MUSA 103 American Popular Music

Previously MUSC 107. Open to all interested students, this course offers a panoramic view of the history of American popular music from the mid 1800's to the present. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to identify and discuss each of the following aspects of American popular music: specific styles and style periods, pivotal compositions and composers, ethnic traditions which have been major contributors in the development and evolution of popular music, song forms and their contribution to style period development, influences on American history, and historical influences on popular music.

Credits

3

Hours Weekly

3

Course Objectives

1. Recognize and identify specific styles and style periods.
2. Identify and define specific terms relative to major style periods, i.e., blues, jazz, swing, pop, rock, funk.
3. Identify and organize information and ideas related to American pop music groups and/or individuals and their contributions to pop music.
4. Recognize and discuss the pivotal compositions of pop music history.
5. Analyze song forms and consider their importance to the development of style periods.
6. Analyze and evaluate one specific composition from each major style period deemed to be a “classic” of that genre.
7. Show the similarities and differences among the major artists of each music period.
8. Generate and address ideas on how history and world events helped to shape pop music and vice versa.
9. Reflect and discuss the worldwide ramifications of the popularity of certain pivotal music artists, i.e., Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and The Beatles and the impact of their works in music and society.
10. Discuss the importance of technology on popular music.

Course Objectives

1. Recognize and identify specific styles and style periods.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

2. Identify and define specific terms relative to major style periods, i.e., blues, jazz, swing, pop, rock, funk.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

3. Identify and organize information and ideas related to American pop music groups and/or individuals and their contributions to pop music.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT1
4. Recognize and discuss the pivotal compositions of pop music history.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

5. Analyze song forms and consider their importance to the development of style periods.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments
   • Analysis paper

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT3
6. Analyze and evaluate one specific composition from each major style period deemed to be a “classic” of that genre.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Artifact/Activity Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT3
7. Show the similarities and differences among the major artists of each music period.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

8. Generate and address ideas on how history and world events helped to shape pop music and vice versa.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments
   • Essay

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT2
9. Reflect and discuss the worldwide ramifications of the popularity of certain pivotal music artists, i.e., Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and The Beatles and the impact of their works in music and society.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments
   • Essay or quiz

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT4
10. Discuss the importance of technology on popular music.

    This objective is a course Goal Only

    Learning Activity Artifact

    • Other (please fill out box below)
    • Essay or quiz

    Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

    • Creative Process and Humanistic Inquiry Rubric