BELMONT UNIVERSITY

MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:  Entertainment Career Development

Course #:  MBU 3360.01           Credits:  3 Hours           Fall 2005

Class Location:   MC209B

Meeting Times:  TR 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm

 

Instructor:  Sarita M. Stewart

Phone:  615-661-0271    Email:  sarita@fidumanagement.com

 

Course description:  A study of Entertainment Career Development from an artist’s point of view.  This involves management, education, promotion and financial considerations as they concern the professional entertainer.  Various unions, guilds and associations are studied.

 

Course objectives:  To provide students who wish to be entertainers an overview of the music industry and practices that will help them become successful performers with an understanding of the business aspects of the music industry.

 

GOALS OF THE MIKE CURB  COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

 

·         To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship.

 

·         To equip students with the tools to think critically and communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions and prosper in diverse work environments.

 

·         To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principals.

 

Honor Code:  As a member of the Belmont community, students, faculty, staff and administrators are all responsible for ensuring that their experiences will be free of behaviors which will compromise value.  In order to uphold academic integrity, the university has adopted an Honor System.  Students and faculty will work together to establish the optimal conditions for honorable academic work.  The following is the Student Honor pledge that guides academic behavior:

 

“I will not give or receive aid during examinations.  I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work in the preparations of reports or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade.  I will not engage in any type of academic fraud.  Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see that others abide by the spirit and honor of this Honor Code. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Requirements: 

  1. Attendance:  It is my recommendation that you attend all of the class meetings for the best learning experience.  Makeup work is at the discretion of the instructor.  Absence is permitted only in cases of family illness, family emergencies or other legitimate causes.  For a complete explanation of the attendance policy see The Belmont University Bulletin. 

 

  1. Class Materials: 

“Making A Living In Your Local Music Market” (Weissman, Hal Leonard) Required

 

3. PREPARED ASSIGNMENTS

 

Project Paper and presentation:  Students will be placed in teams.  The goal will be to work together to put together a strong entertainment career plan together that will help to build an artist’s career.  Professor will hand out the project specifics at a later point in time.     

 

 4.  TESTING

Testing will be a midterm and a final, in addition to the possibility of pop quizzes, based on class information and outside assignments.  Midterm will take place on Tuesday, October 11.  Final is scheduled for Friday, December 9 at 11 am.

 

Additional Reading: 

The Professor may choose to assign additional reading.  Articles may be placed on reserve in the Library or web articles assigned and each student will be responsible for the reading.  Test questions may be taken from the assigned reading.

 

5.  Basis of Grade Evaluation:

 

Grading Scale:

(97–100) = A+      (87-89) = B+    (77-79) = C+    (67-69) = D+

(93– 96)  =  A       (83-86) = B       (73-76) = C      (63-66) = D

(92–90)  = A-        (80-82) = B-     (70-72) = C-     (60-62) = D-

 

Grading:

Class Participation         10%

Midterm                        15%

Final                             20%

Project Paper                            30%

Project Presentation       20%

Attendance                     5%

Total Final Grade:      100%

 

  1. Class Schedule:

 

Week   Date                             Topics                                                  Reading Assignment

 

1          8/25                              Class Introduction

 

2          8/30 – 9/1                     10 Rules of a Successful Independent Musician

                                                Making a Living as a Musician               Chapter 1

 

 

 

Week   Date                             Topics                                                  Reading Assignment

 

3          9/6 – 9/8                       Making A Living, continued                    Appendix A

                                                Developing Your Talent                         Chapter 2

 

4          9/13 – 9/15                    Packaging Your Talent                          Chapter 3

                                                Selling Your Act                                    Chapter 4, Appendix D

 

5          9/20 – 9/22                    Developing Versatility                            Chapter 5

                                                Union and Guilds                                   Chapter 6, Appendix B

 

6          9/27 – 9/29                    Recording Opportunities             Chapter 7

                                                Working in Multiple Contexts                 Chapter 8

 

7          10/4 – 10/6                    Producing & Marketing Your Record     Chapter 9

 

8          10/11 – 10/13                Midterm

                                                Fall Break

 

9          10/18 – 10/20                Polishing Your Skills                              Chapter 10

                                                Making Inroads On The Scene              Chapter 11

 

10         10/25 – 10/27                Putting It Out There                              Chapter 12

                                                Playing Music Part-Time                       Chapter 13

 

11         11/1 – 11/3                    History & Development of the               Chapter 14

                                                     Various Regional Markets                 Chapter 15

                                                Canadian Music Business                      Chapter 16

 

12         11/8 – 11/10                  Songwriting Income                               Chapter 17

                                                Music and Technology Futures               Chapter 18

 

13         11/15 – 11/17                Class Presentations

 

14         11/22 – 11/24                Class Presentations

                                                     Thanksgiving Break

 

15         11/29 – 12/1                  Class Presentations      

 

16         12/6                              Overview for Final/Last Day of Class

 

FINAL   FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9TH AT 11 AM                                             

           

ACCOMODATION OF DISABILITIES

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities.  If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify Tammye Tanksley, Director of Counseling & Development in the Office of the Dean of Students (460-6407) as soon as possible.