College of the Redwoods
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL
1.
Division: Arts, Languages, and Social Sciences
2.
Course ID and Number: Music 100
3.
Course Title: Songwriting
4.
Discipline(s) (Select from CCC System Office Minimum Qualification for Faculty [copy following web
address and paste into web browser http://www.cccco.edu/divisions/esed/aa_ir/psmq/min_qual/min_quals%20_revApr406.pdf]
Course may fit more than one discipline; identify all that apply): Music
5.
Check one of the following:
New Course
If curriculum has been offered under a different discipline and/or name, identify the former course:
Change to existing course (course discipline and number are not changing)
Should another course be inactivated?
Title of course to be inactivated:
6.
No
Yes
Inactivation date:
Is course part of a CR Degree/Certificate Program? (If New is selected above, check No) No
Yes
If yes, specify program code(s). (Codes can be found in Outlook/Public Folders/All Public Folders/
Curriculum/Degree and Certificate Programs/choose appropriate catalog year):
Required course
Restricted elective
7.
Provide explanation and justification for addition/change/deletion:
First revision since the course's creation in 2001. The experience of offering the
course from 2001-05 has enabled us to define the course learning outcomes with
greater precision.
8. List any special materials, equipment, tools, etc. that students must purchase:
9. Will this course have an instructional materials fee? No
Fee: $
Submitted by:
Ed Macan/Joseph Byrd
Yes
Tel. Ext. 4321
Division Chair: Justine Shaw
Date: 10-17-07
Review Date:
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Board of Trustees Approval Date: 1/15/08
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Yes
Date: 11/30/07
Page 1 of 8
May 29, 2016
SUMMARY OF CURRICULUM CHANGES
FOR AN EXISTING COURSE
FEATURES
Catalog Description
(Please include complete
text of old and new catalog
descriptions.)
Grading Standard
OLD
NEW
Introduction to the techniques
of writing marketable songs,
including song structure, the
effective use of images and
language, setting lyrics to
music, and developing lyrical
and musical "hooks." The
lecture portion of this course
will focus on analysis of
popular songs in different
genres, showing fundamental
elements of song structure and
techniques of developing
material. Laboratory will be
concerned with writing songs,
in both group and individual
sessions.
Introduction to the techniques of
writing song lyrics, including
structure, effective use of
language, scansion, and
development of "hooks." The
course focuses on analysis of
popular songs in different genres,
showing fundamental elements of
song structure and techniques of
developing material.
Select
Select
Total Units
Lecture Units
Lab Units
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Recommended
Preparation
Maximum Class Size
Repeatability—
Maximum Enrollments
Other
If any of the listed features have been modified in the new proposal, indicate the “old” (current) information and
proposed changes.
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Page 2 of 8
May 29, 2016
College of the Redwoods
COURSE OUTLINE
DATE: 10-17-07
COURSE ID AND NUMBER: Music 100
COURSE TITLE: Songwriting
FIRST TERM NEW OR REVISED COURSE MAY BE OFFERED: Spring 2008
TOTAL UNITS: 1.0
TOTAL HOURS: 36
[Lecture Units: 0.5
[Lecture Hours: 9.0
Lab Units: 0.5]
Lab Hours: 27.0]
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE: 25
GRADING STANDARD
Letter Grade Only
CR/NC Only
Is this course repeatable for additional credit units: No
Grade-CR/NC Option
Yes
If yes, how many total enrollments?
Is this course to be offered as part of the Honors Program? No
Yes
If yes, explain how honors sections of the course are different from standard sections.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
The catalog description should clearly state the scope of the course, its level, and what kinds of student goals the
course is designed to fulfill.
Introduction to the techniques of writing song lyrics, including structure, effective use of
language, scansion, and development of "hooks." The course focuses on the analysis of
popular songs in different genres, showing fundamental elements of song structure and
techniques of developing material.
Special notes or advisories:
PREREQUISITES
No
Yes
Course(s):
Rationale for Prerequisite:
Describe representative skills without which the student would be highly unlikely to succeed .
COREQUISITES
No
Yes
Rationale for Corequisite:
Course(s):
RECOMMENDED PREPARATION
No
Yes
Course(s):
Rationale for Recommended Preparation:
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Page 3 of 8
May 29, 2016
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
What should the student be able to do as a result of taking this course? State some of the objectives in terms of
specific, measurable student accomplishments.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Identify the sections of a given popular song (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro).
