6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Organisational Unit
Communications and Media Studies
Chief examiner(s)
Associate Professor Shane Homan
Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor Shane Homan
Unit guides
Prerequisites
Twelve credit points of second-year Arts units.
Synopsis
In this unit students consider the key production, consumption and policy debates concerning the popular music industries. It situates popular music as a significant part of the global media and cultural industries, examining a range of music-media activity, including music journalism; music radio; film soundtracks; music television; and music on the internet. A key theme of analysis is the changing roles of industry, audiences and governments regarding how and where popular music remains meaningful. The unit will also address contemporary intellectual property and other policy/technology debates, and how the 'local' is situated within global music landscapes.
Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the unit students will be able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of the key media studies, popular music and cultural studies theories associated with popular music activity;
- an assessment of how popular music operates as part of local and global media and cultural industries;
- an ability to critically and independently engage with key debates and issues within the popular music industries;
- an ability to apply broader global concepts to distinct local contexts;
- an ability to explain and analyse course concepts and debates in written and oral forms, and to engage at a high level of independent research.
Assessment
Within semester assessment: 100%
Workload requirements
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
See also Unit timetable information