MUS 103 : Music Fundamentals
Creative Arts and Industries
2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course aims to provide students with foundational knowledge in the areas of music theory, and practice in aural perception and active listening. This will enable the student to begin developing the musicianship and notation skills necessary for practical applications such as performing, composing, arranging and teaching music. Topics include:
- melody (key signatures, scales and intervals)
- rhythm (metre and note grouping)
- harmony (triads and 7th chords, simple harmonisation)
- aural perception and musicianship
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of simple and compound time signatures, correct rhythmic grouping, and accent patterns. (Capability 1)
- Demonstrate an understanding of clefs, staves, key signatures, scales and modes, intervals, basic melody writing and transposition. (Capability 1)
- Demonstrate an understanding of chords and their inversions, writing and labelling basic chords using both classical figured bass, popular and jazz chord notations. (Capability 1)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between music notation and performance through musical terms, signs and articulations. (Capability 1)
- Develop musicianship through the practice of active listening, including identifying and notating simple rhythms and melodies, intervals, chords and their inversions. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Develop competency in basic aural tasks using the aural training software Auralia (Capability 1, 2 and 5)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes (Formative) weeks 3 and 10 | Individual Coursework | |
| Assignments | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Aural tasks (ongoing) | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Tests | 20% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 30% | Individual Examination |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Quizzes (Formative) weeks 3 and 10 | ||||||||||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| Aural tasks (ongoing) | ||||||||||
| Tests | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Teaching & Learning Methods
This course has two lectures and one tutorial per week as enrolled. Lectures cover the subjects listed above in "Learning outcomes". Tutorials begin in week 2 to support the lectures and prepare students for tests, assignments, and the final examination. Students are also expected to spend regular time practicing on the aural training programme Auralia. Please note that although lectures begin at a basic level this course moves very quickly, so it is important to keep up with the material from the beginning. Staff office hours will be posted on Canvas at the beginning of Semester to answer any course-related questions.
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 23 hours of lectures, 11 tutorials, 30 hours auralia practice, and 84 hours of revision including work on assignments and/or test preparation. There is a 2 hour examination.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course may include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for tests and the final exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Other Information
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures and tutorials, to conduct weekly reading, writing and listening tasks, to engage in tutorial discussion, and to complete a series of coursework tests and assignments and a final 2 hour examination.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
In the event of unexpected disruption
We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.