SparkTeachingInnovationGrant
MUSC749:DefiningandDesigningSuccess
Overview:
RedesignMUSC749—ResearchMethods—tohelpUSCdoctoralstudentsincrease
theirpotentialforprofessionalsuccessandtomakeadifferenceintheir
communities.
CourseandStudents
OurteamoffourmusicschoolcolleaguesproposestodesignacourseforUSC
doctoralmusicstudents.Thisclasswillhelpthemapproachtheirdoctoralstudies
andprojectsmorethoughtfullyinwaysthatpreparethemforgreaterprofessional
successwhilemaximizingimpactontheircommunities.
Theone-creditcourseMUSC749—ResearchMethodsfulfillsaresearch
requirementformusicdoctoralstudents.Thoughnotpreviouslyoffered,itislikely
thatthemajorityofourdoctoralpopulationwillelecttoenrollinthisoptiononceit
isavailable,somethingforwhichtheadministrationhaspushed.Asoneofthefew
graduateofferingsthatwillinvolveessentiallyourentiredoctoralcommunity,this
courseisuniquelypositionedtomakeaconsistentandpositiveimpactin
developingmusicleaders.
MUSC749willlikelyinvolve10-15musicdoctoralparticipantspersemester.For
maximumbenefit,werecommendthatstudentstakethisclassclosetothe
beginningoftheirgraduatestudies.
WecanbeginofferingthiscourseasearlyasFall2016.
ProblemStatement
Moststudentswhoenrollasdoctoralmusicstudentsarelookingtocompletea
terminaldegreethatpositionsthemwellforacareerasacollegeprofessor,
performer,orotherarts-relatedprofessional.However,upongraduation,theyoften
discoveranoversaturatedfieldofcandidatescompetingforlimitedopportunities.
WhatmorecanwedotoprovideacompetitiveadvantageforUniversityofSouth
Carolinaalumni?
LikeotherprogramsacrossAmerica,ourdoctoralstudentstakecoursesin
performance,theory,history,andresearch,inadditiontocompletingmajorprojects
suchasadissertationandmultiplerecitals.Thoughmostindividualssuccessfully
completetheserequirements(andultimatelygraduate),theyrarelydosowitha
cohesivestrategy.
Thereasonsforthisarenomystery.Nocurrentcourseprovidesstudentsthetools
orframeworktoexaminecurrentartstrends(opportunitiesandchallenges),
identifypersonalvaluesandimpactgoals,orarticulateshort-/medium-/long-term
goalsandapathforreachingthem.Fewgraduateshaveaclearunderstandingof
whattheiruniquevoiceasamusicianmightbe.Asaresult,fewstudentsapproach
majorprojectsinwaysthataremostbeneficialtotheirownlong-termsuccess.
üü Dissertation.Studentsdonotnecessarilychooserelevant,in-demand
dissertationtopicsthatwillhelppropeltheircareersanddistinguishthemin
positivewaysfromacrowdedfield.
üü Recitals.Thoughperformancemajors(ourlargestdoctoralpopulation)are
requiredtooffer4-5publicrecitals,theyareoftenunrelatedtooneanotherin
content.Asaresult,theyfailtocreateaunifiedbrand/platform/personalidentity
fortheperformer.Furthermore,repertoireandrecitalframingareoftenunrelated
tothedissertationtopic.
üü Additionalmajorprojects.Studentscurrentlyhavenoofficialmentored
forumforimagininganddesigningprojectshelpfulforprofessionalsuccesssuchas
recordings,videos,portfolio,performancetours,applicationmaterials,andInternet
presence.Asaresult,manygraduatesfindthemselvesatadisadvantagewhen
enteringtheprofessionalworkforce.
