SECTION 0001 (Class Nbr: 81682) |
PREQUISITES: Acceptance as a Music Major or Consent of the Instructor
Effective with the Fall 2007 semester, this course is a core requirement of all music degree programs and tracks.
TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS (used copies of the specified edition are acceptable):
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to Western Art Music (or what is commonly called "Classical Music"). While no specific music skills are required for this course, as a music major, you are assumed to possess some basic talents, affinities and general knowledge about the subject. Topics for study and discussion will include (1) musical instruments and performance techniques, (2) singing styles and related vocal techniques, (3) genres and forms, and (4) aspects of culture, society, history and geography as they relate to the art music of Western Europe from the Middle Ages to the present, the general musical styles (including jazz) of the United States in more recent times, and the music of a few selected non-Western cultures. In addition to learning about the history of these musics and their stylistic traits, you will also improve your critical listening skills and acquire a basic vocabulary for communicating about music in a professional manner.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course you will:
COMMUNICATION: It is your obligation to read, follow and complete all assignments and other instructions (verbal or written) given to you in the course of this semester. You are responsible for any information or instructions given out in any of the following ways:
ATTENDANCE: Regular class attendance is expected of all enrolled students, and attendance will count for 10% of your grade in this course in the following manner:
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class on a sign-in sheet. Habitual tardies will be counted as partial absences.
Anyone who signs the attendance sheet and then leaves the classroom before the conclusion of class will be counted absent for the entire period. If you must leave the room a few minutes early for a legitimate reason, inform me before class begins, preferably in writing (email works best).
NB. Anyone not in the classroom will be counted as absent, regardless of the reason, e.g., illness, car trouble, work-related issues, child-care or other family problems, court appearances, etc. The only exceptions to this rule are: (1) participation in a UCF-sanctioned event or (2) personal observance of a recognized religious holiday. In such cases, you must inform me in advance of the day of your absence, and if you fail to do so, you will be counted as absent for that day.
NB. Because attendance is part of your grade, any attempts to misrepresent either your own attendance or that of anyone else on the sign-in sheet or in any other fashion will be considered acts of academic dishonesty, i.e., cheating, and dealt with accordingly.
Attendance Policy for Tests: No unexcused absence from an announced test or quiz will ever be allowed. Failure to appear at an announced test/quiz will result in a grade of "0" (zero) for that test. Late arrivals at announced tests will not be given any additional time to complete the test, nor will instructions or audio portions of the test be repeated.
Make-up Policy: Should you be unable to attend an announced test due to participation in an officially sanctioned UCF event or personal observance of a religious holiday, you must notify me at least one week in advance of that test to schedule an alternate time. For personal or family emergencies (e.g., funerals), you must notify me as early as possible. At a minimum, send an email message as soon as possible to inform me of your situation. In all cases, I will require documented proof of the reason for your absence. You may then be allowed to take a make-up test no later than 48 hours after the scheduled test or your return to campus. Make-up tests may be different from announced tests to ensure the integrity of the testing process.
TESTING AND GRADING: Your grade in this course will be determined by your performance in the following:
| Test or Graded Assignment | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Terminology Quiz | 5% |
| Medieval/Renaissance Test | 15 % |
| Baroque/Classic Test | 15 % |
| 19th C/non-Western Test | 15 % |
| Group Presentation | 10 % |
| Final Examination (cumulative) | 30% |
| Attendance | 10 % |
Testing Procedures: All tests will be given in the assigned classroom during normal class meeting times. These in-class tests will allow you to demonstrate your mastery of the course materials. None of these exercises will use true/false or matching questions. Instead, each test will include primarily “brief answer” questions, followed by a variety of essay questions, some listening questions, and possibly score identification/description. The Listening questions will be based on your assigned course listenings or recordings of similar works. The final exam may include listening.
During graded exams you may not keep any large personal items with you (book bags, skateboards, etc. must be placed away from your seats, preferably at the front and sides of the room). Please note that I assume no responsibility for the security of your belongings. Bring only what you need to class on test days, and if possible, secure your valuable items elsewhere before class.
During graded exams you may not have any personal electronic devices (cell phones, PDAs, games, etc.) or other study items visible to the proctors. If a proctor can see such an item (whether it is in use or not), you will be assumed to be cheating and dealt wtih accordingly.
