Instructor
Dr. Mark Snyder
msnyder3@ju.edu
Phillips Fine Arts 207
(904) 256-7665
Office Hours M 2:30-4:00 PM, TR 2:30-4:30 PM, and by appointment.
Introduction
Welcome to the Professional Musician. This course is an orientation to the music profession, including but not limited to topics such as music research, personal career planning, goal setting for the music student, business issues for the professional musician, promotion and public relations methods and arts advocacy. Additionally, we will be hearing from experts in various fields about their careers and how they came to be where they are now.
Required Materials
There is no text for this course but you will be building your own digital portfolio that will stay with you during your time here at JU and beyond. The space and domain name will cost $30 to $60 for the year depending on which service you chose. If you already have a site and domain name, perfect!
Course Goals
- Provide an introduction to the JU music curriculum, including collegiate music study, degrees and majors offered, and program completion requirements.
- Provide an orientation to the music profession and career options in music.
- Acquaint students with career resources, including the library, career services and the internet resources.
- Create a bio for web, social media, promotion and programs.
- Provide instruction in the use of the music library.
- Provide basic information about the maintenance of health and safety within the contexts of practice, performance, teaching, and listening, including the maintenance of hearing, vocal, and musculoskeletal health and injury prevention.
- Design basic web pages with music-specific content including a web presence on social media.
Critiques
Students are expected to participate in the critiques of the projects and assignments in class. Failure to do so will lower the grade of your project. Critiques are designed to offer insights, suggestions for improvement, support to encourage you to improve your work.
In addition to the above requirements, participation will be measured against the following criteria:
- Contribute original thoughts or ideas to the critiques.
- Give relevant reasons to validate points.
- Demonstrate openness to divergent points of view.
- Be respectful of the perceptions of others.
- Integrate material from previous units to formulate ideas and generate dialogue.
Schedule
August 26: Introduction to the course. Break into groups.
September 2: Labor Day (No Class!) Start looking at websites of people you’d most like to emulate?
September 9: Sharing websites. Which do we think are the most effective and impactful. List of websites due.
September 16: Crafting your Biography. What should be in it? What should it look like? Start crafting your bio.
September 23: Green Dot Training. Continue working on bio.
September 30: Bio draft due, Group critiques and revisions.
October 7: Biographies due, Library Visit!
October 14: Social Media, menus and graphic design. So many sizes and styles to choose. Which social media is best for you?
October 21: Pictures. What kinds? How many? How to hire a photographer. Social media plan due.
October 28: Domain Names and Hosting. What should your domain be? What service should provide your hosting? Graphic design plan and menu due.
November 4: JU Career Services. Domain name purchased and hosting plan set up. Pictures due.
November 11: Veteran’s Day! No Classes.
November 18: Musicians Health and Wellness. Social Media pages up and due! Group critiques and revisions of social media pages.
November 25: Thanksgiving Break. Yes it’s a break. Be thankful!
December 2: Website draft due. Group critiques and revisions of websites.
December 9: Semester wrap up, Final Website due!
*****Schedule may be ahead or behind at any point. Pay attention in class to make sure you are aware of important dates and times. The schedule will also fluctuate depending on how many of which emphasis are in the class.*****
Class Participation & Attendance
Education is mostly experiential and therefore class attendance is critical. I go to great lengths to make this course beneficial to you even if you can’t see what it’s value is in the moment. Trust me and come to class!
Communication
Please communicate with me about this course through your JU email account. That’s how I will contact you as well so please be sure to check it. Please allow up to 72 hours during the school week for a response to your email and I will afford you the same courtesy!
Absences and Excuses
Each student is directly responsible for absences and for making up missed work.
Grading
The course grade will be determined from evaluations of the following: research project (written report and oral presentation), course assignments, class participation, and attendance.
Academic Honesty
Any act of academic misconduct in this course will result in an F for the assignment involved. To see examples of what counts as academic misconduct, as well as the university-level consequences for academic misconduct, look to JU’s policy at www.ju.edu/academicintegrity.
“Members of the Jacksonville University community are expected to foster and uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity, which are foundations for the intellectual endeavors we engage in.
To underscore the importance of truth, honesty, and accountability, students and instructors should adhere to the following standard:
I do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor do I condone the actions of those who do
Academic misconduct occurs when a student engages in an action that is deceitful, fraudulent, or dishonest regarding any type of academic assignment that is intended to or results in an unfair academic advantage. In this context, the term “assignment” refers to any type of graded or ungraded work that is submitted for evaluation for any course. Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to cheating, collusion, falsification, misrepresentation, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, copying another student’s work, using or providing unauthorized notes or materials, turning in work not produced by the individual, and plagiarism. Furthermore, providing deceitful, fraudulent, or dishonest information during discussions of an academic manner with faculty are also examples of academic misconduct.” (Jacksonville University Academic Catalog)
Throughout this course we will be reading and reporting about the work of others. All information that is not original to the student must be appropriately attributed in both presentations and written work. All students are expected to do their own work and give appropriate credit for all sources used in the process of preparing papers, presentations, and homework assignments. Group assignments will be graded based on the product of the work, although some adjustment may be made for participation. [If you have a question about whether or not collaboration is allowed, or how to cite a reference, please ask. It is always better to check than to be accused of an unintended violation of the academic honesty policy.] Violations of the academic honesty policy will be dealt with in accordance to university policies [Refer to current Academic Catalog “Academic Integrity and Misconduct”].
Course Level Penalties: A first offense may result in a failing grade for the assignment. Second offenses may result in failure in the course. Significantly egregious violations may result in expulsion from the university. When in doubt give credit for all information that did not come directly out of your head!
Disability Statement
Students with a documented disability requesting classroom accommodations or modifications, either permanent or temporary, resulting from the disability are encouraged to register with the Disability Support Services (DSS) office. This office will assist in recommending accommodations that eliminate barriers in academic coursework and/or guide you through the different supportive mechanisms that we have to offer. This office is located on the third floor of the Davis Student Commons, room 336. The office can also be contacted through their website (https://www.ju.edu/disabilityservices/index.php).
Note: Students are encouraged to register with the DSS office at the beginning of the term and/or prior (if/when possible), as accommodations are not provided retroactively.
