Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Introduction to Music (Online)

MUSC 1010-31I

Course: MUSC 1010-31I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: MUSC
CRN: 33903

Course Description

This course is designed to expose the general student to the principal forms of traditional Western art music as well as multicultural music genres through the study of music history and literature. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Fine Arts

Required Texts

Course Materials
This course will not use a conventional textbook. Written course materials and links to online audio material will be made available on the course Canvas site. Because this is an online course, lectures will be pre-recorded and posted for you to view at your pleasure. All material on the exams (discussed later in this syllabus) will come from the recorded lectures, the written course materials, and the online audio material.

Learning Outcomes

In this course students will develop an enriched appreciation of music by studying the various repertories of the Western European and American concert tradition—the music you probably know as “classical.” Students will learn about historical, social, and artistic contexts of major musical works and develop a vocabulary to communicate cogently about their style, structure, and expressive qualities.
As an SUU general education course, “Introduction to Music” will develop your capabilities with respect to the following essential learning outcomes:
  • knowledge of human cultures (in both the fine arts and humanities)
  • inquiry and analysis
  • communication
These outcomes will be assessed by examinations with both written and listening components, by viewing SUU or other musical performances, and by written responses to the performances viewed.

Course Requirements

Tests (65%). Five examinations, which together will make up 65% of your final grade, will be administered on Canvas. Each examination will require you to identify excerpts from the works on the recordings by title and composer, and to answer questions about these works and composers as well as other concepts discussed in the recorded lectures and in the textbook. 
Concert Attendance (15%). Over the course of the semester you are required to view five concerts, recitals, or other musical events sponsored by Music Department. A tentative schedule of these events will be available on Canvas, but since this schedule is subject to change you will be responsible to confirm the details of a performance ahead of time. (Programs for Music Department performances are available here (https://www.suu.edu/pva/music/webcasts.html) .
Though this is an online course, you may certainly attend these concerts in person. If you are unable to attend in person, you may select from the many live-streamed performances via the Department’s YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCadMXRFRwbkSJP0G_3JBVtQ/videos). A calendar of upcoming
performances is available here (https://www.suu.edu/pva/music/). In exceptional circumstances you may substitute other collegiate- or professional-level performances (no middle school or high school performances will be permitted), but only with my prior approval. Also, I will accept no more than two events in which you participate as a performer. On or before the last day of class you will submit via Canvas a list of the five performances you viewed; this list should include the date of the performance and the name(s) of either the ensemble or (in the case of solo recitals) the individual performer(s). Your performance attendance will constitute 15% of your final grade.
Concert Reviews (20%). For three of the performances attended, you will submit a review of approximately 500 words. Each review must include the date, location of the performance, the name(s) of the ensemble or individual performer(s) and the titles of the music numbers. Each review should be a thoughtful response to the performances you view and should demonstrate at least some mastery of the vocabulary and concepts you are learning in the course. (None of your reviewed performances may be events in which you participate as a performer.) Your reviews will be submitted via Canvas throughout the semester on or before the date given in the syllabus for each review. Together, the performances and reviews will make up 20% of your final grade.
Grading Policy
100–93 % | A
92–90 % | A-
89–87 % | B+
86–83 % | B
82–80 % | B-
79–77 % | C+
76–73 % | C
70–72 % | C-
69–67 % | D+
66–63 % | D
63–60 % | D-
59% and below | F

Course Outline

Course Schedule (subject to change)

The following contains the deadline for each five examinations and 3 concert reviews, as well as a suggested schedule for studying recorded lectures and other materials. To reiterate, the due dates listed for examinations and concert reviews must be adhered to but the pacing of the lectures and listening guides is to be determined by the individual student.

Unit 1: Fundamentals--The Middle Ages and Renaissance

Aug. 28 
  • Lecture 
    • Fundamentals
Sep. 2 
  • Lecture 
    • Fundamentals cont. 
Sep. 4 
Sep. 9 
Examination 1 
  • Details 
    • Available on Canvas from Sep. 9-16
    • notes permitted
    • Due no later than 11:59pm on Sep. 16

Unit 2: The Baroque

Sep. 11
  • Lecture
    • The Early Baroque
  • Listening Guide
Sep. 16
Sep. 18
Sep 23 
Sep. 25 
Examination 2
  • Details 
    • Available on Canvas from Sep. 25-Oct. 3
    • notes are NOT permitted
    • Due no later than 11:59pm on Oct. 3

Unit 3: The Classical Period

Oct. 2
Oct. 7
Oct. 9 
Oct. 16
Oct. 21
Examination 3
  • Details 
    • Available on Canvas from Oct. 21-28
    • notes are NOT permitted
    • Due no later than 11:59pm on Oct. 28

Unit 4: The Romantic Period

Oct. 28 
Oct. 30
Nov. 4
Nov. 6 
Nov. 11
Examination 4
  • Details 
    • Available on Canvas from Nov. 11-18
    • notes are NOT permitted
    • Due no later than 11:59pm on Nov. 18

Unit 5: The Twentieth Century

Nov. 18
Nov. 20

Nov. 24-30 Thanksgiving Break - No Classes

Dec. 2 
Dec. 4
Examination 5
  • Details 
    • Available on Canvas from Dec. 4-11
    • notes are NOT permitted
    • Due no later than 11:59pm on Dec. 11

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Concert reviews will be accepted late on a case by case basis. Examinations will NOT be accepted late nor will the list of viewed concerts.

Attendance Policy

Citizenship. Students are expected to contribute meaningfully to the overall learning environment of the course. While the instructor will not keep track of your attendance or of the quantity or quality of comments you make in class, they do reserve the right to adjust the grade downward if a student exhibits an unacceptable pattern of absence, disruption, or non-participation.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.