Academic Learning Compact
Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University
is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported
by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors
share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex,
the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning
Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying
expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge
and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula
with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.
Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates in the Music B.A. will be able to:
- Demonstrate proper technique, understanding of musical style, poise, and artistic
expression in applied area, as soloist and ensemble member.
- Demonstrate a depth of knowledge in the areas of music theory and history through
analysis and evaluation.
- Plan, develop, and execute a coherent scholarly project appropriate to their area
of study. The student’s scholarly project may include musical performance as a point
of reference for academically oriented scholarship.
- Identify representative styles chosen from the common practice period; draw intelligent
conclusions about probable genre, artist, and approximate date.
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the college and departmental
levels through projects/assignments appropriate to the course content and goals. Jury
exams to reflect applied knowledge are completed in MVx 3xxx, Junior Applied Music).
Senior projects that reflect cumulative knowledge of music theory and history and
other music academic courses are completed in MUS 4920, Senior Capstone in Music.
Communication Skills
Graduates in the Music B.A. will be able to:
- Accurately demonstrate the understanding of style periods in Western music in both
written and oral form.
- Demonstrate acceptable conventions for scholarly writing on musical topics including
music history, music theory, and performance practice using a developed vocabulary
of relevant technical terms and concepts, in a manner that reflects comprehension
of words meanings and usage.
- Develop and support arguments and hypotheses with primary and secondary sources/evidence
and well-chosen comparisons.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the apparatus of music historical scholarship, including
how to research a topic, when and how to cite sources, and the bibliographic formats
used in music history.
- Demonstrate a command of the syntax, grammar and writing mechanics of Standard English
academic
Communication skills are assessed as students write scholarly papers that measure
their analytical ability in music history or music topics in MUH 3211, Music History
I, MUH 3212, Music History II, and MUS 4920, Senior Capstone in Music. Students will
write program notes MUH 3212, Music History II.
Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates in the Music B.A. will be able to:
- Provide melodic, harmonic, rhythmic and formal analysis of music written from 1700-present.
- Develop strategies for recognizing, diagnosing and resolving technical and musical
issues in applied instrument areas. Synthesize ideas and solutions into unique personal
performances.
- Analyze contexts and perspectives relevant to music performances or events. Develop
a logical, consistent plan to solve technical and conceptual issues. Identify/articulate
the value and necessity of music in culture and society as it is expressed throughout
the common practice period and in contemporary society.
- Describe the broad historical context, likely social function, and probable performance
circumstances for a piece on the class listening list (and for pieces of similar types).
Students will write papers and complete projects which will measure their ability
to analyze and create and apply critical thinking and problem solving skills in the
following courses: MUS 4920, Senior Capstone in Music, MUT 3611 Form and Analysis.
