module specification

Module Brief: 

This module provides a theoretical framework to enable students to relate the experience of music to the material technologies that support and enable the making, transmission and transformations of it within the creative industries. In doing so, it aims to help them develop an understanding of intersecting musical, technological and economic contexts within the industry and to facilitate the integration of students into it. The module also examines the place of music, musicians and musical technologists in musical history.

The module engages students in thinking critically about their subject area, from perceiving music as an art form to analysing how it is defined and practiced.  It investigates how music might be framed economically, socially, theoretically and through practice. By encouraging such practice to be reflective, it introduces students to the range of academic skills needed for their course, while helping them to take responsibility for and to articulate the development of their own learning. 

Students will analyse the creative industries in regional, national and global markets, identifying the role and position of music, musicians and musical technologists within the sector, both locally and worldwide.  They will be discuss and engage with practical issues in the music industry, focussing on the skills needed to address them and the professional standards necessary for them to be resolved.

In examining the music industry, attention will be given to diversity, including the matter of, gender and the place of women in the industry. Students will learn to identify new developments and trends especially so far as they relate to Sonic Arts and Music Production.

Aims of the module:

To develop academic skills, knowledge and experience in order to become a critical thinker and successful practitioner within the music business sector and the creative industries.
To examine the relationship between music and the creative industries within artistic, technological and economic contexts. 
To develop the ability to write about music, musicians and related technologies in a manner appropriate to undergraduate study.
To develop core study, critical thinking, research and presentational skills.
To examine the music industry, with a special take on questions of diversity and inclusion - including matters of gender, and the place of women in the industry.
To enable students to develop and embed critical and theoretical approaches in their analysis and discussion of the role of music in the creative industries.
To enable students to reflect on the technological transformations in the industry alongside new developments and trends.

N/A

This module examines the place of music, musicians and musical technologists within the music industry and the creative industries. It will help integrate students and their practices into that industry.

Key subject areas:

• The role of music in creative industries and its developments in the pathways of music production and sonic arts LO1,2
• The changing nature of the music industry: the perception of music as an art form, an applied area for technological research, or as a commercial tool LO1,2,3
• Different sound worlds and technologies past and present: the impact of recording technologies and the recording industry upon how music is produced, consumed and valued LO1,2,3
• Diversity and inclusion in music and the creative industries LO1,2,3,4
• The development of gender roles within the music industry to the present day LO1,2,3,4
• The development of academic skills when analysing, discussing and evaluating how music is produced, consumed and developed in the different and interactive sectors of the creative industries LO1,2,3,4,5

The balance between independent study and scheduled teaching activities within this module is 76% and 24% respectively.

Scheduled teaching follows the average contact time, per standard 30-credit module across the University, at 72 hours (3 hours per week). The scheduled teaching is divided in Lectures and Seminars and they take place in the Aldgate campus, Calcutta House building.

Independent study provides students with the opportunity to develop LO3 and LO5. Students have access to the Music IT Lab and Library facilities at London Met.

Blended Learning is maintained via Weblearn Course and Module pages with full documentation of the activities developed in class. Opportunities for reflective learning/PDP are promoted through feedback, both written and during individual tutorial sessions. Formative assessment and feedback are planned to address their learning development needs and to capture their learning achievements.

On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:

LO1. The ability to identify the relationships between music and the creative industries and the different contexts that relate to them.

LO2. The ability to write about music, musicians, the creative industries and related technologies in a manner appropriate to undergraduate study.

LO3. The key skills of critical thinking and academic study including; information retrieval, organisation and deployment of  knowledge, analysis and interpretation of texts, and presentational skills.

LO4.To demonstrate familiarity with the ethical, social, economic and practice-based contexts which shape musical developments within the creative industries.

LO5.To reflect on their progress and to engage with feedback.

Coursework
Initial Assignment with Reflective element
Week 4 submission and week 5 feedback
Formative Assessment

Week 4

LO2, 5

Coursework
Learning Reflection
Summative Assessment
20%

Week 7
LO5 

Coursework
Written assignment
Individual work 
20%

Week 15
LO1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Other
Presentation 
Individual work 
15%

Week 20
LO1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Coursework
Written assignment 
Individual essay
45%

Week 30
LO1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Core and Additional Reading list available on:
https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/2C80DB3B-62ED-53E6-23C4-6D63D3BFCCD3.html?draft=1&lang=en-GB&login=1