MUSC103 World Music

Department of The Arts: Music

  1. Course Number and Title

    MUSC103 World Music

  2. Number of Credits

    3 credits

  3. Minimum Number of Instructional Minutes Per Semester

    2250

  4. Prerequisites

    None

    Corequisites

    None

  5. Other Pertinent Information

    This course fulfills the Social Perspectives requirement of Category I: Essential Skills and Perspectives, and Category III: International, Gender, and/or Minority Perspectives.

  6. Catalog Course Description

    Beginning with a preliminary study of music fundamentals and an overview of societal contexts of music and musicians, this listening-oriented survey of traditional and popular music from around the world employs the ethnomusicological approach to explore the diverse musical heritages of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East.

  7. Required Course Content and Direction

    1. Learning Goals:

      1. Course
        2. Students will:
        1. recognize the fundamental elements of music that are common to all cultures;
        2. examine the musical heritages of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East;
        3. identify the functions that individuals and groups in various social contexts have played in the creation and performance of music from around the world; and
        4. examine the roles that music from around the world has played in areas such as politics, religion, ritual, folk traditions, dance, and migration.

      2. Core (if applicable)

        3. Category I:
        Social Perspectives
        Students will:
        1. read, interpret, and evaluate local or global events with a view toward their interrelatedness. (1)

        Category III:
        International, Gender, and/or Minority Perspectives
        Students will:
        1. articulate similarities and differences in the various cultures of the world and demonstrate familiarity with the skills necessary to make informed judgments;

    2. Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities:

      1. identify and define the fundamental elements of music, basic acoustics, notation, and related terminology
      2. compare and contrast the musical heritages of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East
      3. examine the functions of musicians from around the world in their indigenous musical cultures
      4. perform listening-based tasks which address the various functions of music in areas such as politics, religion, ritual, folk traditions, dance and migration

    3. Assessment Methods for Core Learning Goals:

      1. Course
        2. Students will meet the Course Learning Goals via quizzes, tests, critical listening assignments, and class participation.
      2. Core (if applicable)
        3. Students satisfy the Core Learning Goals, Category I: Social Perspectives and Category III: International, Gender, and/or Minority Perspectives, by completing a departmentally developed assignment that comparatively analyzes, interprets and evaluates musical events of two different world cultures.

    4. Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Students:

      A departmentally selected textbook is required for this course. (See course format.)

  8. Teaching Methods Employed

    Section VIII is not being used in new and revised syllabi as of 12/10/08.

Review/Approval Date - 4/08; revised 3/2010