Music Appreciation Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:

• consult with their instructor to obtain a signed academic withdrawal request form to submit to the AskAC department for processing
• consult with the financial aid office if receiving financial aid
• consult with the Veterans Benefit Coordinator if receiving veteran benefits
• consult with their academic advisor to determine how withdrawing may affect their enrollment in future semesters
  • NOTE:  The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. (Senate Bill 1231) Rule 4.10.

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Course

MUSI-1306-002 Music Appreciation

Prerequisites

Course Description

Designed for the non-music major to increase understanding and enjoyment of music as represented by prominent composers throughout the history of Western Civilization.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) have developed a comprehensive overview of neuromusculoskeletal, vocal and hearing health issues for postsecondary schools and departments of music.  Information of a medical nature is provided by PAMA; information regarding contextual issues in music programs, by NASM. The following links address the risk of noise-induced hearing loss, neuromusculoskeletal and vocal injury—all of which are widespread and serious public health issues for musicians and others.

NASM-PAMA Advisories on Neuromusculoskeletal and Vocal Health

• Student guide: https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/02/4a_NASM_PAMA_NMH-Student_Guide-Standard_June-2014.pdf

NASM-PAMA Advisories on Hearing Health :

• Student guide: https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/publications/brochures-advisories/nasm-pama-nms-vocal-health/

Student information sheets:

• Musculosketal: https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/02/5a_NASM_PAMA_NMH-Student_Information_Sheet-Standard-NMH_June-2014.pdf
• Vocal: https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/02/6a_NASM_PAMA_NMH-Student_Information_Sheet-Standard-Vocal_June-2014.pdf
• Hearing: https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/publications/brochures-advisories/nasm-pama-nms-vocal-health/

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Machlis, Joseph, and Forney, Kristine. The Enjoyment of Music, 12^th Edition, Shorter Version, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-393-93638-4, with Total Access Package

Recordings that accompany the textbook are required.

eBook: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/webad.aspx?id=4294989755

Supplies

A brain that can focus, synthesize, learn, and recall information in regards to music appreciation; pencils/writing utensils, notebook paper/note-taking apparatus, a working computer that meets all needs of the course, MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, etc.), a consistent and stable internet connection, a strong work ethic with responsibility, and the ability to NOT access an electronic device during class.

Student Performance

STUDENT PERFORMANCE/LEARNING OUTCOMES: At the completion of this course, the student should be able to:

·       Identify and understand the basic building blocks of music

 

·       Identify major social characteristics that have affected the history of music

 

·       Identify historical musical periods

 

·       Identify principal composers of each musical period

 

·       Understand basic formal structures of music from these periods

 

·       Pinpoint primary environmental influences on the lives of composers from each period

 

·       Master a common vocabulary for discussion of music of all styles

·       Develop skills of aesthetic judgment and critical thinking through music listening

·       Integrate the role of music within historical, artistic, and cultural traditions

·       Understand the roles that music plays in different cultures

·       Grasp the influence of popular and world music on art music

·       Build skills related to the appreciation of music and music listening

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Professional behavior that is courteous and respectful of others and their thoughts and opinions, while adhering to any and all syllabus rules and regulations that are expressed and implied, and any course rules setup by the student course population at the first course meeting.

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA/GRADE SCALE:

Exam 1- 10% 02/01/2017

Exam 2- 10% 02/15/2017

Exam 3- 10% 03/01/2017

Exam 4- 10% 03/20/2017

Exam 5- 10% 04/10/2017

Exam 6- 10% 04/24/2017

Exam 7- 10% 05/08/2017 10:30-12:30 hours CST (2 hours)

Attendance, Participation, and Discussion- 30% (Yes, one must participate in the course discussions)

(Extra credit- READ CAREFULLY: Reviews of Professor-Approved Concert Events ONLY!  See concert review section below.  For each properly written concert review/concert attended, only after it is approved in ADVANCE (not the afternoon of the event), I will add 3 points to the student’s final grade.)

