Explore UCD

UCD Home >

MUS31180

Academic Year 2026/2027

Issues in Music, Sound and the Moving Image (MUS31180)

Subject:
Music
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Music
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Laura Anderson
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This course is an introduction to important critical issues in the study of music, sound, and the moving image. The aim of the course is to present students with analytical tools and theoretical perspectives for understanding music and sound design in screen media. It does so through the study of characteristic examples from multimedia texts alongside significant works of scholarship.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Explain important theoretical concepts related to music and the moving image;
- Apply these approaches to specific examples, in order to develop their own analyses of music in film, television and video games;
- Critically evaluate major theoretical ideas related to music and the moving image;
- Describe different music and the moving image practices and aesthetics in relation to modes of media production and aspects of broader culture;
- Discuss key aesthetic trends, practices and examples of media music from different periods, ranging from early sound film to the present day, including original scores as well as compilation scores.

Having completed the course, students will also have improved their skills in reading analytical texts, appraising scholarly views, conducting academic research, and communicating their findings to others (both in the form of essays and presentations).

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1: Key questions in studying media music
Week 2: Scoring production process
Week 3: Narrative theory
Week 4: Silent film music
Week 5: Classic Hollywood and the studio era
Week 6: Pre-existing music in media
Week 7: Film Music and the French New Wave
Week 8: Reading week and preparation for group work
Week 9: Presentations - sharing research
Week 10: Film Sound Design
Week 11: Television music in a changing media landscape
Week 12: Music and video games

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 2

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 3
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Seminar (or Webinar)

12
Specified Learning Activities

76
Autonomous Student Learning

88
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures supplemented by seminars in which key texts and examples will be discussed.

Note on the use of AI: Red (CAH Traffic Light System: students must not use generative Al in this module's assignments for any
purpose).

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
50
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Scene Analysis Week 4 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
25
 No
Individual Project: Presentation Week 9 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
25
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

- The module will be assessed across three components: a scene analysis task, a presentation, and an essay. - Written feedback will be offered on each component following assessment and it is intended that the feedback from the scene analysis and the presentation tasks will be a useful guide to preparation of the final essay. - Preparation for the presentation will be supported by means of a dedicated session on presentation skills in advance of the assessment date to provide clarity on the marking criteria for this mode.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 13:00 - 14:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.