Students

MUS 102 – Passion, Rebellion and Identity in Popular Music

2019 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer and Tutor
Adrian Renzo
Contact via Contact via email
10HA-155
Please see iLearn.
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Popular music has often functioned as a creative expression of dissent. Music has been used to construct or undermine various configurations of identity (whether based on race, class, or other social distinctions). This unit explores the ways in which music has helped musicians and listeners to engage with and/or resist the status quo. The unit explores explicitly political interventions by musicians as well as more subtle interventions that bypass official political processes. Key analytical tropes from popular music studies are introduced and critiqued (including the study of subculture, ‘authenticity’, and ‘retromania’) and the various concepts are illustrated with reference to genres such as disco, rock, and hip hop.

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:

  • Discuss relevant moments in popular music history.
  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.
  • Explain academic ideas in writing.
  • Identify independent academic research in the discipline, including appropriate articles in academic journals.

General Assessment Information

Feedback

Feedback in this unit is available in multiple forms: informal feedback provided in class; numerical feedback on Class Tests; during consultation hours with individual students in response to questions related to unit activities; as general comment, rubric, and in-text comments attached to assignments marked in Turnitin.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Class Tests 60% No Weeks 3, 6, 9
Essay 40% No Week 10

Class Tests

Due: Weeks 3, 6, 9
Weighting: 60%

Assignment Outline

This assignment consists of three closed-book, in-class tests. The tests consist of multiple-choice questions based on the unit content for Weeks 1-9.

Requirements

Students will require a pen.

Submission Instructions

Class Tests will be distributed at the start of tutorials in Weeks 3, 6, and 9. Each test will last no more than 15 minutes. All tests will be collected in class. There will not be an opportunity to complete the tests online.

Assessment Criteria and Standards

Marks will be awarded according to the number of questions answered correctly. Please see iLearn for a full assessment rubric. Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Example Tasks

You will have an opportunity to sit a 'practice' test in a tutorial. This will provide you with early feedback on your progress in this unit. In addition, sample multiple-choice questions will be displayed during lectures.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Discuss relevant moments in popular music history.
  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.

Essay

Due: Week 10
Weighting: 40%

Assessment Outline

The assessment gives you the opportunity to respond to some of the key themes of MUS102. Your work should demonstrate engagement with the content of the unit.

Requirements

  • Essays must be 1700 words (plus or minus 100 words, including all in-text references, not including reference list).
  • Essays must address one of the set topics available in the Essay Guide on iLearn.
  • Essays must include a minimum of six scholarly sources.
  • Essays must follow the Harvard referencing system shown on iLearn.

Submission Instructions

In Week 10 you will need to bring a complete version of the essay (1700 words plus reference list) to your tutorial for peer review. You may bring your essay in hard copy or on a laptop or tablet.  

You will need to submit the final version of your essay on Turnitin/iLearn by 11:59pm Friday 18 October. For a guide to using Turnitin, please visit: https://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm

Assessment Criteria and Standards

Essays will be assessed according to the following criteria:

  • Argument and evidence.
  • Research and referencing.
  • Effectiveness of structure.
  • Level of written expression.

Please see iLearn for a full assessment rubric. You may be asked to meet with the Unit Convenor for a viva voce, to elaborate on your research process. Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Example Tasks

Extracts from previously submitted essays will be discussed on iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Discuss relevant moments in popular music history.
  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.
  • Explain academic ideas in writing.
  • Identify independent academic research in the discipline, including appropriate articles in academic journals.

Delivery and Resources

Delivery Mode

Day (Internal).

Class Times

All lecture and tutorial times, as well as classrooms, are available on the MQ Timetables website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au

Lectures and tutorials for this unit begin in Week 1.

Required Readings

Required readings are available through Leganto on iLearn. 

Technologies Required

The assignments in this unit require word-processing skills and access to a web browser. Students are advised to bring a portable computing device (suitable for reading essays) to class in Week 10.

Unit Schedule

A topic schedule is available on iLearn.

Tutorial Attendance

Students are expected to attend all tutorials for MUS102. Tutorials deliver important content (including advice regarding assessments) and are a central component of meeting the learning outcomes in this unit. Students who elect to not attend tutorials will miss out on unit content and learning activities, and do so at their own risk. Content delivered in class will not be repeated via other means such as email or one-on-one consultation.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/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 ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Additional Information

MMCCS website:

https://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/ department_of_media_music_communication_and_cultural_studies/

MMCCS Session Re-mark Application: http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914

Information is correct at the time of publication.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

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.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Tests
  • Essay

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Identify independent academic research in the discipline, including appropriate articles in academic journals.

Assessment task

  • Essay

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Discuss relevant moments in popular music history.
  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.
  • Explain academic ideas in writing.
  • Identify independent academic research in the discipline, including appropriate articles in academic journals.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Tests
  • Essay

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Discuss relevant moments in popular music history.
  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.
  • Explain academic ideas in writing.
  • Identify independent academic research in the discipline, including appropriate articles in academic journals.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Tests
  • Essay

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.
  • Explain academic ideas in writing.
  • Identify independent academic research in the discipline, including appropriate articles in academic journals.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Tests
  • Essay

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Discuss relevant moments in popular music history.
  • Describe the role that popular music has played, and continues to play, in the contemporary political landscape.
  • Identify relationships between various genres of popular music and critical theory, social movements, and aesthetic values.
  • Explain academic ideas in writing.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Tests
  • Essay

Late Submissions

General Late Policy

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests. For a link to the Special Consideration procedure, please see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

Class Tests

If you experience serious and unavoidable disruption which prevents you from completing one or more Class Tests, please apply for Special Consideration. Once your application has been approved, you will be advised how and when to submit your work. Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, no late submissions will be accepted for Class Tests. For a link to the Special Consideration procedure, please see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

Essay

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. For a link to the Special Consideration procedure, please see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration