MUS 276 : Jazz History

Creative Arts and Industries

2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A critical examination of musical styles, performers, cultural and industrial contexts surrounding jazz musics from the mid-nineteenth century, including ragtime, through New Orleans, swing, be-bop, cool, free, third-stream and post-bop. An in-depth study of primary exponents of various styles.

Course Overview

This course aims to provide students with foundational historical knowledge and research skills in the area of jazz. MUS 276 is taken by all stage 1 jazz students and will prepare them for the subsequent stage 3 course, MUS 376 Jazz Research, as well as all of their jazz performance classes.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points passed in Music Restriction: MUS 126, 176

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Music

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Know and understand over 100 years of music from the jazz tradition. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 8.2)
  2. Think critically about the social and cultural contexts that led to the various sub-genres of jazz. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  3. Evaluate how they fit into the jazz tradition as individuals living in Aotearoa/New Zealand. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  4. Communicate ideas and research in a clear and scholarly manner. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 8.1 and 8.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Module 1 Listening Test 20% Individual Test
Module 2 Listening Test 20% Individual Test
Module 3 Listening Test 20% Individual Test
Contribution to Class Disscusions 10% Individual Coursework
Quizzes 30% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Module 1 Listening Test
Module 2 Listening Test
Module 3 Listening Test
Contribution to Class Disscusions
Quizzes

Assignments are to be submitted, according to submission type specified on CANVAS, by the due date. In the event of illness or other circumstances that prevent completing an assignment, please contact the course coordinator with independent evidence as appropriate before the due date. Late assignments that do not have an approved extension will be penalized 10% for each day or part thereof. No assignment will be accepted after that assignment has been returned to students.

Teaching & Learning Methods

Learning and teaching methods consist of:
Lectures - two lectures per week, 1.5 hours each.
Lectures will be supplemented with relevant historical readings and audio/video examples.
Students may also contact the lecturer for individual assistance through individual office hours or by appointment.

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 36 hours of lectures, 48 hours of reading, thinking about the content, and listening to audio examples, and 66 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. 
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning 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.

REQUIRED TEXT: 
Keeping Time: Readings In Jazz History by Robert Walser. Published by Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition.
This resource is available through the UoA Bookstore. An electronic version is also available online.

RECOMMENDED: 
Jazz Styles  by Mark C. Gridley. Published by Pearson. 

The History of Jazz  by Ted Gioia. Published by Oxford University Press.

RECOMMENDED: 
A good quality set of speakers or headphones will be needed to facilitate detailed listening of audio examples.

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.

Course content has been edited for detail and clarity, quizzes have been given more weight, as well as listening tests (which were challenging).

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

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.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an 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. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 23/11/2023 09:35 a.m.