Course Syllabus
MUSC 2120 Music Theory IV
- Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
- Department: Music
- Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
- Prerequisites: MUSC 2110 with grade of C- or better
- Corequisites: MUSC 2140
- Semesters Offered: Spring
- Semester Approved: Spring 2026
- Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2030
- End Semester: Fall 2031
- Optimum Class Size: 15
- Maximum Class Size: 25
Course Description
This course is a continuation of Music Theory, including further elements of the harmonic vocabulary, tonal harmony in the late nineteenth century, an introduction to post-tonal music, and new directions in music. Prerequisite: completion of MUSC 2110 with a grade of C- or better. Usually concurrently enrolled in MUSC 2140.
Justification
Good musicianship requires solid understanding of theoretical principles. This course is required by NASM of all degree seeking music majors in the BCMC program at Snow College. The second year of music theory is taught at all Utah universities at the 2000 level.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate an ability to analyze the various kinds of harmonies studied throughout the semester.
- Students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of harmonic function from the 18th through the 21st centuries.
- Students will demonstrate an ability to use the harmonic languages learned in the course in their own creative works.
Course Content
This class will include assigned text readings, in-class analysis, and lectures on:1. The Dominant with a substituted 6th or raised 5th2. Extended Chords3. The Common-Tone Fully Diminished Seventh Chord4. Chromatic Mediants5. Multiple scale types - modes, pentatonic, synthetic, etc.6. Multiple chord structures - polyharmony, quartal/quintal, etc.7. Parallelism8. Pandiatonicism9. Advancements on Rhythm and Meter10. Basic Atonal Theory11. Set Theory12. Twelve-Tone Serialism13. New Directions in Music