Overview
This unit covers the origins and principles of popular music. You will explore the history of popular music from its origins in the 1850s until psychedelic rock in the 1960s, considering the main themes within popular music, and getting to know the significant movements, artists and songs of the era. You will also study fundamental popular music theory including pitch and rhythmic notation, pulse, meter and the musical forms used in popular music. You will also learn to identify harmonic, melodic and rhythmic concepts and transcribe them where appropriate. You will consider the schools of harmonic composition in popular music and how harmony interacts with melody. You will also consider the use of music notation software.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Apply basic popular music theory
- Explain and contextualise significant music movements, composers and performers of popular music in the period from 1850 to approximately 1969
- Describe the main themes of popular music
- Aurally identify and transcribe harmonic, melodic and rhythmic concepts.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - In-class Test(s) - 25% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - In-class Test(s) - 25% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.woodward@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
History: The 19th Century
Theory: Pitch
Aural: Introduction
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: Ragtime, Early Jazz and Revue
Theory: Rhythm
Aural: Rhythm
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: Swing, Jazz and Blues
Theory: The Major Scale
Aural: Scales
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: Before there was Rock....
Theory: Key Signatures
Aural: Chords
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: The Golden Ages of Rock 'n' Roll
Theory: Intervals
Aural: Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Essay questions released.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: The Fabulous Brill Building
Theory: In-Class Assessment
Aural: In-Class Assessment
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
In-Class Assessment (Theory and Aural)
In-Class Test(s) Due: Week 6 Thursday (19 Apr 2018) 12:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
History: The Beatles
Theory: Minor Scales
Aural: Intervals 2
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: The Rolling Stones
Theory: Chords/Triads
Aural: Cadences
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: The 'other' 60s music: Surf Rock, Garage bands, and Proto Punk
Theory: Other Scales/Textures
Aural: Seventh Chords
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: Rock for College Kids: 60s Folk Rock
Theory: Cadences
Aural: Melodic Dictation 1
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
History: Black Pop in the 60s: Motown and Stax
Theory: Seventh Chords
Aural: Melodic Dictation 2
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
History Assignment Due Friday 8.30am
History Assignment Due: Week 11 Friday (25 May 2018) 8:30 am AEST
Module/Topic
History: Psychedelic Rock
Theory: Chords and their Inversions
Aural: Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam to be scheduled during examination period.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 In-class Test(s)
Assessment one of CART11003 is comprised of two in-class tests held during your normal lesson times in week 6.
Questions may be short, or long answer, or any other. Marks are assigned based on the difficulty of the question and the format. (For example, a long answer will be awarded more marks than a multiple choice).
Some questions will assess materials from the readings or the lectures (collaborate or in-person). Others will assess students’ knowledge of the listening list. A time limit of one hour will be assigned. Questions will be drawn from history and aural sections of the course only.
Only one attempt will be permitted.
The two in-class tests will collectively contribute 25% of a student’s mark.
Week 6 Thursday (19 Apr 2018) 12:00 pm AEST
In-class in week 6
Week 8 Thursday (3 May 2018)
Marks returned within 2 weeks of in-class test
Students are assessed on topics covered in class during week 1-5. This includes both theory and aural content.
Theory is weighted at 12.5% of the final unit mark.
Aural is weighted at 12.5% of the final unit mark.
No submission method provided.
- Apply basic popular music theory
- Aurally identify and transcribe harmonic, melodic and rhythmic concepts.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
2 Written Assessment
Students are to respond to an essay question released in week 5 (1400+ words).
Week 11 Friday (25 May 2018) 8:30 am AEST
Friday Week 11 8.30am
Review/Exam Week Friday (8 June 2018)
Returned within 2 weeks.
- Demonstrate understanding of popular music within culture in the period 1850 to 1963 (45%)
- Comprehensively answer the question posed (45%)
- Correctly and professionally present the document according to APA Style (10%)
No submission method provided.
- Explain and contextualise significant music movements, composers and performers of popular music in the period from 1850 to approximately 1969
- Describe the main themes of popular music
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
3 Practical Assessment
Examination (50%)
An in-class examination will be scheduled during the examination period (June 8-16). This examination will last 2.5 hours. It will incorporate
-
A listening component
- Identification from the history listening list (20%)
- Aural Class (20%)
- A history component covering materials from the history section (25%)
- A theory component covering learned materials from the theory classes (35%)
Students will be notified of the time/date of the examination in Week 9.
Exam Week Monday (11 June 2018) 12:00 am AEST
Students will be informed as to the examination time.
Exam Week Friday (15 June 2018)
Marks will be returned with certification of grades.
-
A listening component
- Identification from the history listening list (20%)
- Aural Class (20%)
- A history component covering materials from the history section (25%)
- A theory component covering learned materials from the theory classes (35%)
No submission method provided.
- Apply basic popular music theory
- Explain and contextualise significant music movements, composers and performers of popular music in the period from 1850 to approximately 1969
- Describe the main themes of popular music
- Aurally identify and transcribe harmonic, melodic and rhythmic concepts.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
