Music Theory III Syllabus for 2020-2021
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Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

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Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

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 course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are 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. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

MUSI-2311-001 Music Theory III

Prerequisites

Corequisite: MUSI 2116

Course Description

Advanced harmony voice leading, score analysis and writing of more advanced tonal harmony including chromaticism and extended-tertian structures. Optional correlated study at the keyboard.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sch; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Clendinning and Marvin:  The Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis. W. W. Norton, 3rd edition.

Clendinning and Marvin:  The Musician's Guide Workbook. W. W. Norton, 3rd edition.

Supplies

1. Manuscript paper

2. Pencils

3. Textbooks

4. Additional handouts provided in class

Student Performance

STUDENT PERFORMANCE/LEARNING OUTCOMES: After studying the materials presented in this course of study, the student should be able to do the following:

A. Be able to identify keys, tonality and/or modality by understanding the function of various notes and chords.

B. Be able to identify harmonic treatment in the historical time periods from the Classical period to the Twentieth Century.

C. Gain an understanding of chromatic chords, including Neapolitan 6ths, Augmented 6ths, and altered dominants.

D. Gain an understanding of extended diatonic chords, including 9^th, 11^th, and 13^th chords.

E. Be able to identify and understand the construction of the following musical forms: sonata-allegro, rondo, sonata-rondo, and variation.

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

1.  Attend all classes

2.  Practice concepts outside of class

3.  Form learning groups with classmates and other students who have taken the class.

The student will be courteous, professional, and respectful when addressing a Professor/Instructor as well as his or her peers.  

The use of cell phones during class time will NOT be permitted under any circumstances.  Likewise, laptop computers and other personal devices should be used only as would generally be considered beneficial to learning and study, with recreational and social use falling well outside these constructs unless specifically allowed by the instructor.  The instructor reserves the right to confiscate any device, electronic or otherwise, should it prove to be a distraction to the student or class in general, and a repeated offense will result in an automatic failing grade for the course.

Students will submit all assignments at the start of the class period on the date due.  The Instructor reserves the right to lower (at a rate of one letter grade per 24 hour period) the grade of any assignment turned in late.  “My computer crashed” is not an acceptable excuse.  Nearly all such “emergencies” can be avoided by planning ahead, starting, and completing work well in advance of the posted due date.  Any request for extension on the due-date of an assignment must be submitted in writing 48 hours in advance of the date in question.

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA/GRADE SCALE:

Syllabus Quiz 5%

Mid-Term Exam 25%

Final Exam 25%

Research Project 15%

Class Presentation  10%

Class Preparation, Participation, and Quizzes  20%

Attendance is addressed below and may significantly impact grade. 

Homework is required for in-class discussions.  If homework is not completed on a daily basis, the instructor reserves the right to lower the student’s final grade.

Final Grade is based on the following scale:

A= 90-100%

B= 80-89%

C= 70-79%

D= 60-69%

F= Below 60%

Attendance

 ATTENDANCE POLICY:  Consistent attendance in this class is crucial from a skills-building perspective, and punctuality is a critical life skill in the music profession.  Therefore, a student's final grade may not exceed the student's attendance average, unless by mutual agreement with the instructor due to extenuating circumstances.  Every tardy recorded will be considered 1/2 of an unexcused absence in calculation of the final attendance average.  

Make a habit of arriving early to class, and you will thank yourself.

Calendar

Additional Information

REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS: There will be two major exams (Mid-Term and Final Exam) and occasional quizzes. The Final Exam will be held on the day and time found in the Amarillo College schedule of classes and will be comprehensive, as Music Theory builds on itself.

 

RESEARCH PROJECT: Students will be required to write a 10-page (minimum, not including title page, internal quotes, pictures, or a bibliography, all of which are also required) paper and a full analysis (both Formal and Harmonic analyses, as well as Strophic analysis if words are used) of a composition related to the student’s performance field and taken from one of the time periods covered in class.  In addition to the paper and corresponding analysis, a PowerPoint Presentation and at least 2 excellent recordings should also be provided, all of which will be submitted electronically to the Instructor.  The paper will be submitted in both .doc(x) and .pdf file format, according to the following specifications:

- 12 point, Times New Roman font, double spaced

- 1 inch margins

- All pages numbered

- Either Chicago or MLA formatting for citations and bibliography. BE CONSISTENT.

