ATS3221 - Music, media, culture - 2018

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit




Organisational Unit

Communications and Media Studies

Chief examiner(s)

Associate Professor Shane Homan


Associate Professor Shane Homan

Unit guides



  • Second semester 2018 (On-campus)


  • Second semester 2018 (On-campus)


Twelve credit points of second-year Arts units.


In this unit students consider the key production, consumption and policy debates concerning the popular music industries. It situates popular music as a significant part of the global media and cultural industries, examining a range of music-media activity, including music journalism; music radio; film soundtracks; music television; and music on the internet. A key theme of analysis is the changing roles of industry, audiences and governments regarding how and where popular music remains meaningful. The unit will also address contemporary intellectual property and other policy/technology debates, and how the 'local' is situated within global music landscapes.



  1. an understanding of the key media studies, popular music and cultural studies theories associated with popular music activity;
  2. an assessment of how popular music operates as part of local and global media and cultural industries;
  3. an ability to critically and independently engage with key debates and issues within the popular music industries;
  4. an ability to apply broader global concepts to distinct local contexts;
  5. an ability to explain and analyse course concepts and debates in written and oral forms, and to engage at a high level of independent research.


Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements


See also Unit timetable information

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study