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MUS 1030 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

MUS 1030 - Introduction to Music (formerly Music Appreciation)

3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This course introduces the basic elements of music combined with a survey of Western art music, music of other cultures, and modern styles, with an emphasis on “smart listening.” 

Course Outcomes:
  • Students will be able to describe and give examples of the basic elements of sound and of music.
  • They should understand how the composers used their music and why it is still being played, demonstrating this by short essay and discussion responses.
  • Students will develop a broader understanding and appreciation for various styles of music, and will demonstrate active and intelligent listening skills by feedback (discussion, quizzes and activities) following these examples.
  • Students will compare the relationship of music of past eras and that of today and will be able to discuss this relationship and give examples.
  • They should develop a working knowledge of the notation of music. Students will be able to practice this skill through various theory web sites and virtual keyboard exercises.
  • Students will be able to distinguish the music of various cultures and countries and will be able to describe specific elements that create this difference of sound.
  • They will learn how 20th Century Music has evolved from the various style periods and cultural influences in history and will be able to create a final project which refers to specific influences and use of musical elements. 
Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

Satisfactory completion of Learning Support competencies or appropriate entrance exam scores.

Course Topics:

Elements of music, music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classic, Romantic Periods and music of the Twentieth century and today. 

 

Specific Course Requirements:

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:
Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:

All quizzes and exams (assessments) will be administered via the Internet. All must be completed by the official deadline. You will receive only one attempt to complete each assessment, so it is important that you complete the work at a time where you are less likely to be disconnected. Please do not wait to attempt assessments within two hours of the deadline of 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time or 10:59pm Central Standard Time.

Grading Procedures:

All assessment/tests grades are on a 100 point scale. 

Assignment TypeNumber of AssignmentsPercentage
Discussions33 topics 3.03% each35%
Module Activities6 Module Activities and Final Project 15% each
1 video quiz 10%
2 Bonus items worth up to 5 points each
2 bonus concert reports
30%
Module Assessments
(Exams/quizzes)
7 assessments @ 14.3% each35%
Total Percentage 100%

 

Grading Scale:
90-100A
80-89B
70-79C
60-69D
below 60F

 

Assignments and Projects:

See course content for specific assignments, projects and assessments. 

Class Participation:

Students are encouraged to visit the course site at least 4-5 times per week. Discussions will occur asynchronously over the bulletin board and some response from all students must occur for each topic. Please be sure to read the comments of your classmates as well as posting your own discussion response. 

Late Policy:

All quizzes, discussions and activities must be done in a timely manner and will not be accepted after a published deadline.(Found in course calendar) Some items are open-ended for the entire semester, while most will have due dates. These dates should be visible when you read the details of a given assignment. 

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on July 12, 2021