The State University of New York at Fredonia
Department of Applied Professional Studies
E-336 Thompson Hall (716) 673-4959
ASSESSMENT PLAN-MUSIC INDUSTRY
1. Goals for student learning:
In accordance with the department mission to provide outstanding education to its students
we expect our graduates to be able to:
1. demonstrate advanced skills in business, communication, management and leadership
in the music industry field including
a. Ability to communicate with various public and professional audiences through
written texts, oral discussions, and multi-media presentations.
b. Understand the basic principles of interpersonal and mass communications and
the interaction with internal and external music publics.
c. Ability to assume leadership roles in various professional settings and work
effectively with diverse groups and organizations
d. Demonstrate essential management and business related skills in the work place
2. Understand the common principles of artist management, artist promotion, tour
management, event and venue management, music licensing and copyright, music
performance, and music production.
3. Understand the principles of finance, accounting, and the economics of the business of
music as they fit into national and international economies.
4. Demonstrate skillful operation of technology and assessment related tools that may be
applied to various music management settings.
5. Critically discuss social, psychological, and philosophical bases of the music industry.
2. Methods of assessment:
The foundational information for Goal 1 is presented, and assessed in the following courses: The
Business of Music (MUSB 201) Music Copyrights (MUSB 301) Music Contracts (MUSB 320)
Music Marketing and Promotion (MUSB 425) the final, pre-professional level assessment of this
goal is done through the Student Record Label (MUSB 420). Assessments in these courses
include formal objective tests as well as oral and visual presentations. In MUSB 420, HAIL!
Fredonia Records works within the community, promoting not-for-profit organizations through
music promotion and concert events. The instructors provide the Department Chair with a
portfolio of a number of assignments. The Chair will apply a rubric sheet to assess Goal 1.
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The collective, final analysis of Goal 1 is assessed in MUSB 465 Internship. This capstone
experience in Music Industry, taken toward the end of a student’s tenure at Fredonia, provides an
opportunity to do an off-campus internship evaluated by both the student, faculty sponsor and the
site-supervisor using the evaluation tools supplied by both the Career Development Office and
the department. These include both midterm and final evaluations completed by both the student
and site-supervisor evaluating goals and objectives set forth in collaboration between the student
and the mentor determined prior to the internship experience. Additionally, the ANGEL diaries
supplied during the internship, by the senior student, to the faculty sponsor will be graded for
content and fulfillment of the stated goals and objectives. The Department Chair will annually
review ANGEL diary submissions, the midterm and final evaluations to assess the effectiveness
of the internship. Currently the breakdown of the internship grade is as follows: 50% sitesupervisor assessment, 15% student self-assessment and 35% assessment from faculty sponsor
(based on ANGEL diary submissions). Beginning with the fall 2014 semester, students will be
required to submit a portfolio at the conclusion of the internship. The portfolio will contain but
is not limited to: cover letter, resume, personal biography, philosophy statement, reflection and
artifacts (certification, recommendations, sample coursework). The assessment breakdown will
then include: 40% site-supervisor assessment, 20% portfolio assessment, 10% student selfassessment and 30% faculty sponsor assessment (based on ANGEL diary submissions).
Portfolios will be collected and assessed by the department chair for competence in Goal 1.
Goal 2 is assessed through the following courses: Beginning Music Theory (MUS 101) Music
Appreciation (MUS 115) Applied Music Class for Non-Majors (MUS 104) Web Programming
(CSIT 107) History of American Popular Music (MUS 270) and Digital Recording Software
(MUS 471). Research reviews, formal testing as well as written and oral presentations are
included in these assessments. The instructors provide the Department Chair with a portfolio of
a number of assignments. The Chair then applies a rubric sheet to assess Goal 2.
Goal 3 is supplemented by the foundational knowledge gained and assessed in our pre-requisite
courses Microeconomics (ECON 202) and Macroeconomics (ECON 201). Goal 3 is then
formalized through Principles of Financial Accounting (ACCT 201 & 202) and Fundamentals of
Statistics for administration and Economics (ECON 200). Instructors use formal assessments as
well as presentations to show student competency in Goal 3.The instructors provide the Chair
with the student assessments and the evaluation forms. The chair reviews the gathered data and
draws inferences about Goal 3 using a rubric system.
The formal assessment of Goal 4 is done though the core courses Introduction to Information
Systems (CSIT 151) and Information Systems Structures (CSIT 251). CSIT 151 introduces
information technology used in day-to-day business operations. It covers business applications
software for office management, communication, project management, relational databases, ecommerce, web development, data transmission and networks, etc. The course also covers such
basic information systems concepts as querying simple databases, data analysis and database
design. Laboratory instruction is used to complement the course with hands-on experience with a
set of above applications. The course is designed for students who will work as end-users, usermanagers, leaders, or information systems professionals. CSIT 251 is an ooverview of
information systems (IS) for operational, tactical and strategic functions of business
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organizations; IS practices and challenges for business competitiveness; data, information and
knowledge processing; information systems theory and quality decision, systems analysis and
design, database management, network and network management; electronic commerce and
social and ethical issues; IS and IT planning and implementation. The instructors provide the
Chair with the student assessments and the evaluation forms. The chair reviews the gathered data
and draws inferences about Goal 4 using a rubric system.
Goal 5 is met though Music of the World (MUS 333) and Seminar in Popular Music (MUS 457).
These courses critically analyze multi-cultural issues and diverse music history, allowing the
student to develop a personal philosophy regarding social responsibility in the music industry.
Assessment in these courses is done though formal objective tests, studying historical
philosophical theories and then formally writing their own statement. Oral and visual
presentations are assessed to demonstrate competency in philosophical and psychological issues
in sport management. The instructors provide the Chair with the student assessments and the
evaluation forms. The chair reviews the gathered data and draws inferences about Goal 3 using a
rubric system.
In addition to the above assessment, we survey all our graduates using the attached form and use
the information to refine the assessment of our programs testing statistical hypotheses and
correlations. The results are used to improve learning in our discipline.
3. Time line:
Every spring relevant student work is examined and the faculty as whole discuss, and then
concrete proposals for improvements are distilled. This wide-ranging discussion is then used
to devise specific proposals for course modifications and improvements or changes in the
program.
4. Assignment of responsibility:
The department chair is responsible for initiating the meetings, writing reports, and leading
the discussion. Individual faculty are assigned to collect the data, participate in the
discussions and in the formulation of improvement plans, and implementing the assessment
plans in their courses.
5. Record keeping:
Documentation of assessment meetings are kept in the department office, and a summary of
assessment activities is reported in the department’s annual report to the Dean of Arts &
Sciences. This report includes a summary of the department’s assessment activities for that
year. The data is also kept by the chair of the Assessment Committee and is available to all
those with a demonstrable need to know.
6. Processes for using assessment results to improve learning:
When applicable, the assessment techniques mentioned generate specific goals, plans for
improvement, action items etc. These recommendations are implemented the next year and
their effectiveness is reassessed the following year.
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