Departmental Assessment Update - Arts and Humanities Report

Department: Music
Program: BM, BA, BEd in Music Education
Level: Undergraduate

1. List in detail your undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each degree/certificate offered.

I. DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES The UHM Music Department objectives are: 1) to provide undergraduate and graduate instruction and co-curricular events that a) are components within a broad liberal background (B.A.); b) to prepare for teaching music in elementary and secondary schools (B.Ed., M.A., in music education); c) to prepare for professional performing, composing, private teaching, or teaching music at the college level (B.M., M.A., M.M., Ph.D.); and 2) to provide opportunities for research and service that are consistent with the instructional program. II. UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS A. Learning Outcomes The music faculty measures the objectives of the department by evaluating three principal learning outcomes: 1) Performance Skills. All students, regardless of career plans, should grow in musicianship during their time at UHM. Performance skills encompass technical skill on an instrument or voice, ability to perform in an ensemble, confidence and stage presence, and perhaps most importantly, aesthetic judgment. Recognizing that each student brings a unique background of preparation and aptitude to college-level music study, the department chooses to emphasize improvement and growth rather than the attainment of a uniform technical standard. 2) Basic Musicianship. All students must be able to hear, analyze, read, and write music. These skills fall under the general category of music theory and aural skills, and are essential to musical study and the music profession. 3) Knowledge of Literature. Knowledge of music history is essential in connecting the music programs to the broad liberal background of the university as a whole.

2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., department web page)?

SLOs are partially stated in the department undergraduate bulletin. The undergrad bulletin is published both in hard copy and on the department web site.

3. Explain how your SLOs map onto your curriculum, i.e., how does your curriculum produce the specific SLOs in your students?

All students must have: 1) Performing experience - 7 to 20 or more credits. 2) Basic musicianship - 2 years of theory and aural training. 3) 1 year of music history. 4) Advanced literature and theory courses.

4. What specific methodologies were used to collect data? In developing your response, consider the following questions:

B. Assessment Methods The three aforementioned learning outcomes are assessed according to these methods. 1) Performance Skills. Since an ongoing evaluation of performance skills is important to all of our undergraduate degree programs (B.A., B.Ed., B.M.), the music department has extensive testing that includes well-defined components. The level of proficiency in each component is established by the guidelines of NASM (National Association of Schools of Music) for each degree. a) An entrance audition. b) Applied Music. Public performance(s) throughout the course of the student’s program. During each semester, the student is enrolled in applied music, (s)he must complete either a) one or more performances in department recitals, with constructive criticism by the student’s teacher after each performance; or b) a Board Exam, in which the student performs for a faculty committee, who provides a written evaluation of the performance. c) Ensemble participation. Most undergraduate students in the department are required to participate in Western or non-Western music ensembles. Their participation in and contributions to the ensembles are evaluated by the conductors and demonstrated through public performances. d) B.M. students are evaluated by a faculty committee at the end of the sophomore year to determine whether the student has the required professional potential to remain in the degree program. 2) Basic Musicianship. These skills are fundamental to all undergraduate degrees in the department of music and are assessed in these ways: a) Placement tests are administered by theory faculty during orientation week to assess each student’s background and place him/her in classes appropriate for the student’s experience and skill level. b) The music theory sequence consists of four semesters of theory and complementary aural training courses. A student may progress to a higher level only upon successful completion of the prior level. Because of the carefully graded sequential approach, students gradually acquire the musical literacy expected of professional musicians. c) Exams at each level allow faculty to assess the extent to which each student has mastered the required skills. 3) Knowledge of Literature. All music majors are required to complete a two-semester survey of music history; B.M. students are required to complete one or more advanced music literature courses after completion of the two-semester survey. Progress in history courses is assessed by these means: a) The musicology area administers an assessment exam during freshman orientation and again after the completion of the two-semester history sequence. b) Periodic mid-term exams allow instructors to assess each student’s developing knowledge of music history. c) Final exams in each class allow faculty to assess the extent to which students have mastered the required knowledge. d) Term papers and other writing assignments allow faculty to assess each student’s assimilation of the concepts of the course, creativity in synthesizing new ideas, and ability to communicate his/her ideas. e) Concert attendance. Each student is required to attend a minimum of six approved concerts of Western or non-Western music per semester for at least four semesters. This activity is monitored through enrollment and successful completion of the non-credit course MUS 199 (Recital Attendance). C. Capstone Experiences Each student who receives a Bachelor’s degree in music from UHM is required to complete a culminating project. This requirement may be fulfilled in one of the following ways: 1) Public recital. For B.A. students, this may consist of a 20-minute junior recital; for B.M. in performance students, a 45-60 minute senior recital. The Recital repertoire selection, the historical understanding of the chosen repertoire and its technical execution and performance allow students to demonstrate the accumulated knowledge of prior course work Audio recordings of all junior and senior recitals are archived in the music department for comparison with entrance audition tapes. For B.M in composition students, this includes a public recital of original works for various performing media, such as strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboard, voice, and/or electro-acoustic compositions. The pieces on the recital should have a combined duration of between 30 and 45 minutes. 2) Senior project. (MUS 495, 1-2 credits) B.A. students who elect not to do a junior recital are required to complete a capstone project. A student develops the project in consultation with the advisor and completes it in the final year of study. Individual projects should demonstrate the knowledge gained through the student’s academic and artistic maturity over the course of the degree. Projects may consist of an internship (i.e., with a school, arts organization, cultural association or music-related enterprise), a research paper, or other suitable project determined in consultation with the student’s advisor. This project allows the Music Department to assess the student’s overall progress since admission. 3) Student teaching. B.Ed. students who are admitted to the education degree program complete a student teaching assignment through the College of Education. Because members of our music education faculty evaluate the student teaching, it serves as a capstone experience in music skills and education. Through student teaching, students demonstrate their knowledge of prior course work and their ability to integrate and apply this understanding of content and teaching techniques to real classroom situations.

5. How were the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program?

IV. RESULTS OF ASSESSMENT The department’s assessment committee will evaluate the data in the aforementioned areas and recommend ways in which the results can be used to improve undergraduate and graduate programs. Each individual area will assess its curriculum based on faculty resources, national trends, new technology and student input. This information will also be given to the assessment committee for its program assessment.

6. Has the program developed learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.

7. Has the program published learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.

8. If so, please indicate how the program has published learning outcomes.

9. What evidence is used to determine achievement of student learning outcomes?

10. Who interprets the evidence?

11. What is the process of interpreting the evidence?

12. Indicate the date of last program review.