Final Grade is based on the following scale (a 10-point scale):

A= 90-100

B= 80-89

C= 70-79

D= 60-69

F= Below 60%

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement; therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. Being late to class and/or leaving class early will be considered as an absence.  The instructor must approve excused absences at least 48 hours in advance of the period to be missed (Not Examinations unless it is a major emergency). You may contact me via e-mail through this course first, and next at the actx.edu account shown in my contact information. You will be responsible for the material that is covered in the period that you miss.  Students are not allowed to miss examinations.  Plan ahead and accordingly.  “My computer crashed” is not an acceptable excuse.  After six unexcused instances have occurred, the instructor reserves the right to fail the student.  Emergencies can occur, and these will be dealt with on an individual basis, but please contact me without panicking, and know that I want you to succeed but will not allow slacking.  Excused absences must be accompanied with an appropriate document of legal note (Physicians note, court order, death certificate, Police report, etc… ) “My Girlfriend’s goldfish died” is not an appropriate excuse, and yes, I heard that one in-class before!

Please regulate your time in this course.  I want you to be successful, but one cannot be successful if one is not putting forth a proper effort and doing the required work.  Also, any and all electronic devices are banned from use in the course (Unless mandated by Disability Services).  The student might be physically in-class, but not mentally there due to being on an electronic device.

Calendar

Additional Information

Additional Information

EXAMINATIONS: There will be 7 graded examinations in this class (schedule listed below!), one S.A.C.S. Assessment examination (non-graded, this is forced on us by S.A.C.S.), and one syllabus examination (discussed below) (9 little examinations total). Exam 1 is for Part 1, Exam 2 is for Part 2, Exam 3 is for Part 3, Exam 4 is for Part 4, etc.  The Final Exam will be administered on AC’s assigned examination day only (Monday, May 8^th, 2017 from 10:30am-12:30pm (2 hours)).  The Final Exam will be based on materials covered over the last Part (Part 7) of the course and will not be comprehensive, but some material may overlap in exams because of the time periods discussed.  Exams may consist of a variety of formats, but will be taken online through the course shell in AC Online.  The examinations will be open for a 24-hour period only (Due to BlackBoard parameters, the time will be 00:00 hours CST to 23:55 hours CST) on exam days will be closed after that point.  When the student logs into AC Online, the examination icon will appear in the course when it is opened and will not appear once it is closed.  It is your responsibility to take the examinations in the time period given.  Do not ask for special permission.  Examinations will be timed, and the student is not allowed to use any reference material, notes, people, Internet, or textbook during the examinations for help in answering the examination questions.  If family members are taking the course together, they may not help each other during the examinations.  Also, I would suggest that you use different computers to take the examination so as not to be suspect of cheating. (This keeps us all honest!)

The examination questions will be administered one at a time.  Once a question has been viewed during the examination, the student must submit an answer, save it, and move on.  One may not skip questions and expect to revisit the question later.

Also, one must take the Syllabus examination AND S.A.C.S. (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) Assessment examination during the first week of classes (by 01/20/2017 23:55 hours CST).  Simply read the syllabus and take the two examinations.  These particular examinations will be open for the first workweek (01/20/2017), and you may revisit questions on the syllabus examination only (unlike the actual graded examinations).  The student WILL make a 100 on the syllabus examination, if not, one must retake it until you receive a 100.  The S.A.C.S. Assessment examination will be timed, and you need not worry about making a less-than-desirable grade on the examination, we will cover the material throughout the course (This is only used for assessment, so feel free to fail it!).  I will not give you any grades in this course until these preliminary examinations are taken and a score of 100 is received on the syllabus examination.

Texas Co-Board Course Requirement: We will be forced to create an artifact for the course based on Texas Co-Board requirements.  Students must participate in this assignment, or the final grade for the course can and will be affected.  Students will be alerted to the timeframe and parameters for the exercise.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  IF THE PROFESSOR TAKES ALTERNATE STANCES IN DISCUSSIONS, IT IS TO GET YOU READY FOR THIS ARTIFACT!!!!!

CONCERT REVIEWS (Extra Credit only): Since an important part of gaining an appreciation and understanding of music is based on listening to music, students are encouraged to write reviews of Professor-approved live concerts (Yes, you can find concerts that are free.   Yes, I will help guide you, not find them for the student).  Popular culture music reviews will not be accepted (if by any chance one does not understand what this means, contact the instructor for clarification). Reviews are due by May 3, 2017 23:59; 59 Central Standard Time, NO EXCEPTIONS!  Reviews should be submitted electronically via our AC Online course e-mail as a MS Word file attachment, and titled using your full name and the number of the review submitted. (Example- John Doe Concert Review 1) One can actually increase one’s grade a lot, if completed.  They are fun to attend, and the reviews are easy to write.