Identify and articulate effective and ineffective uses of conventional song structures.
Distinguish beat patterns (duple, triple, quadruple).
Distinguish beat divisions (simple or compound).
Distinguish between major songwriting genres.
Identify and articulate the affective qualities of a given song.
Write a lyric in the basic song forms (AAB, AABA).
COURSE CONTENT
Themes: What themes, if any, are threaded throughout the learning experiences in this course?
Relationships between a song's affective qualities, its structure, and the literary/musical
techniques used to convey the affect in question.
Concepts: What concepts do students need to understand to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Taxonomy of basic song structures. This includes both the sectional "blocks" of a
song (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro), and the structural forms that these sectional
blocks are most commonly arranged into (i.e. 12 bar blues, A A B, 32 bar popular song
form, A A B A, etc.).
2. Musical styles and genres. This includes both the major traditions of American popular
music (Broadway, blues, jazz, country, rock) and the songwriting genres appropriate to
each (32 bar popular song form to Broadway songs and jazz, 12 bar blues to blues, jazz,
and early rock, etc.).
3. Literary devices commonly used in writing song lyrics, including common rhyme
schemes and techniques such as hyperbole, alliteration, metaphor, intentional use of
vernacular idioms, etc., especially in the creation of the "hook."
4. Basic rhythmic concepts, including meter, or beat groupings (duple, triple, quadruple)
and beat divisions (simple and compound).
5. Scansion, the technique of effectively aligning the natural accents of the lyric with
complementary underlying metric accents in the music.
Issues: What primary issues or problems, if any, must students understand to achieve course outcomes (including
such issues as gender, diversity, multi-culturalism, and class)?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Differences between vernacular and poetic writing.
Recognition of literary devices such as hyperbole and alliteration.
Differences between explicit and metaphoric forms of public speech.
Effective scansion.
Skills: What skills must students master to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Genre recognition.
2. Recognition of common literary devices and rhyme schemes
3. Structural analysis of songs in common forms (AAB, AABA).
4. Ability to identify beat patterns (meter) and beat divisions.
5. Identification of effective and ineffective scansion in given examples.
6. Identification of effective and ineffective "hooks" (a "hook" is a short, striking, recurrent
phrase that catches a listener's attention and unifies the lyric) in given examples.
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Page 4 of 8
May 29, 2016
REPRESENTATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES
What will students be doing (e.g., listening to lectures, participating in discussions and/or group activities, attending
a field trip)? Relate the activities directly to the Course Learning Outcomes.
1. Listening to lectures that explore song analysis in terms of section and structure, give
definitions and examples of metric patterns and sub-patterns, provide examples for
analysis within and between song genres, and develop the concept of affect in song lyrics.
2. Participating in in-class song analysis sessions that hone recognition of specific
songwriting genres, structures, and techniques.
3. Writing an original lyric in a basic song form for the final project.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
How will students show evidence of achieving the Course Learning Outcomes? Indicate which assessments (if any)
are required for all sections.
Representative assessment tasks:
1. Participate in in-class analyses of a song supplied by the instructor, explain how the
song in question exemplifies a particular genre, structure, and/or songwriting technique.
2. Locate (ordinarily from on-line sources) and bring to class lyrics that exemplify a
particular songwriting structure, genre, and/or technique; explain to instructor and peers
how the lyric exemplifies the genre, structure, and/or technique in question.
3. Submit an original lyric that exemplifies one of the basic song forms discussed in class
for the final project.
Required assessments for all sections – to include but not limited to:
EXAMPLES OF APPROPRIATE TEXTS OR OTHER READINGS
Author, Title, and Date Fields are required
Author Gene
Lees
Title
The Modern Rhyming Dictionary
Author
Title
Date
Author
Title
Date
Author
Title
Date
Date
1987
Other Appropriate Readings:
Jason Blume, 6 Steps to Songwriting Success (2004)
Stephen Fry, The Ode Less Travelled--Unlocking the Poet Within (2005)
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Page 5 of 8
May 29, 2016
PROPOSED TRANSFERABILITY:
CSU
UC
If CSU transferability is proposed (courses numbered
1-99), indicate whether general elective credit or specific
course equivalent credit is proposed.
