St. Cloud State University General Education Goal Area 6 Humanities & Fine Arts Academic Affairs Use Only: Response Date: Effective Date: 1. Prepared by: Jeffrey Bleam Phone: 8-0137 Proposal Number: Email: jrbleam@stcloudstate.edu 2. Requesting Unit: TFSD 3. Department, Course Number, Title: TH 270 - American Musical Theatre 4. New Course 5. Will this course be flagged as a diversity course? Already Designated as Diversity 6. Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area? If “Yes” specify which goal area. GE 5 - History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences 7. Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered: The development of the American Musical in relation to American cultural history. 3 cr, Fall 8. Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain signatures from any affected departments. General education and elective for theatre majors 9. Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other departments by offering this course. None 10. For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course. 11. Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s) for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment is not included in the annual GE assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program. The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions. 12/11/2009 Existing Course No Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form No Yes 12. Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course. Goal Area 6: Humanities & Fine Arts Expand appreciation and critical understanding of changing modes of human expression and systems of thought in the arts and humanities, and develop abilities in the creation and performance of meaning. Approaching “musical theatre” as a unique combination of music, dance, and theatre, this course examines the development of the form through the 20th and 21st centuries in relation to shifting societal concerns, desires, and belief systems. Balancing mainstream and minority representations, the course explores how popular culture (as a blend of “low” and “high” art) can be used to investigate the society that created it and raise questions concerning the interrelatedness of the arts with larger economic, political, and personal concerns. 13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 6, it must address at least 5 of the 7 student learning outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course. 1. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities. 2. Describe and appreciate works in the arts and humanities as expressions of individual and collective values within an intellectual, cultural, historical and social context. 3. Interpret and respond critically to works from various cultures in the arts and humanities. 4. Explore intellectually the ideas expressed in works in the arts and humanities. 5. Engage in creative processes or interpretive performance. 6. Articulate an informed personal response to works in the arts and humanities. 7. Analyze the diverse means of communication in the arts and humanities. 14. Discuss how each Student Learning Outcome checked above is achieved in this course. (Note: Although descriptions of typical assignments or types of assignments may be part of this discussion, it is not appropriate to submit copies of actual assignments.) 1. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities. Students compare the form and function of musical theatre as it changes over time and in relation to cultural circumstances. They describe the differences between musical reviews, “book” musicals, and concept musicals. They also relate these forms to appropriate styles of music, dance, and visual design. 2. Describe and appreciate works in the arts and humanities as expressions of individual and collective values within an intellectual, cultural, historical and social context. Students discuss musical theatre as a reflection of the desires, apprehensions, and belief systems of American culture at any given point throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. In addition to examining the musical’s 12/11/2009 embodiment or critique of collective values, they also examine its relation to individual cultural groups such as African-American, Latino/a, Jewish immigrants, and specific groups of women from flappers to feminists. 4. Explore intellectually the ideas expressed in works in the arts and humanities. Students employ a social/historical analysis to specific musicals, focusing on issues of politics and economics. They also practice more specific analytical devices such as queer theory, gender studies, and postcolonialist viewpoints. 6. Articulate an informed personal response to works in the arts and humanities. Through class discussions, small-group projects (class size permitting), and written papers, students develop individual conclusions regarding a piece of musical theatre as an historically and culturally contingent artifact. In doing so, they are encouraged to develop a more critical awareness of popular culture as a whole. 7. Analyze the diverse means of communication in the arts and humanities. Students discuss and identify the diverse means of communication employed in musical theatre; text, music, visual design, and dance. Students will examine how, at times, those languages work to create a cohesive whole and how, at other times, the mediums and messages purposely contradict each other in the interests of rhetorical effect. Within those various mediums, students also identify how style and tone are used differently by particular cultural groups. 15. List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need to be broken down further. Indicate in your course outline where the Student Learning Outcomes checked above are being met. Musical Theatre in relation to Historic Considerations: 60% (L.O. 1,2,4,7) Pre-WWII - 20 WWII / Cold War- 15 Mid-late 1960s - 5 1970s - 10 1980s/1990s -5 Contemporary trends - 5 Musical Theatre in relation to Gender and Sexuality issues: 10% (L.O. 1,2,4,7) Musical Theatre in relation to Racial issues: 15% (L.O. 1,2,4,7) Critical methodologies: 10% (L.O.2, 4,6,7) Personal/Group reflection: 5% (L.O. 4,6) 12/11/2009 12/11/2009 St. Cloud State University General Education Transmittal Form Academic Affairs Use Only: Response Date: Effective Date: Proposal Number Department: TFSD Course or Course(s): TH 270 - American Musical Theatre Department or Unit Chair Signature Date Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean Recommendation of General Education Committee: Approve Remarks: Disapprove Chairperson Committee Signature Date Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee: Approve Remarks: Disapprove Chairperson Committee Signature Date Recommendation of Faculty Association: Approve Remarks: Disapprove FA Senate Signature Date Action of Academic Vice President: Approve Disapprove Signature Entered in Curriculum Data File 12/11/2009 Remarks: Date