Program Overview
Program Overview
The Popular Music, Culture and Society course is designed to explore the significance of popular music in our everyday lives. The course will examine how popular music becomes meaningful to us and how we use it to understand our own identities and those of others.
Course Details
- Duration: 9 weekly meetings
- Tutor: Dr Danijela Spiric Beard
- Course code: MED23A5070A
- Fee: £249
- Concessionary fee: £199
- Location: Online course
Learning and Teaching
The module will be delivered through nine 2-hour sessions, consisting of lectures, class discussions, small group work, and debates. Class sessions will be supplemented by resources available to students via Learning Central. Teaching will be online and is likely to be conducted via Zoom.
Course Topics
- Popular music and identity: why does music matter?
- Popular music in culture and society
- Uses of popular music in everyday life
- Popular music and the media
- Video, lyrics, and popular music
- Music audiences and music fans
- Popular music, gender, and sexuality
- Race, ethnicity, and popular music
- Popular music at the movies
Coursework and Assessment
To award credits, students must provide evidence of the knowledge and skills gained or improved. The most important element of assessment is that it should enhance learning. Students will complete a portfolio of written work, including short analyses and essays. The portfolio will be around 1500 words in length.
Reading Suggestions
- Brabazon, T. (2012) Popular Music: Topics, Trends, Trajectories. London and California: Sage
- DeNora, T. (2000) Music in Everyday Life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
- Klein, B. (2009) As Heard on TV: Popular Music and Advertising. Aldershot: Ashgate
- Shuker, R. (2008) Understanding Popular Music (2nd Ed.). London and New York: Routledge
- Wall, T. (2003) Studying Popular Music Culture. London: Hodder and Stoughton
- Wikström, P. (2009) The Music Industry: Music in the Cloud. Cambridge: Polity
Library and Computing Facilities
As a student on this course, you are entitled to join and use the University's library and computing facilities.
Accessibility
The University aims to provide a confidential advice and support service for any student with a long-term medical condition, disability, or specific learning difficulty. Support services include one-to-one advice, pre-enrolment visits, liaison with tutors, material in alternative formats, arrangements for accessible courses, assessment arrangements, loan equipment, and dyslexia screening.