Seminar in Music Industry
Northeastern University
Semesters taught: Spring 2024, Fall 2023; Spring 2023; Fall 2022; Spring 2021; Fall 2020; Spring 2020; Fall 2019; Fall 2015; Spring 2015; Fall 2014; Spring 2014; Fall 2013
Course description
In this capstone course for music industry students, we explore contemporary analyses and issues with an eye toward critically assessing and engaging the music industries. Each student brings to the classroom a unique set of skills and experiences, including those grounded in coursework and experiential learning (such as co-ops, internships, research, service learning, study abroad, and other activities). During seminar, we learn together as a class from these individualized experiences and sets of expertise—the sum of our knowledge, in essence, is greater than its individual parts. Through critical discussion, debate, in-class activities, and individual projects we will grapple with issues and problems that each one of us will face as future music industry professionals.
What are the goals of the music industries? Aside from securing a job, what do you hope to accomplish as a professional after you graduate? In what ways might you work to improve the music industries throughout your career? What challenges and opportunities will you face? What challenges and opportunities face the music industries overall? My overall goal in this course is to prepare you intellectually and critically for your profession. You will reflect upon, distill, apply, and enhance the knowledge and critical thinking skills you have accumulated through your prior courses, experiential learning, and professional experiences. You will develop insights and skills that will enable you to question entrenched music industry practices and hierarchies. Through debate, analysis, and weighing the potential challenges and opportunities posed by specific topics and trajectories, you will make professional recommendations regarding current issues and future developments within the music industries in your writing assignments, classroom discussions, in-class presentations, and individual research.