MUS2195 : Professional Practice for Music (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Jane Nolan
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module provides a basic knowledge of arts and music professional practices and offers the opportunity to develop skills as preparation for future careers in music, in particular self managed and portfolio careers. In addition to gaining appropriate knowledge and developing skills through a lecture and speaker programme, the module provides the opportunity to practice those skills through putting on a music related event, working in small teams.
The first semester will provide key learning through a programme of lectures, supporting materials, workshops and activities, including talks by visiting speakers. Students will form teams and begin generating, researching and evaluating ideas for their events. The programme would normally include:
Working in music – perspectives provided by musicians and people working in a variety of roles within the music industry
Entrepreneurship in a music context
Marketing and promotion
Finance and realising value
Team working and collaboration
Creative problem solving, idea generation, negotiation
Intellectual property and copyright, including royalty collection systems.
The second semester will be spent working in teams to organise and carry out an event, mentored by the module leader. This is supported by workshops, lectures, resources and activities concerning practical aspects such as presentation skills, risk assessment, an introduction to self-employment, tax and legal aspects.
Assessment will consist of an essay in semester 1, and a group presentation and reflective report in semester 2.In addition regular participation in the learning and teaching activities of the module and the team work associated with the events is deemed to be a crucial indicator of engagement with the module.
Outline Of Syllabus
The first semester will provide key learning materials, including lectures, supporting materials, workshops and activities, including talks by visiting speakers. Students will form teams and begin generating, researching and evaluating ideas for their events. The programme would normally include:
Working in music – perspectives provided by musicians and people working in a variety of roles within the music industry
Entrepreneurship in a music context
Marketing and promotion
Finance and realising value
Team working and collaboration
Creative problem solving, idea generation, negotiation
Intellectual property and copyright, including royalty collection systems.
The second semester will be spent working in teams to organise and carry out an event, mentored by the module leader. This is supported by lectures, supporting materials, workshops and activities concerning practical aspects such as presentation skills, risk assessment, an introduction to self-employment,tax and legal aspects.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 2 | 0:30 | 1:00 | Pre-recorded learning materials (online, non-synchronous) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 14 | 2:00 | 28:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | Team-working on project |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Activities; skills practice |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Either present in person or on Zoom |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 123:00 | 123:00 | Directed research, reading, assessment prep |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
In semester 1 Learning and teaching resources including lectures, supporting materials, workshops and activities involving the module leader and visiting speakers from the music industry and arts organisations provide you with information about organisations in the professional world, and the practicalities of making a living through an involvement in music.
In semester 2 organising an event provides the practical hub of the students learning experience. Students will work in small teams generated from within the module to organise an event. This will facilitate problem based learning with students gaining practical insight and direct experience of organisation, negotiating, networking, public relations, marketing and budgeting
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 15 | 2 | A | 10 | 10 minute group presentation with 5 minutes questions at the end |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | A | 40 | Submission of essay (1800 words) to lecture content |
| Reflective log | 2 | A | 50 | Individual reflective report (1800 words) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Rationale and relationship of assessment methods to learning outcomes:
a) Essay reflects engagement with the course and critical awareness of enterprise and entrepreneurship within the context of music and in relation to establishing a music career/creative practice
b) Presentation demonstrates contribution to the event planning process; the reflective report demonstrates individual learning and report writing skills
Formative feedback on an essay plan (Semester 1) and a report plan (Semester 2) will be offered.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MUS2195's Timetable