Course Syllabus
MUSC 2A Music Theory 1
Fall 2024
Tuesday/Thursday 8:00–9:15AM
Forsyth Hall room 115
Dr. Mark Anderman
Email: manderman@santarosa.edu
Phone: (707) 527-4330
Office Hours: In-person M T Th 11am–12pm; Online T 4–5pm, W 11am–12pm
Catalog Description
This course introduces students to music theory and its application in various musical styles. Topics include properties of sound, rhythm and meter, scales and modes, key signatures and the Circle of Fifths, intervals and transposition, chords and progressions, figured bass and Roman numeral analysis, phrases and cadences, and formal structure. The historical and social context of the above concepts will be discussed with musical examples drawn from history and global culture. Development of skill in handwritten notation is expected. (Grade only) Transfer Credit: CSU/UC.
Recommended Preparation
Concurrent enrollment in MUSC 3A; AND MUSCP 11A or another appropriate piano course. The Music Department strongly recommends that students NOT enroll concurrently in MUSC 1 and MUSC 2A/3A.
Textbook & Materials
- Hutchinson, Robert, Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom. Open Textbook Library, 2021.
- Music staff paper
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Identify, construct, and utilize the fundamental elements of music including rhythm, scales, modes, intervals, chords, and chord progressions.
- Perform elementary rhythmic, harmonic, melodic, and structural analysis of a diverse body of music in various styles and from various cultures.
Course Objectives
The student should be able to:
- Interpret music with regard to its historical and cultural context.
- Explain the basic properties of sound including pitch, duration, intensity, and timbre.
- Read and write music notation on all clefs.
- Identify, interpret, and utilize all meter signatures in simple, compound, and irregular meters.
- Identify, construct, and utilize key signatures and the Circle of Fifths.
- Identify and construct all diatonic major and minor scales and the modes.
- Identify and construct synthetic and non-diatonic scales including whole-tone, pentatonic, diminished/octatonic, chromatic, and non-Western scales.
- Identify and construct all simple and compound intervals.
- Transpose music from one key to another.
- Identify and construct triad chords (major, minor, augmented, and diminished) in root position and inversion in all keys.
- Identify and construct dominant seventh chords in all keys.
- Analyze and construct chord progressions in Roman numerals and figured bass in all keys.
- Analyze simple short pieces of music in different styles and from diverse cultures with regard to melodic and rhythmic phrase structure, harmony, cadences, and structure.
Credit by Examination
Some students enter college with extensive prior music knowledge (such as from high school AP Music courses or private lessons). Students who believe that they can "test out" of MUSC 2A and/or MUSC 3A can sit for Credit by Examination.
The exams are held on the first Friday of each semester. You will need to sign up with me by the first week of school and enroll in the Credit by Exam section(s) before taking the test.
Guidelines for Assignment Submission
Assignments will be submitted online through Canvas. You may scan or take a digital photo of your page(s). Please upload only PDF or JPG files unless the directions say otherwise.
Observe the posted due dates and turn in your work on time. Late work may be accepted for partial credit if turned in within one week of the original due date. (Later submissions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.) Any work to be graded must be turned in by the last day of the course. I will not accept any homework during final exams week.
- Please ensure your first and last name is on each page.
- Please use pencil and write legibly. Confusing notation will be graded down.
- Assignments are graded on a points system. The number of points varies depending on how many problems there are.
- Please turn in all pages of an assignment together. Incomplete assignments will receive a “0” with a request to re-submit.
- Assignments may be redone once for credit, provided they are turned in before the next test. They will be graded as a late assignment for reduced points.
- If a submission contains substantial errors, I may stop grading it and ask for a redo.
Due to the high volume of work I need to process each week, I typically do not accept “extra credit” assignments.
Attendance Policy and Course Grades
- Points will be deducted for each unexcused absence or tardy.
- If you are tardy, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure you are not marked absent.
- Tests must be taken at the time they are given. Missed tests can only be made up with an excused absence (doctor’s note, etc.) and must be made up immediately. Missed tests with an unexcused absence can only be taken for partial credit. If you miss the final exam, you will receive a grade of "F" in the course.
The final course grade will be based on these guidelines:
| Course Content | % |
| Homework assignments | 30% |
| Unit exams | 20% |
| Final exam | 40% |
| Attendance / participation | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Incomplete Grades
In some extreme circumstances, arrangements can be made for an incomplete (I) grade. Incomplete grades are appropriate when a student has been making satisfactory progress in a course, but is unable to finish for reasons beyond their control. Consult the District Grading Policy for more information.
Dropping a Course or Withdrawing from the College
It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a course if they are unable to complete it. Students who drop a course or withdraw from the college before the semester deadline will receive a “W” on their transcripts for each course dropped. The drop deadlines are published each semester in the college catalog and on the college website. Failure to drop by this date may result in a failing grade.
Classroom Decorum
Students are expected to always show respect and courtesy for the instructor and fellow students.
- Please come to class on time—excessive tardiness is disruptive.
- Please do not bring food to class. Water in secure travel bottles is OK, but keep it covered and away from pianos or other instruments.
- Please set cell phones and other devices to silent mode.
Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty is regarded as any act of deception, benign or malicious in nature, in the completion of any academic exercise. Examples of academic dishonesty include cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, misrepresentation of idea or fact for the purpose of defrauding, use of unauthorized aids or devices, falsifying attendance records, violation of testing protocol, inappropriate course assignment collaboration, and any other acts that are prohibited by the instructor of record. Students suspected of academic dishonesty may be referred to the Dean and/or Vice President of Student Services for disciplinary action.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
If you need disability-related accommodations for this course, please provide the Authorization for Academic Accommodations (AAA letter) from the Disability Resources Department (DRD) to me as soon as possible. You may also speak with me privately during office hours about your accommodations. If you have not received authorization from DRD, it is recommended that you contact them directly.
Physical and Mental Health
Should you experience any physical or mental health issues, know that all of us at SRJC care about your well-being. SRJC’s Student Health Services (SHS) has nurse practitioners and mental health therapists available. Confidential sessions are provided via secure Zoom or in-person. Sessions are free for SRJC students taking credit or non-credit classes, and some providers can converse with you in Spanish if you prefer. SHS also has on-site covid rapid testing and vaccinations available also at no cost. To start the process for any type of physical or mental health appointment contact Student Health at 707 527-4445 or email studenthealthservices@santarosa.edu. More information about all that Student Health Services provides is available at shs.santarosa.edu.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|