The Minor in Music Technology is a program of study to prepare students for work in the creative application of computer technologies to the following:
The minor establishes a foundation in these areas through a core of three courses (Music 246, 346, and 446). Electives may be drawn from acoustics, computer science, software engineering, and music, and are intended to provide one or more of the following:
For questions not answered here contact Dr. Christopher Hopkins
Download a PDF of the program description and qualifying coursework.
How to start: (1) complete a Request for Minor form and complete Section 1 in consultation with your academic advisor. (2) deliver to the music department academic advisor for review and signature. (3) You will be contacted by email about any necessary corrections and/or to pick up the signed form. You then (4) return it to your academic advisor who will assist to complete the remaining steps.
Complete the minor by passing the courses specified on your Request for Minor form. If you change your plan, for example deciding on new electives, you do need to submit a new Request for Minor form. The courses you completed need to match those on the most recently approved form.
Music technology is an interdisciplinary field that changes rapidly with new technological developments. This minor includes advanced elective courses in computer programming, engineering, and music to provide an interdisciplinary track for advanced students who have the prerequisites and who will use electives to establish a bridge to their major, particularly between technical sub-disciplines. For example, mechanical engineering majors may wish to develop technologies for music that require more programming experience than provided by their major. Computer engineering majors may support their goals for music technologies with a more advanced understanding of engineering acoustics. Computer programming majors may have goals to create musical applications closely tied with digital signal processing. Students may therefore select elective courses that form a particular track for future applications of this minor.
Advanced electives in music theory, history, literature, and performance are included for non-music majors who are qualified for study at higher levels. These provide contact with more advanced musical concepts and skills that would be incorporated in software and interface design for music.
The Minor in Music Technology may also be used as an autonomous program of study to complement a major without being configured to meet specific interdisciplinary goals. In such a case, it is expected that electives would be satisfied through non-majors courses in computer programming, software engineering, and music.
A special case of a major in music (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music) earning this minor is treated as follows:
No music courses other than those in music technology core (246, 346, 446), or approved independent study (490) may be counted in the minor. A major in music therefore will obtain a minor that has a minimal overlap with the major, the supporting courses being taken from non-majors courses in computer science and software engineering, or as qualified from related courses in computer science and engineering.
Note: Bachelor of Arts students (not Bachelor of Music) may use Phys 198 in the minor.
The minor is fulfilled by earning 15 credits as follows.
At least six of the fifteen credits must be taken at Iowa State University in courses numbered 300 or above with a grade of C or higher. The minor must include at least nine credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
* Music majors seeking this minor may not count in the fifteen credits
music courses comprising the minor other than 246, 346, 446, and approved 490.
* only one of Music 101 and 105 may be counted in the minor
*** only one of Music 120 and 304 may be counted in the minor
***A Bachelor of Music major may not count Phys 198
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