- No deviations from this formatting are allowed, and failure to adhere to these instructions will result in an automatic loss of one letter grade per item.

Students should begin the process of choosing a topic as early in the term as possible, and are expected to have narrowed down their list to no more than two viable options before the class meets for a Brief Guide to Research (see course calendar). 

Prior to beginning analysis and writing the paper, two typed/printed copies of a topic proposal (1 or 2 paragraphs) and preliminary bibliography (at least 5 significant sources) should be brought to class for signed Instructor approval.  This proposal should follow the formatting guidelines listed above.

Students will schedule out-of-class meetings with one another and the instructor to assess the progress of their work and get critical feedback (see designated weeks on course calendar). 

Near the end of term, an oral presentation on the work will be presented in class, with a PowerPoint Presentation, peer handout, thorough analysis, and recordings of the work presented. Class presentations will be scheduled during the course of the semester.  At the presentation, the student will provide a full copy (both digital and hard-copy) of all material (Paper, Analysis, PPP, etc.) to the instructor for grading, and will supply an analyzed score and handout for all the other students in the course.

The students must have all needed files for presentations on an easily accessible drive/format (e.g. - CD, DVD, Thumb/Jump/USB drive).  Downloading files from the Internet during the presentation time, and/or expecting the class computer to be able to read your iPod/iPhone is unacceptable.  Be overly prepared for this presentation!  Using YouTube, or other online accessible files, is prohibited during the presentation.

At least one individual meeting will be scheduled to discuss the student’s research project and presentation preparations.  All project material (Paper, Handout, PowerPoint Presentation, Analysis) must be submitted by the due date.  If a deadline is missed, the Professor reserves the right to cancel any individual meetings with the student and not allow the student to present their project to the class.  Any material that is not complete will be construed as not being turned in, and an “F” will be entered for this grade.

It is the responsibility of the student to thoroughly research and understand both plagiarism and collusionary plagiarism.  Proper documentation and internal references are required.  Please choose one of the following styles and adhere to the rules of the chosen style:  MLA or Chicago Manual of Style.  No Internet sources may be used as references, unless the instructor approves the site in advance.  Only ask about viable/credible Internet sources.  

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Plagiarism and/or cheating on any level will not be tolerated (you will fail). Textbooks or notes cannot be used for examinations, and all work submitted is given to the Instructor with the assertion that the work (research, etc.) was completed by the student herself or himself.  Please always ask if you are at all unclear regarding proper use of information or resources in a given situation.  We are here to help each other, but stealing another’s ideas is absolutely unacceptable and will be dealt with accordingly.

QUESTIONS: This syllabus is only an outline of the course of study. If you should have any questions regarding any of the topics mentioned above, I will be happy to discuss them with you. No question is unimportant, and I look forward to working with you. Have a great semester!

DISCLAIMER: The instructor reserves the right to alter the syllabus based on the instructor's continuing evaluation of the course and class progress.  Students will be alerted to changes made.

 

Music Theory tutuoring policy for Advanced Theory and Ear Training classes

Any student who fails to complete 2 or more homework assignments by the stated due date, scores below a 50% on a quiz, or scores below an 80% on a unit test or midterm exam, will be requireid to attend a minimum of 1 hour of tutoring per week for the remainder of the term.  Any student who does not demonstrate fulfillment of this course requirement (or equivalent, as determined by the instructor) will not be permitted to take subsequent examinations.  Tutoring is available to all music students and recommended for consistent use throughout each week for assignment preparation and review of materials.

 

COVID-19 POLICIES (Fall 2020)

Class will be conducted in-person as allowable by Amarillo College, which will be taking its cues from city officials, AISD, and the governer's office.  

Students must abide by all AC-required health safety precautions, including:

          Register your health status via the HealthHub app before coming to campus each day.

          Wear a face-mask at all times while on campus.  NOTE: A singing mask will be provided to all registered choir students.  

          Adhere to social distancing.

          Sanitize your hands immediately before and after class.  

A live-stream option for class attendance will be available for any student who is absent due to COVID-related concerns.  NOTE: Requests for live-stream attendance must be submitted in writing before the start of the class period(s) in question.

Rehearsals may be moved to a tech-supported structure (virtual meetings) at any time to align with College mandates or to address health concerns within the Music Department. 

 

OFFICE HOURS (Fall 2020)

     Posted outside office door (MB 306), and by appointment.