Course Catalog

MUS243E Music and World Cultures (3 credits) 9614

COURSE DESCRIPTION
A course that introduces students to ways to think about how people make music meaningful and useful in their lives and presents basic musical concepts as they are practiced in musical systems around the world. Diverse music (both traditional and popular) and cultural contexts are introduced in the Foundations component (required). Focus in each of the additional four units is given to cultural and music basics as well as to the analysis of musical examples (or excerpts) from the respective cultures. Musical selections are contained on a separate CD (79 musical examples compressed for usage in an MP3 player, if desired).
1. Foundations - an introduction to culture and to music elements plus an analysis of 15 musical examples (or excerpts) representative of various cultures
2. Africa - culture, music, and analyses of 17 musical examples
3. Japan - culture, music, and analyses of 15 musical examples
4. India - culture, music, and analyses of 15 musical examples
5. Ethnic North America - culture, music, and analyses of 15 musical examples

LEARNING RESULTS
Students who pass MUS 243E can...
• Expose students to cultures outside of their background and provide global orientation
• Assist students in understanding the art and role of music from the perspective of the people who make music meaningful and useful in their lives
• Assist students in becoming accepting of cultures other than their own
• Assist students in recognizing interdependence of human beings despite cultural differences and in building cooperation across cultures

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
All students taking this course must purchase the required 2 CD’s from the TUFW Online office for a fee of $15. Also, a high speed internet connection is necessary for this course.

Each unit (Foundations, Africa, Japan, India, and Ethnic North America) has three components: culture, music, and analyses of musical selections. Within the text, you will find not only textual information, but also various pictures and sound icons, plus links to video clips and PowerPoint presentations.

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INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND LEARNING
This course integrates Christianity, biblical scripture, culture and music that will further the student's Christian world view. The student will (1) write a short essay about his/her musical world and identify the reasons; (2) do a value comparison which contrasts the values people live by in the United States with the values of other cultures; (3) write an essay which requires the student to indicate where on the continuum he/she is with respect to the development of sensitivity to and involvement with diversity.

LEARNING DOCUMENTATION
To determine if the course learning results have been attained, students document their learning by submitting the following items:
Essay 1 "My Music and Me" - Required (beginning of course) = 25 points
Exam 1 - FOUNDATIONS - Required = 201 points
Choose three* from the following four exams (units):
• Exam 2 - Africa = 150 points
• Exam 3 - Japan = 150 points
• Exam 4 - India = 150 points
• Exam 5 - Ethnic North America = 150 points
Essay 2 "Faith & Learning, Music & Culture, and Me" - Required (end of course) = 100 points
TOTAL POINTS = 776

*Option: If you receive a poor grade on any one of the three chosen exams (2, 3, 4, or 5), you may complete a fourth unit/exam. If the exam grade for this unit is higher than the lowest exam score obtained from a previously completed unit exam, that score will replace the lowest exam score. (This will be done manually by the professor.) You can view your updated scores and course percentage by looking at the gradebook.

Note: The 201-point exam in the Foundations unit is required and the grade cannot be changed. This exam is 201 points because it has 67 questions @ 3 points. All other exams are 150 points (50 questions @ 3 points).

LEARNING EVALUATION
Grade Percent Point Range
A 93 - 100% 722 - 776
A- 90 - 92% 698 - 721
B+ 88 - 89% 683 - 697
B 82 - 87% 636 - 682
B- 80 - 81% 621 - 635
C+ 78 - 79% 605 - 620
C 72 - 77% 559 - 604
C- 70 - 71% 543 - 558
D+ 68 - 69% 528 - 542
D 62 - 67% 481 - 527
D- 60 - 61% 466 - 480
F Below 60% Below 466