Students
MMCC2090 – The Music Business
2025 – Session 2, Online-scheduled-weekday
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor and Lecturer
Diane Hughes
Contact via diane.hughes@mq.edu.au
Hub 191, 10 Hadenfeld Ave
Consultation by appointment
Convenor and Lecturer
Andrew Robson
Contact via andrew.robson@mq.edu.au
191J, 10 Hadenfeld Ave
Consultation by appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
In this unit students apply music industry theory to a range of real life situations. They create and market an artist's image, organise and promote a live gig, and learn how to plot a musician's career path. This course provides a holistic outline of the music industry: it considers all five income stream groups (record sales, live performance, song publishing, merchandise and sponsorship) in relation to artists' and industry practitioners' careers. The artist manager is the only other individual, besides the artist, who gets to see and touch all the jigsaw puzzle pieces that fit together to create the artist's career. This course therefore focuses on artist management in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the different facets that constitute the industry. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: analyse industry practices and historical contexts in order to discover new knowledge concerning the music business.
- ULO2: collaborate with other students in order to evaluate, contrast and defend personal judgements concerning the music business.
- ULO3: evaluate relationships and contracts between artists and other parties, including (but not limited to) artist managers, agents, producers, record companies, and music publishers.
- ULO4: apply professional and personal judgment and initiative regarding the complexity, ambiguity and diversity that is generated by the changing music business environment.
General Assessment Information
Late Assessment Submission Penalty
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.
This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcomes may result in a new question or topic.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 50% | No | 12/09/2025 |
| Life on the road | 50% | No | Week 12 |
Case study
Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 12/09/2025
Weighting: 50%
Students will research and analyse the strategies of an artist of their choice. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- analyse industry practices and historical contexts in order to discover new knowledge concerning the music business.
- collaborate with other students in order to evaluate, contrast and defend personal judgements concerning the music business.
- apply professional and personal judgment and initiative regarding the complexity, ambiguity and diversity that is generated by the changing music business environment.
Life on the road
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 50%
Students will plan and present a fully costed tour proposal for a band. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- analyse industry practices and historical contexts in order to discover new knowledge concerning the music business.
- collaborate with other students in order to evaluate, contrast and defend personal judgements concerning the music business.
- evaluate relationships and contracts between artists and other parties, including (but not limited to) artist managers, agents, producers, record companies, and music publishers.
- apply professional and personal judgment and initiative regarding the complexity, ambiguity and diversity that is generated by the changing music business environment.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Lectures commence in Week 1.
For this unit, tutorials will commence in Week 2 and conclude in Week 11. The final assessment will take place in Week 12 (times TBA).
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2025.05 of the Handbook