Policy for Make-up Exams and Quizzes: Make-ups will be allowed only in the four following cases, all of which require documentation:
Failure to appear at an announced test/quiz will result in a grade of "0" (zero) for that test. Late arrivals at tests will not be given any additional time to complete the test, nor will instructions or audio portions of the test be repeated.
While written tests will be the primary means by which you demonstrate your mastery of the course materials, there will also be a single group research project, in which you will collaborate with 5 collagues in the class to prepare a brief research presentation on some topic in music.
The following numeric equivalents apply to all grades (both individual tests, other assignments & the final course grade):
| 100.00 - 92.00 | = A |
| 91.99 - 90.00 | = A- |
| 89.99 - 88.00 | = B+ |
| 87.99 - 82.00 | = B |
| 81.99 - 80.00 | = B- |
| 79.99 - 78.00 | = C+ |
| 77.99 - 72.00 | = C |
| 71.99 - 70.00 | = C- |
| 69.99 - 68.00 | = D+ |
| 67.99 - 62.00 | = D |
| 61.99 - 60.00 | = D- |
| 59.99 - 0.00 | = F |
Final course averages are calculated to the nearest 1/100 of a point.
No extra credit work will be accepted in lieu of or in addition to the tests listed on this syllabus.
Dates for all tests will be announced at least one week in advance.
The Final Examination for this section of MUL 2014 is scheduled for:
| Section 0001 | Monday, 14 December 2009 | 10:00 am - 12:50 pm |
Please note that Final exam time may differ from the regular class times. See: UCF Final Exam Schedule (Fall 2009) for all exams at the end of the current semester.)
ATTENDANCE: Regular class attendance is expected of all enrolled students, and you are responsible for all materials covered and all announcements made in every class, whether you are present or not.
CLASS DECORUM: As a matter of respect to others in the classroom, you are not to engage in conversations unrelated to the current activities of this course, use cell phones or other electronic devices (turn off such items before entering my classroom), or work on anything unrelated to MUL 2014 (assignments for other courses, newspapers, puzzles, etc.) during the 50 minutes of class time. Individuals engaged in such activities will be asked once to cease. The second time they will be told to leave the classroom. Repeat offenders may be expelled from the class. Additionally, you are asked to remove any trash (especially empty food containers and wrappers) when you leave. Please help to keep the room clean for yourselves and others.
CLASS PROCEDURES AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES: This course will generally follow the textbook (Forney/Machlis) and recordings roughly in order. You should read and listen to the relevant items before they are discussed in class (see the schedule on a separate web page). Even if you do not understand some materials, you should attempt to complete the reading and listening before the scheduled class meeting.
You should carry your textbook and notebook to all class meetings. You should take notes about any information presented in class.
Following the class, you should re-read the relevant passages in the textbook and re-listen to the recorded items. In addition, sometime shortly after each chapter (or subsection) is covered in class, you will receive Listening Journal Assignments, which you should complete as soon as possible.
QUESTIONS about any unclear materials should be sent to me via email, and these may be answered individually or at the beginning of a subsequent class (as appropriate).
CHAPTER REVIEW SHEETS will be posted on the course web site. These items will help you to organize your notes and guide your studies. Additionally, you may want to use the publisher-maintained web site as an additional source of review information.
In preparing for each class meeting you should allot a minimum of 3 hours (= 6 or more hours outside of class per week for the course). You may find it useful to form study groups so that you may help one another in your preparations for class and for tests. You are not, however, allowed to collaborate on any graded assignments in this class. (see the following item on "Academic Integrity")
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All graded work, i.e., tests and quizzes, in this class must be your work alone. You are never to collaborate with anyone on tests in this class, and you are not allowed to use your text, notes, or other aides of any kind when you are testing. Violators will be referred to the appropriate UCF authorities for prosecution (see the latest edition of The Golden Rule for more details).
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABILITIES: Any student with a documented disability may receive a special accommodation to complete any requirements of this course. Any student requesting such an accommodation must contact the Office of Student Disability Services (SRC 132; phone 407-823-2371), where such requests are processed. The SDS will ask for documentation of the disability, and they will then notify the instructor of the appropriate accommodations that may be allowed. NB. You cannot simply tell me of your situation, nor can you make requests after the fact, e.g., after you have taken a test or completed the course.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: A tentative listing of all class meetings, topics for discussion, readings, and due dates may be found on the relevant web page for this course.
NB. This syllabus may be revised, if circumstances warrant. You will be notified formally if any changes are made.