Graduate Studies Reports Access

Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - AMS6938
Tracking Number - 2666

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2012-06-14
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: Change
Course Change Information (for course changes only): Change of title to "Research Seminar" Change of description to "A course emphasizing the practical aspects of research in American Studies including analyzing primary sources, assembling a bibliography, synthesizing secondary sources, and defining an argument. Topic varies." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: to GC Chair 5/4/12. For Am Studies Prog Changes. GC appd 5/15/12. to USF Sys 5/15/12. to SCNS 5/23/12. Appd eff 8/1/12

Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2011-11-11
  2. Department: Humanities and Cultural Studies
  3. College: AS
  4. Budget Account Number: 1237
  5. Contact Person: Daniel Belgrad
  6. Phone: 8139749388
  7. Email: dbelgrad@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: AMS
  9. Number: 6938
  10. Full Title: Seminar in American Studies
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: D - Discussion (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?:
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Seminar in American Studies
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites:
  23. Corequisites:
  24. Course Description: Open to non-majors. Advanced

    interdisciplinary research. Topics

    include Popular Culture, Material

    Culture, Native American Culture.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course:
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service?
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times?
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.)
  29. Objectives: To produce several solid pieces of analytical writing that engage with class materials and deal with significant themes of the class.
  30. Learning Outcomes: Students completing this course will have demonstrated the ability to produce several solid pieces of analytical writing that engage with class materials and deal with significant themes of the class. In some cases this will include the thesis proposal and the introductory chapter of the M.A. thesis.
  31. Major Topics: What is a proposal?; Writing Your Statement of Purpose; Literature Review; Annotated Bibliography; Comparative approaches to methodology; Writing about Sources and Methods; Summary and Argument; comparative approaches to chapter organization; Revision; comparative approaches to introductions; Writing an Introduction; Opening and Concluding.
  32. Textbooks:
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Note: this is a variable topics course. The following outline refers to a version of this course with the topic "Place and Mobility in American Popular Music": Week 1 (Aug. 27): Introduction Walter Kirn, Up In The Air (2001; excerpt) John Agnew and Jonathan Smith, “Introduction,” in American Space/American Place: Geographies of the Contemporary United States Week 2 (Sept. 3): Theoretical Readings I Cresswell, Place: A Short Introduction, 1-14. Connell & Gibson, Sound Tracks, Chapters 1 and 3, 1–18, 45–70. Michel Foucault, “Of Other Spaces: Utopias and Heterotopias,” and “Space, Knowledge and Power (Interview conducted with Paul Rabinow),” from Rethinking Architecture, 350-356, 367-378. Week 3 (Sept. 10): The City—Jazz Louis Armstrong excerpt from Satchmo in Reading Jazz, ed. Robert Gottlieb (1996) LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka), “The City,” from Blues People (1963) Burton Peretti, “Hot and Sweet, White and Black: The Jazz Age” (1997) Listening: “Potato Head Blues,” Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue,” Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five “Cake Walkin’ Babies from Home,” Red Onion Jazz Babies Week 4 (Sept. 17): Theoretical Readings II Cresswell, Place: A Short Introduction, 15-51. Michel de Certeau, “Part III: Spatial Practices, Chapter VII Walking in the City, Chapter VIII Railway Navigation and Incarceration, Chapter IX Spatial Stories,” from The Practice of Everyday Life, trans. Steven Rendell (Los Angeles and Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1984), 91-130. Week 5 (Sept. 24): Spatiality of Music; Take-home Exam 1—Due following Thursday by beginning of class (6 pm; undergrad only) Lawrence Zbikowski, Conceptualizing Music: Cognitive Structure, Theory, and Analysis, 63-77. Eric Clark, Ways of Listening: An Ecological Approach to the Perception of Musical Meaning, 62-90. Shove and Repp, “Musical Motion and performance: theoretical and empirical perspectives,” in The Practice of Performance, 55–64. Listening: Palestrina, “Credo” from Pope Marcellus Mass Alban Berg, Wozzeck (excerpts) Fat Boy Slim, “Build It Up, Tear it Down” Week 6 (Oct. 1): The City—Rock n Roll Connell & Gibson, Sound Tracks, Chapter 5, 90–116. George Lipstiz, “Cruising Around the Historical Bloc” from Rockin’ the Boat: Mass Music and Mass Movements (1992), 267-279. Listening: Ritchie Valens, “La Bamba” Cuarteto Don Ramon, Sr, “Pachuco Boogie” WAR, “Lowrider” Selections by Johnny Otis Week 7 (Oct. 8): The City—Hip-hop and Rap Tricia Rose, “A Style Nobody Can Deal With: Politics, Style and the Postindustrial City in Hip-Hop,” in Microphone Fiends: Youth Music & Youth Culture (1994), 71-85. bell hooks, “Homeplace: a site of resistance,” and “An Aesthetic of Blackness,” in Yearning: race, gender, and cultural politics (1990), 41-49, 103-113. Listening: Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, “The Message” Boogie Down Productions, “My Philosophy” Public Enemy, “Fight the Power” TuPac, “Until the End of Time” Week 8 (Oct. 15): Theoretical Readings III Cresswell, Place: A Short Introduction, 53-79. Raymond Williams, The Country and the City (1973), 1-12, 289-306. H. Lefebvre, “Chapter 1: Plan of the Present Work,” in the Production of Space Week 9 (Oct. 22): The Country—Country & Western Rachel Rubin, “Sing Me Back Home: Nostalgia, Bakersfield and Modern Country Music,” in New Approaches to American Popular Music (2001), 93-109. Connell & Gibson, Sound Tracks, Chapter 2, 19–44. Gerald W. Creed and Barbara Ching, “Recognizing Rusticity: Identity and the Power of Place,” in Knowing Your Place: