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Course Syllabus

MUSC 1110 Music Theory I

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Music
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
  • Prerequisites: Students must pass a placement examination that is administered the first week of class with a 70% or higher to continue in this course. Students who do not pass will be placed in MUSC 1100 for remediation.
  • Corequisites: MUSC 1130
  • Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
  • Semester Approved: Spring 2024
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2029
  • End Semester: Fall 2029
  • Optimum Class Size: 20
  • Maximum Class Size: 30

Course Description

This course includes the study of the fundamental elements of music. Content will focus on part writing, composition, and analysis. This course is required of all music-majors and minors and is recommended for serious students of voice, piano or other instruments. This course must be taken in sequence, and concurrently with MUSC 1130. During the first week of class, a placement exam will be administered - - a score of 70% or better must be achieved on this exam, or the student will be placed in MUSC 1100 Fundamentals of Music. If students receive a score of 4 or higher on their high school Advance Placement (AP) Music Theory exam, they may choose to waive this course.

Justification

This course, required of music majors in all NASM-accredited music programs, prepares music majors for transfer with full junior status to music programs of the four year colleges and universities. It will also serve to develop musical literacy in the non-majors. Similar courses are offered in most USHE university music programs. MUSC 1110 is the common number in the USHE system for this course.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic elements of music.
  2. Students will be able to write and analyze four part choral common practice period style.
  3. Students will be able to analyze basic musical forms and define musical terms.

Course Content

Students will develop knowledge and skills relating to the following concepts:• staves; • keys; • scales; melody;• rhythm;• harmony;• meters; • intervals; • tempo;• dynamics. Music literature will be chosen from a variety of sources and styles, including various nations, ethnic groups, time periods, genders, etc.. Discussions during class will address said musical styles and their importance. All students in the course will be treated with respect and fairness.