TheInnovation/Approach
Ourprimaryinnovationistointroduceaframeworkthathelpsdoctoralstudents
researchanddesignalogical,savvystrategyforapproachingtheirstudies,well
positioningthemforfutureprofessionalandartisticsuccess.Duringthecourseof
thesemester,studentswill:
üü Examineanddebatecontemporarytrendsinthemusic/artsworld
üü Researchcareerprofiles,businessmodels,andfundingsources
üü Definewhatconstitutespersonal/professional/financial/artistic
success
üü Designapersonalresearch/artisticplatformorbrand
üü Articulatehowandwhythisplatformisnecessaryandbeneficial
personallyandtotheworld
üü Determineaconsistentandbeneficialdissertationtopicandrecital
strategy
üü Consideradditionalexperiences/achievementsthatshouldbe
completedbygraduationtomaximizesuccess
üü Discussadditionalrelevanttopicsofconcerntostudentsintheclass
relatedtoachievingprofessionalandartisticsuccessFormusicianstomakea
meaningfulimpactinourconstantlychangingworld,theymustfirstconsider
conditionsontheground.Whatemergingopportunitiesholdpromise,and
howcanthestudentcapitalizeonthisspace?Whichthreatsfacethearts
community,andhowmighttheybemitigatedorovercome?Next,our
attentionmovestodesiredimpactandcareergoals.Howdoyouplanto
makeamarkthroughmusic?Whichmarketableskillsdoyouoffer?What
kindsofprojectsaremostdesirable?Whatprofessionalprofiledoyouaspire
tohave?Whichaudienceswouldyoumostliketoaffect?Oneimportant
aspectwillbetoidentifyaresearch/professionalplatformorbrand.Inother
words,whatdoyoustandforasanartist?Whatisyourpersonalvoice?In
whatway(s)willyoubecomeknownasaleadingexpertinternationally?To
arriveatameaningfulplatform,studentsmustweighpersonalinterests,gaps
inthemarketplace,andrelevancetosociety.Insomecases,thisidentitywill
bebuiltaroundaspecificmusicalevent,genre,orapproach.Alsopossibleis
tacklingaproblemorperspective(i.e.performanceandtechnology,nontraditionalvenues,innovativeeventdesign,audienceengagement).
Oncestudentshaveconsidereddesiredgoalsandplatform,theyarewellpositioned
todesignastrategyfornavigatingtheirterminaldegree.Thisincludesstrategic
planningabouttheirdissertation,recitalcontent,classprojects,curriculum(i.e.the
mostbeneficialelectives),andancillaryactivities.Whichactivitiesmustbe
completedbygraduation(andyearbyyear)tomaximizesuccess,impact,and
reputation?Thepointisnotthat100%ofdoctoralactivityberelatedtothesegoals,
butratherthatacriticalquantityandqualityofworkbecompletedwhileatUSC.
Thisclasswillbeteam-taughtbysomecombinationoftheco-principal
investigators,andperhapsothers.Thisinnovationexposesstudentstoavarietyof
personalitiesandperspectivesthattheywouldn’totherwiseencounter.
Throughoutthissemester,eachstudentwillalsochooseorbeassignedamentorto
helpthemdesignpersonalizedsuccessstrategies.Thismustbesomeonewitha
differentspecialty(i.e.fluteplayersmaynotworkwiththefluteprofessor),
providingafreshperspectiveandnetwork.However,theappliedteacheris
encouragedtoprovideinputintothisplanningprocessaswell.
Uniqueness
WeareunawareofanymusicschoolinAmericatoofferaclasslikethis.Asaresult,
ourstudentswillbebetterpositionedthancolleaguesfrompeerinstitutionsupon
graduationwhenenteringthejobmarket.Inaddition,thisofferingcanplayarolein
shapingourmarketingmessage,substantiatingthecontentionthatUSCis
committedtodevelopingnotonlyoutstandingartists,butalsosuccessful
professionalsandleaders.
Impact
Weexpectthiscoursetobetransformativeforparticipantsintermsofhowthey
approachtheirgraduatestudiesandthecareerthatfollows.BecauseMUSC749
fulfillsarequirementfordoctoralstudentsofallinstrumentsandmajors,itwill
impactnearly100%ofourgraduatepopulation.
Funding
The$1500awardwillbeusedintwowaysthatimpactenrolledstudents:
1. Guestpresenters/mentors($500).Usedtobringinguestpresenterswhoalso
meetwithinterestedstudentsoutsideofclassinamentorshipcapacity.
2. Re-granting($1000).Theremainderofthemoneywillbemadeavailableto
participatingstudentswhoseeksupportrelatedtotheresearchingand
executionofmeaningfulprojectsduringtheirgraduatestudies.Fundsmaybe
directedtowardstravel,supplies,orotherappropriateexpensesrelatedto
recitals,thedissertation,orprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities.
ConnectiontoDistinctValues
ThisinitiativeismostdirectlyconnectedtoourfirstDistinctValueofmusic
leadership.Thepointisforstudentstoformastrategyformajordoctoralprojects
thatbeginstoestablishthemasaleaderinsometopicorapproachtomusicmaking.
Theframeworkeachstudentchooseswillbedifferent.Butitislikelythatsomewill
imagineaprofilethatconnectstomusiciansaseducators.Forexample,suppose
someonechoosestofocusonteachingartistry.Thistopicmaybereflectedinboth
thedissertationandseveralrecitals.Wewillencouragethemtodelivercontentoff
campusaswell,sotheygetreal-worldperformance/teachingexperience.
Similarly,otherstudentsmayconnecttheirbrandtodiverselyskilledmusicians.
Suppose,forexample,thatadoctoralstudentwantstobuildabrandaround
becomingatangoexpert.Beyondwritingaboutandperformingthismusic,they
mightarrangeseveraltangos,performbothnotatedrenditionsandimprovisations,
orevencollaboratewithdancers.