If specific course equivalent credit is proposed, give
course numbers/ titles of at least two comparable lower
division courses from a UC, CSU, or equivalent
institution.
None
General elective credit
Specific course equivalent
1.
,
(Campus)
2.
,
(Campus)
CURRENTLY APPROVED GENERAL EDUCATION
CR
CSU
IGETC
CR GE Category:
CSU GE Category:
IGETC Category:
PROPOSED CR GENERAL EDUCATION
Rationale for CR General Education approval (including category designation):
Natural Science
Social Science
Humanities
Language and Rationality
Writing
Oral Communications
Analytical Thinking
PROPOSED CSU GENERAL EDUCATION BREADTH (CSU GE)
A. Communications and Critical Thinking
A1 – Oral Communication
A2 – Written Communication
A3 – Critical Thinking
C. Arts, Literature, Philosophy, and Foreign
Language
C1 – Arts (Art, Dance, Music, Theater)
C2 – Humanities (Literature,
Philosophy, Foreign Language)
E. Lifelong Understanding and SelfDevelopment
E1 – Lifelong Understanding
E2 – Self-Development
B. Science and Math
B1 – Physical Science
B2 – Life Science
B3 – Laboratory Activity
B4 – Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning
D. Social, Political, and Economic Institutions
D0 – Sociology and Criminology
D1 – Anthropology and Archeology
D2 – Economics
D3 – Ethnic Studies
D5 – Geography
D6 – History
D7 – Interdisciplinary Social or Behavioral
Science
D8 – Political Science, Government and Legal Institutions
D9 – Psychology
Rationale for inclusion in this General Education category: Same as above
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Page 6 of 8
May 29, 2016
Proposed Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
1A – English Composition
1B – Critical Thinking-English Composition
1C – Oral Communication (CSU requirement only)
2A – Math
3A – Arts
3B – Humanities
4A – Anthropology and Archaeology
4B – Economics
4E – Geography
4F – History
4G – Interdisciplinary, Social & Behavioral Sciences
4H – Political Science, Government & Legal Institutions
4I – Psychology
4J – Sociology & Criminology
5A – Physical Science
5B – Biological Science
6A – Languages Other Than English
Rationale for inclusion in this General Education category:
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Same as above
Page 7 of 8
May 29, 2016
FOR VPAA USE ONLY
PROGRAM AND COURSE NUMBER MUS-100
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
1. Department: ARTS Arts
2. Subject: Music
16. CoRequisite Course: None
Course No: 100
17. Recommended Prep: None
3. Credit Type: D Credit Degree Applicable
18. Maximum Class Size: 25
4. Min/Maximum Units: 1.0 to
19. Repeat/Retake: NR No repeats
variable units
5. Course Level: E Not Occupational
20. Count Retakes for Credit:
yes
no
6. Academic Level: UG Undergraduate
21. Only Pass/No Pass:
yes
no
7. Grade Scheme: UG Undergraduate
22. Allow Pass/No Pass:
yes
no
8. Short Title: Songwriting
23. VATEA Funded Course:
yes
no
9. Long Title: Songwriting
24. Accounting Method:
PAC Positive Attendance/CR
10. National ID
(CIP):
50.0901
25. Disability Status: N Not a Special Class
11. Local ID
(TOPS):
100400
26. Billing Method: T-Term
12. Course Types:
 Level One Basic Skills: NBS Not Basic Skills

Level Two Work Experience:
27. Billing Period: R-Reporting Term
28. Billing Credits: 1.0
NWE Not Coop Work Experience
29. Purpose: A Liberal Arts Sciences

Level Three:
Placeholder for GE OR
30. Articulation No.
(CAN):
DOES NOT APPLY
31. Articulation Seq.

(CAN):
Level Four: If GE : Choose One:
32. Transfer Status: C Not transferable
13. Instructional Method: LL Lecture/Lab
33. Equates to another course?
14. Lec TLUs:
Contact Hours:
Lab TLUs:
Contact Hours:
Lecture/Lab TLUs: 2.25 Contact Hours: 36
(course number).
34. The addition of this course will inactive
number). Inactive at end of
term.
15. Prerequisite: None
Particular Comments for Printed Catalog.
.
Curriculum Approval Date: 1/15/08
Curriculum Proposal (rev. 3.26.07)
Senate Approved: 09.03.04
Page 8 of 8
May 29, 2016
(course