✦ MUH 3633 · Fall 2026
Music in the
United States
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✦ MUH 3633 · Fall 2026

Music in the
United States

🎓 Dr. Melissa J. Scott
🕐 M/W/F — 10:30-11:20am
📍 PAC M261
📢

Announcements

May 11, 2026
Welcome to MUH 3633!
This is the course website for Music in the United States. All slides, readings, and weekly materials will be posted here. Check back regularly — I'll post announcements as the semester progresses.
📋

Syllabus

🌍 Course Description
MUH 3633 CAH-MUSIC 3(3,0). Music in the United States: PR: MUL 2720 and MUT 1122 with grade of C (2.0) or better. Music of the United States of America from pre-Revolutionary times to present. Includes vernacular, jazz, popular, and art music traditions indigenous to the USA. Fall, Spring.
🎯 Learning Objectives
  • Identify and analyze musical styles in the United States from the late 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries
  • Critically evaluate music from the United States, with an emphasis on the cultural, social, economic, and aesthetic dynamics that inform music-making
  • Analyze primary and secondary sources with theoretical framings from ethnomusicology and U.S. music studies
  • Articulate the ways in which your own musical background, habits, and tastes shape and are shaped by your experiences
  • Engage respectfully in discussion
📊 Grading Breakdown
ComponentWeight
Participation & Attendance15%
Four Listening Quizzes50%
Other Assignments & Presentations10%
Final Exam25%
📚 Required Texts
  • American Popular Music (6th ed.; Oxford University Press) — Larry Starr & Christopher Waterman (2021)
  • Access to Spotify (free or paid)
  • Other texts as assigned — see each week's page for the full list of materials
📝 Course Policies
  • Attendance: More than three unexcused absences will lower your attendance & participation grade by 10%.
  • Late Work: Assignments lose 10% per day late. No submissions accepted after one week.
  • AI Policy: AI tools can help you brainstorm and do basic copyediting, but you may not submit AI-generated text for any written assignments. See Simple Syllabus for full details.
  • Accessibility: Students requiring accommodations should contact SAS and notify the instructor as soon as possible, and within the first two weeks of the semester.
📅

Course Schedule

WkDatesTopic & ReadingsDuePage
01Aug 24–28
🇺🇸 What is America's Music?
Skim: Graham, "Spirituals"
AAROpen →
02Aug 31–Sep 4
🎶 Spirituals & Blues
Starr, Ch. 5
—🔒
03Sep 9–11
🎼 Ballads & Pop Standards
Hyman, "The Child Ballad in America"; Starr, Chs. 2 & 4
—🔒
04Sep 14–18
📻 Adorno & Quiz
Adorno, "A Social Critique of Radio Music"
Quiz 1🔒
05Sep 21–25
🎷 Jazz
Starr, Chs. 3 & 6
—🔒
06Sep 28–Oct 2
🎺 Jazz, cont'd
Taylor & Pareles reviews
—🔒
07Oct 5–9
🪕 Country & Bluegrass
Starr, Ch. 5
Quiz 2🔒
08Oct 12–16
🎸 Country & Rock
Cowboy Carter reviews; Starr, Ch. 8
—🔒
09Oct 19–23
☮️ 1960s–70s Pop
Starr, Chs. 10 & 11
—🔒
10Oct 26–30
🕺 The 1970s
Starr, Ch. 11
Quiz 3🔒
11Nov 2–6
📺 1980s Pop & Celebrity
Starr, Ch. 13
—🔒
12Nov 9–13
🎤 Hip-Hop
Starr, Chs. 12 & 14
—🔒
13Nov 16–20
🎧 Hip-Hop, cont'd
Starr, Chs. 14 & 15
—🔒
14Nov 23–25
🎬 Quiz & Film
No readings
Quiz 4🔒
15Nov 30–Dec 2
📚 Review
No readings
—🔒
16Date TBD
🎓 Final Exam
Time TBA — check university portal
FINAL—
📖

Weekly Pages

Each week has its own page with slide decks, Spotify playlist, reading instructions, and listening guidance. Pages unlock as the semester progresses.

🇺🇸
Week 1
What is America's Music?
Aug 24–28
🎶
Week 2
Spirituals & Blues
Aug 31–Sep 4
🔒 Not yet available
🎼
Week 3
Ballads & Pop Standards
Sep 9–11
🔒 Not yet available
📻
Week 4
Adorno & Quiz
Sep 14–18
🔒 Not yet available
🎷
Week 5
Jazz
Sep 21–25
🔒 Not yet available
🎺
Week 6
Jazz, cont'd
Sep 28–Oct 2
🔒 Not yet available
🪕
Week 7
Country & Bluegrass
Oct 5–9
🔒 Not yet available
🎸
Week 8
Country & Rock
Oct 12–16
🔒 Not yet available
☮️
Week 9
1960s–70s Pop
Oct 19–23
🔒 Not yet available
🕺
Week 10
The 1970s
Oct 26–30
🔒 Not yet available
📺
Week 11
1980s Pop & Celebrity
Nov 2–6
🔒 Not yet available
🎤
Week 12
Hip-Hop
Nov 9–13
🔒 Not yet available
🎧
Week 13
Hip-Hop, cont'd
Nov 16–20
🔒 Not yet available
🎬
Week 14
Quiz & Film
Nov 23–25
🔒 Not yet available
📚
Week 15
Review
Nov 30–Dec 2
🔒 Not yet available
✏️

Assignments & Deadlines

Aug
28
Academic Activity Requirement
Forum post on Canvas. Required for financial aid distribution.
10 pts
Sep
18
Listening Quiz #1
Covers spirituals, blues, ballads, and Tin Pan Alley. Format: identification, short-answer questions and analysis, and one essay.
40 pts
Oct
5
Listening Quiz #2
Covers jazz. Format: identification, short-answer questions and analysis, and one essay.
40 pts
Oct
30
Listening Quiz #3
Covers country, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll, 1960s, and 1970s. Format: identification, short-answer questions and analysis, and one essay.
40 pts
Nov
23
Listening Quiz #4
Covers 1980s and hip-hop. Format: identification, short-answer questions and analysis, and one essay.
25 pts
Dec
TBA
Final Exam
Cumulative. Format: identification, short-answer questions and analysis, and one essay. Time and day TBA — check the university portal.
60 pts
🗓️

Office Hours

Dr. Melissa J. Scott
Instructor
🕐 MW 12:00–1:30 PM
📍 Location on WebCourses
✉️ WebCourses message only
There is another Melissa Scott on campus — please use WebCourses messages, not UCF email, to ensure your message reaches me.
📌 Appointments
Office hours are drop-in — no appointment needed. To meet outside regular hours, send a WebCourses message at least 48 hours in advance.