Syllabus MUS 250 World Music
SKYLINE COLLEGE FALL 2007
Professor: David Meckler, Ph.D.,
Office: 3-242, Cañada College. office hrs TBA
Email (start subject header with “250” to get my
attention)
Voice-mail:
(650) 306-3439
Our goals are to listen to many different types of music from around
the globe, to be able to use basic musical terminology in describing that
music, and to relate music behaviors to the cultural contexts that surround
them. Equal emphasis will be placed on
music and culture. Instruction is primarily
by class lecture, supplemented by reading, listening, and viewing. Assessment is primarily through multiple
choice and short answer exams and two writing assignments.
This syllabus is flexible and may change.
We will slightly re-order in
the book, averaging about 4-5 hours of class time per section in the book.
Part One, Elements of Music
Part Two, Sub-Saharan Africa;
Part Seven, Japan (bunraku performance
13-14 Oct at UC Berkeley)
Part Three, The Middle East and North Africa
Part Six, China
Part Eight, Indonesia
Part Nine, Eastern Europe
Part Four, Central Asia; Part Five, India
Concert review due last class meeting 13 Dec;
NOT the final exam date, 20 Dec
Grades: Autobiography, 10%; concert review or research project, 10%;8 question sets, 50%; final exam, 25%. Last term’s final exam is posted on the class website; your final exam will be similar.
Cell phones & gadgets off, please.
If you miss an exam, a written and signed (by you) excuse will be
required for you to make up the exam.
Exams are organized around listening examples.
REQUIRED TEXT: Music of the Peoples of the World,
William Alves, with CDs. Handouts and
posted material on the course website
(http://www.smccd.net/accounts/mecklerd/MUS250/MUS250.htm) are supplemental
reading. Additional CD listening
may be required, and will be available in the Library and in the Learning
Center.
Academic & Personal Integrity – they are the same thing!
You must do you own work unless specified. Severe penalties, outlined in the Student Handbook, will be used
in case of cheating or copied work without proper attribution. Plagiarism on minor assignments or exams
will result in zero credit for the assignment and lower the final
course grade by one letter; cheating or plagiarism on the final exam or museum
& concert reviews will result in an F in the course.
Attendance is absolutely
vital. Miss a class for a good reason? Only WRITTEN excuses accepted. It is your responsibility to drop the class
if you miss more than 4 class meetings.