REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

The required textbook for this course is An Introduction to America’s Music, 3rd edition, by Richard Crawford and Larry Hamberlin.  Either the physical or digital copy of the textbook is adequate to use for the course.

Online access to the course materials is Required.  Please visit the tab, “Start Here”, in the class BlackBoard for further information and step by step instruction on obtaining and registering for the material.  Registration for the online access must be completed by Sunday, 1/28/2024 by 11:59pm.  Students who fail to meet this requirement may be dropped from the course by the professor.  If you are unable to complete this requirement on time, please contact your professor immediately.

ASSIGNMENTS & GRADE BREAKDOWN

The grades in the course depend exclusively on the points scored by the students on the following:  chapter review quizzes, listening exam, concert reports, and attendance.  Grades will be posted under “My Grades” in the class BlackBoard for students’ access and review. 

• Chapter quizzes:  40%. 

Chapter quizzes MUST be completed through Blackboard.  It can be found under “Course Content” tab.  Due dates will be announced in class and posted under Announcement in the class BB.  Late submissions will only be accepted after communication with the professor via email before the due date, or a documented excuse after the due date.

• Listening Exam:  10%.

This is the only exam for the course.  It will take place on 1/31/24 during the class time.  There will be no makeups offered for the exam unless students have justifiable reasons and inform the professor properly by email or in person in advance.

• Concert reports (2):  40%.

Students must attend TWO FULL-LENGTH live music concerts and submit a review for each concert.  Concert report MUST be submitted electronically through BlackBoard in .doc, .docx, or .pdf files and be checked by SafeAssign for originality.  No more than 30% of the content of your reports should match the database. 

Further instructions are available under “Concert Assignments” tab in the class Blackboard. 

• Class Participation and Attendance:  10%.

Regular and punctual class attendance is expected.  Attendance is required and will be taken at the beginning of each class and recorded.  In case of absence (including absent on official school business), it is the student's responsibility to properly contact the professor (excused absences).  Students who are absent for more than 15 percent of the class meetings and/or do not keep up with the course assignments may be dropped at the discretion of the professor.  The attendance record will be posted in the class Blackboard shortly after each meeting for students’ review.

Late to the class 3 times without proper notification is considered as 1 unexcused absence.

Excused absences won’t have negative impact to your grade.

IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE: 

1. Students are expected and responsible for completing all the coursework and assignments on time.  Deadlines for assignments are shown in the Coursework Schedule.  It will also be announced in class and stated in announcement.  Late submission will be accepted only after communication with the professor before the due date, or with a documented excuse aftetr the due date. Students are encouraged to contact the professor and discuss any issues with him regarding assignments. 
2. Assignments will be graded within two weeks after the due dates. 
3. Students with more than 80% of missed or late work by 2/12/2024 may be dropped from the course at the discretion of the professor. 
4. All the work and assignments need to be completed by 5/12/2024 (the last class day).  Your grades will be calculated, posted on BlackBoard for review, then reported to the university.

USE OF ACC EMAIL

All classes and college e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion.  ACC will send important information and will notify students of any college- related emergencies using this account.  Students should only expect to receive email communication from their professor using this account.  Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with professors and staff.  Information about ACC email accounts, including instructions for accessing it, are available at: http://www.austincc.edu/help/accmail/questions-and-answers

WITHDRAWAL

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should he or she decide to withdraw from the class.  The professor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he feel it is necessary.  If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date.  The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is 2/11/2024.  The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status.  Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education.  Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit.  Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

INCOMPLETES

An Incomplete may not be used as a shelter from a potentially low grade in the class.  A student may qualify for an “I” (Incomplete) at the end of the semester only if ALL of the following conditions are satisfied:

1.  The student is unable to complete the course during the semester due to documented extenuating circumstances.

2.  The student must have earned at least the grade points needed for a “C” by the end of the semester.

3.  The request for the grade must be made in writing (via email) to the instructor a minimum of two weeks prior to the end of the semester and necessary documents completed.

4.  To remove an “I”, the student must complete the stipulations of the Incomplete contract signed with the instructor no later than two weeks prior to the end of the next semester.  Failure to do so will result in the grade automatically reverting to an “F”.

Students are strongly encouraged to contact the professor

and seek assistance before 5/12/2024

Austin Community College Policies

The required textbook for this course is An Introduction to America’s Music, 3rd edition, by Richard Crawford and Larry Hamberlin.  Either the physical or digital copy of the textbook is adequate to use for the course.

This sixteen-week course is a survey of various styles of popular and classical music from America’s Colonial days to present.  With emphasis on stylistic developments and general historical background, this course will also examine the influence of music on the American culture.  Content includes surveys of psalmody, concert life, European, Latin and African influences, and the social conditions that produced what is known as American Musical Hybridity.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the vast number of genres alive in American Music historically and in modern day.

Discuss the influences contributing to today’s American Musical Hybridity.

Identify the "families" of musical instruments and the typical sounds of each.

Broaden students’ concepts of musical arts in America.

To increase students’ awareness of the ways in which American music influences society - social relationships, social patterns, social interaction, and social awareness- and vice-versa.

Summarize the musical evolution and development of American music styles.

Student Learning Outcomes—upon successful completion of this class students should develop:

Knowledge of the basic elements of American Classical and Popular Music.

Knowledge of music styles and music artists in American music.

Ability to aurally recognize styles/genres of American music.

Understand the processes involved in the development of American music.

Relationship between American and world music influences.