Rural Identity and Cultural Hierarchy (1997), 1-30. Listening: Merle Haggard, "Okie from Muskogee" (1969) Merle Haggard, "The Fugitive" (1966) Merle Haggard, "Workin' Man Blues" (1969) Maddox Brothers and Rose, "The South" (40s, early 1950s?) Woody Guthrie, "Philadelphia Lawyer" (1940s) Maddox Brothers and Rose, "Philadelphia Lawyer" Week 10 (Oct. 29): Theoretical Readings IV; Take-home Exam 2—Due following Thursday by beginning of class (6 pm; undergrad only) Cresswell, Place: A Short Introduction, 80-123. Henri Lefebvre, The Production of Space, trans. Donald Nicholson-Smith (Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 1991; orig. 1974), 1-67 (divided into two parts online). Week 11 (Nov. 5): Borders—Norteño, Rock en Español and other hybrids Connell & Gibson, Sound Tracks, Chapter 8, 160–191. Josh Kun, “Rock’s Reconquista,” in Audiotopia: Music, Race, and America (2005), 2-3, 22-27, 184-225. Listening: Ozomatli, "La Misma Cancio" (live) Cafe Tacuba, "El Aparato" Week 12 (Nov. 12): No class. Week 13 (Nov. 19): Non-places. Due date for Research Essay Connell & Gibson, Sound Tracks, Chapter 9, 192–220. Marc Augé, “Anthropological Place (excerpt),” and “From Places to Non-places (entire),” in Non-places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity (1992). Listening: Brian Eno, Music for Airports (excerpts)
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Reading presentation/discussion 15%; Weekly online postings/Participation 15%; Presentation 10%; Analytical Essay/first draft 20%; Research Essay/final draft 40%
  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: Short class presentation of required reading: Students will sign up to introduce a required theoretical reading. Presentations should be short (7–10 minutes) and should provide an overview of the main points and arguments. You should not present a blow-by-blow account of the article. After introducing the reading, you will then initiate a brief discussion session through prepared questions. Research presentation (10–15 minutes): all students will give one in-class presentation based on their analytical essay/first paper draft. Presentations will be scheduled for throughout the semester. Analytical essay/first paper draft (5 page minimum). This paper is a first draft of the longer semester essay assignment. In this 5-page draft I want you to focus on “textual” analysis of your selected musical work(s) in light of the theoretical ideas we studied. Due one week after the class presentation. Weekly online discussion board postings (250 word minimum, at least for beginning weeks of class—this might change). I will provide some questions for you to consider related to the week’s topics. Postings must be clearly written with no grammatical errors. Feel free to ask your own questions—these are not meant as essays but ways to explore through writing your impressions and understandings of the class materials. You must bring your response to class. Research Essay/final draft: A 10–15 page analysis essay on a topic of your choice (though within the general area of place and music). This is the expansion and final draft of the earlier analytical essay. Attendance and class participation. Attendance is essential and contribution to class discussion is strongly encouraged and a part of your final grade. This is a discussion-oriented class, and we will all learn much more when everyone participates. Grading Policies Course assignments and the final grade will be given as a +/- or straight letter grade. College policy states that the S/U option must be agreed to during the first three weeks of the semester. Incomplete grades should only be granted when, due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, only a small portion of the required work remains undone and the student is otherwise passing the course.
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: Late assignments will be lowered by one full letter grade for every day late. There are only a few exceptions to this rule: • Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with disabilities, provided a current Memorandum of Accommodations, from the Office of Student Disability Services, is brought to the instructor by the end of the second week of classes. • Reasonable accommodations will be made in the case of religious holidays. Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from class due to the observation of a major religious observance must provide notice of the date(s) to the instructor, in writing, by the second class meeting. • In the case of serious outside medical or personal problems, I will try to make accommodations. However, the evaluation of general medical and personal excuses is at my discretion. Please note: If you foresee that you will have difficulty attending class, meeting any of the deadlines, or taking any of the exams because of other time commitments (job, family, etc.), I strongly suggest you reconsider enrolling in the class. School closings or emergencies In the event of a flu epidemic, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information. Academic Integrity and Dishonesty To avoid the appearance of plagiarism you must consistently use a recognized citation system (MLS, Chicago, etc.) Direct quotations from sources must be identified by quotation marks and properly cited. Failure to do this constitutes academic dishonesty and may result in a FF grade for the course. For more information please consult: . An online tutorial on plagiarism is available at . The University of South Florida has an account with an automated plagiarism detection service that allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for plagiarism. I reserve the right to submit assignments to this detection system. Assignments are compared automatically with a huge database of journal articles, web articles, and previously submitted papers. The instructor receives a report showing exactly how a student’s paper was plagiarized. The instructor, not the computer, makes the final determination as to plagiarism. It is not permissible to sell either written or audiotape notes for this course.
  38. Program This Course Supports: M.A. in American Studies
  39. Course Concurrence Information: Title and Desc change only


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.