Question on homework for music courses in college?

<p>I understand that the music history requirments are specifically MUSIC history, but to me a music history class is a history class, even if it is taught by the music department. </p>

<p>I took a course taught by the poli sci department on the office of the presidency, it fullfilled my requirment for history. I took art history and it counted as my requirment for an art class, but I think if I had needed a history class they may have counted it as a history class. I also took International Economics, it counted as my “international studies” class (which got me out of taking a foriegn language).</p>

<p>Some schools are more flexible than others on this, one of the colleges that my son considered had a very strict written policy on what classes could be double dipped or substituted, but most colleges intentionally don’t have a written policy so that they the administration can have some flexibility as far as class substitutions. At the college I went to, as long as you had met the minimum total amount of classes, they would pretty much allow you to double dip most any class that is even vaguely similar to the stated requirements.</p>

<p>My son just met with his advisor yesterday and the advisor told him that he could take two computer science classes instead of two math classes (he had exempted out of one of the math classes anyway), and he was given a curriculum requirement list that was a little more flexible than the one that was on the website. No where on the website did it suggest that computer science counted as math, but it was very clear on the handout sheet.</p>

<p>The link that you provided was kind of vague on specifically what history classes you had to take, it looks to me that there may be some leeway on the specific classes. Have you actually asked the history department if music history could be included as part of the history electives? If not, then maybe you should ask, I wouldn’t assume that a history class taught by a non-history department wouldn’t fullfill a history degree requirement without asking.</p>

<p>By the way, congratulations, it looks like you are very prepared for both degree programs, I am sure you will do well in both. Don’t second guess yourself or worry to much about taking an extra class or two, I think you are up to the challenge and would most likely be bord out of your mind if you didn’t take an heavy load.</p>

<p>^Good point imagep, I will have to ask about that. I haven’t actually checked about using music history courses for part of a history major. It doesn’t say you can on the website, but again, as you mentioned…I’ll have to see.</p>

<p>The link listed the course numbers. I should have given you the link to the course descriptions. I wasn’t sure if anyone would really want to read them…but here it is: [Illinois</a> Wesleyan: School of Music Course Offerings](<a href=“http://www.iwu.edu/music/academics/courses.shtml]Illinois”>School of Music Course Offerings | Illinois Wesleyan) and then you just have to find the appropriate course numbers.</p>

<p>Thanks, I like to hope that I have done the right prep for both, and that it should help me.</p>

<p>Just be careful - my son’s advisor told him that History of Popular Music could be used for his history requirement, and then the registrar wouldn’t give him his diploma until he took a “real” history course.</p>

<p>^Good point. I know they have a complete list of courses and which ones count for each gen ed requirement, so I’ll have to look at that.</p>

<p>I’m double majoring as well, and I agree that taking an extra year to graduate- especially if covered by scholarship!- is a VERY good idea. Every college is different, but music classes tend to be a lot harder and time consuming than one would think. For music history at my college, we had to write at least one paper a week and also had exams over the material taught in class, and for theory the homework assignments were brutal and very time consuming. I would start at least by not overloading yourself with too many credits at first, and after you get a taste for how much work your core music and history classes are, then decide how many credits you can take and not be too overwhelmed. Time management is also very important so you have sufficient time to balance practicing and studying.</p>

<p>I agree with the above post. Both music history and a theory series can be “brutal.” One reason students often take the introductory course regardless of theory experience, is that each school may teach it a little differently. </p>

<p>You don’t seem to have done much aural training/solfege. Some schools do fixed do, and others do movable do. Have you done any of that work?</p>

<p>Since you are a pianist, some of this will come easier than for others, but you may very well find that you want to do all of the theory courses, from the beginning of the series.</p>

<p>I think- and sorry for the repetition -that taking a standard number of courses is a good way to go first semester, while you get acclimated. You already have made inroads into the college requirements, and are in a great position to enjoy your first year.</p>

<p>^Great advice and one additional note – in addition to avoiding surprises re: what is or isn’t a history course (and I personally don’t believe music history/musicology courses are very similar to academic history courses) you do not want to rob yourself of the depth and skill development available through the required courses specific to your majors. So I would resist the temptation to double dip on MAJOR courses and instead only double dip on gen ed reqs.</p>

<p>I have done aural training. I’ve done theory tests that included both written and aural skills. Various things- recognizing intervals (all intervals up to a 12th or 13th I think), major/minor/modal scales, major/minor/aug/dim chords, melodic and rhythmic dictation 1 and 2 voices, to name a few things.</p>

<p>Also, I checked info on the course catalog thing and I can’t double dip those courses. It says a course can count towards a major and a gen ed requirement, but not towards requirements for 2 different majors. So that idea is done…oh well, good points about it though everyone! Thanks!</p>