization Works
Take Courses
A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.
Hands-on Project
Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.
Earn a Certificate
When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.

There are 4 Courses in this Specialization
Developing Your Musicianship
Learn the basic concepts and approaches needed to understand, create, and perform contemporary music.
Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys
After a tremendous response from learners on Coursera, Berklee Online has created a Developing Your Musicianship specialization, and this course is the second course in the series. If you have a basic knowledge of music theory or if you have completed Developing Your Musicianship I, this course will continue to help you understand key musical concepts, enabling you to create and perform contemporary music. Taught by Berklee College of Music professor George W. Russell, Jr., the course includes four lessons that delve into the next level of harmony and ear training.
Musicianship: Tensions, Harmonic Function, and Modal Interchange
After a tremendous response from learners on Coursera, Berklee Online has created a Developing Your Musicianship specialization, and this course is the third course in the series. If you have a general understanding of music theory or if you have completed Developing Your Musicianship I and II, this course will continue to help you understand musical concepts, enabling you to create and perform contemporary music. Taught by Berklee College of Music professor George W. Russell, Jr., the course includes four lessons that delve into an intermediate level of harmony and ear training.
Developing Your Musicianship: Final Project
This course will guide you through the final project for the Developing Your Musicianship Specialization. This course will continue to help you apply the musical concepts you learned throughout the specialization, enabling you to create and perform a 36-measure composition. Taught by Berklee College of Music professor George W. Russell, Jr., the course includes four videos in which George models each stage of the project. Through peer feedback and discussion, practice, and applying what you’ve learned, this final project will hone your skills as a musician.
Offered by

Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Is financial aid available?
Can I take the course for free?
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
What background knowledge is necessary?
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.