I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 1/27/11)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change existing
gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be
submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status.
Group
X II Mathematics
VII: Social Sciences
(submit
III. Language
VIII: Ethics & Human Values
separate forms
III Exception: Symbolic Systems * IX: American & European
if requesting
IV: Expressive Arts
X: Indigenous & Global
more than one
V: Literary & Artistic Studies
XI: Natural Sciences
general
w/ lab  w/out lab 
education
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies
group
*Courses proposed for this designation must be standing requirements of
designation)
majors that qualify for exceptions to the modern and classical language
requirement
Dept/Program Mathematical Sciences
Course #
M 118
Course Title
Prerequisite
Mathematics for Music Enthusiasts
Credits
M 090 (MAT 005) with a grade
of B- or better, or M 095 (MAT
100), or ALEKS placement > 3
3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Instructor
Phone / Email
Mark Kayll
x2403 / mark.kayll@umontana.edu
9/7/12
Program Chair
Leonid Kalachev, Chair. Math Sci
9/11/12
Dean
Jon Tompkins, Assoc Dean, CAS
III. Type of request
New X
One-time Only
Renew
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Change
Remove
It meets the criteria and will be an
attractive option for certain majors,
e.g., Music majors.
Description of change
N/A
IV. Description and purpose of new general education course: General Education courses
must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/archives/minutes/gened/GE_preamble.aspx
Briefly, this course is an introduction to the interplay between mathematics and music. It is intended for
Music majors/minors, and others with musical backgrounds/interests, who wish to satisfy the general
education mathematics requirement.
Interplay between mathematics and music dates back, at least, to the Greeks. A number of natural
musical questions and problems, from ancient times to the present, lend themselves to mathematical
treatment. Their answers lean on interesting and non-trivial mathematics, and the interplay between
these disciplines brings a refreshing motivation for studying what Gauss called the “Queen of the
Sciences.” During the last three years, the proposer developed a liberal arts course (for non-math
majors) exploring related topics under the rubric of UM’s Contemporary Mathematics (M 105). Now
that the course is mature, it is ready for its own separate catalog listing. Besides M 105, another UM
course taught at a similar level and in a similar spirit (for Statistics and Journalism) is Numbers as News
(M 104).
The GenEd preamble expresses the hope that students will “understand and critically evaluate
tangible and abstract concepts, and employ mathematical and other related skills appropriate to a
technologically focused society.” Just as M 104 and M 105 achieve these goals, the proposed course
does so in the context of its stated primary theme.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
Learning Goal #1 specified on the
The Group II criteria assert that “Any
course which satisfies the mathematical accompanying M 118 syllabus directly
addresses the quoted criteria to the left.
literacy requirement must have as its
primary goal to teach mathematical
reasoning and problem solving at a
college level.”
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
The Learning Goals and Outcomes on the
Group II Learning Goals: “Upon
accompanying syllabus articulate the quoted
completion of the mathematical literacy
Goal (to the left) in concrete terms
requirement, a student will be able to
applicable to the main topic of this course,
effectively apply mathematical or
namely the interplay between mathematics
statistical reasoning to a variety of
and music.
applied or theoretical problems.”
VII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry
at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level. If the course has more than one
pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200
level), provide rationale for exception(s).
Pre-requisites are all pre-college level courses; this course satisfies the criteria of item VII.
VIII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.  The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and
corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.