Associate in Arts - Music Technology

at Foothill College USA

The mission of the Photography department is to provide superior instruction in the use of photographic techniques for vocational, general education and transfer students. A photography major will provide the student with a strong foundation in aesthetic principles as well as an extensive range of practical photographic techniques needed for college transfer, entry into the photographic workplace or for artistic expression. Course work includes traditional processing and printing, digital photography, color photography, studio lighting, experimental processes, photo criticism and portfolio preparation. Students are encouraged to develop a personal, expressive style, achieve technical excellence and examine photography's role in society.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to produce images that demonstrate knowledge of photography's visual and expressive elements (light, color, and composition), using standard professional equipment and production processes.
• Students will be able to analyze how images reflect and shape our culture and assess the contributions made in the field by people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Foothill College's Music Technology Program (MTEC) offers cutting-edge curriculum, instruction, and hands-on training in the areas of digital media content creation based on real-world industry standards. MTEC is an innovative educational program that integrates art and music with science and technology using a vocational strategy that enables students to realize a competitive advantage in an ever-evolving, digital-centric socioeconomic era. In addition to preparing students to pursue baccalaureate degrees at four-year institutions, the Foothill College MTEC program prepares students for diverse, productive careers in digital media content creation for music, technology, liberal and audio-visual arts, and communications.

The MTEC curriculum offers students the option to design their course of study to meet their needs. To augment their core courses, students may choose elective courses from music or related fields like media studies, photography, graphic design, and computer science. Because all these fields are very closely related, students can focus on areas that reflect their individual interests and goals. All musical styles and genres are supported and welcomed. Our goal is to give students the opportunity to succeed based on their talent, interest and hard work.

Program Learning Outcomes:
Students who complete the MTEC program will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency with various aspects of digital media content creation, including the use of hardware, software, digital asset management practices and other areas identified by the program's Board of Advisors.
• Apply concepts from audio engineering, acoustics, sound synthesis, music theory, computer literacy and team collaboration in practical situations to optimize digital media production workflows.
• Demonstrate proficiency with audio-video equipment including live content acquisition, microphones, video cameras, sound reinforcement, post-production editing, mixing, mastering, metering, and system troubleshooting.
• Evaluate merits of professional media productions with an understanding of technical and aesthetic considerations appropriate for various genres.
• Distinguish between related career paths associated with the discipline of Music Technology including digital media content creation, technical support, marketing, entrepreneurship and business administrative positions.

The Women's Studies major offers both male and female students opportunities to study the experiences, history, contributions and cultural images of women domestically and internationally, with a strong emphasis on global understanding and multicultural contributions. Courses from a variety of traditional disciplines, including sociology, history, psychology, communication and art, are included within the major.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• The student will be able to identify connections between specific people, groups, events and ideas and larger sociological, psychological, historical and gender studies specific themes, developments and topics.
• The student will be able to critically analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources and draw valid sociological, psychological, historical, and gender studies interpretations from them.

Accounting is the language of business. Accountants measure business activities, process that data into reports and communicate the results to decision-makers. The accounting curriculum focuses on preparing students to transfer to four-year institutions, sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam and seek employment. Areas of study include accounting for decision making, accounting for internal and external use, financial statement analysis, review of financial accounting standards, payroll and business taxes, individual and advanced taxation, computerized accounting software, auditing and forensic accounting, governmental and not-for-profit accounting and ethics in accounting.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to explain accounting terminology, concepts, principles, and frameworks.
• Students will be able to perform accounting-related calculations and demonstrate the ability to use methods and/or procedures to solve accounting problems.

The History department offers courses that explore political, economic, social, and cultural themes of the past with a strong emphasis on global understanding and multicultural contributions. Courses cover the geographical globe from Eastern/Western Europe to Asia and the Americas.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to identify connections between specific people, groups, events and ideas and larger historical themes, developments and topics.
• Students will be able to critically analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources and draw valid historical interpretations from them.

Economics is the study of how society allocates scarce resources (land, labor, capital) in an attempt to satisfy unlimited wants. It is broadly divided into two branches: Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Macroeconomics is concerned with the workings of the economy as a whole. It is the study of broad measures of economic performance: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment, and inflation. Given these measures, it considers the role of the government in guiding the macroeconomy. Microeconomics focuses on the role of individual decision-makers--consumers and firms--and analyzes the efficiencies and failures of a market system. The potential role of government to wholly or partially correct market failures is then considered. The two branches approach the fundamental questions of resource allocation from opposite sides: one from the perspective of the economy as a whole (macroeconomics) and one from the perspective of the individual agents in the economy (microeconomics).

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Have a working understanding of the role of prices in a market economy, trade, economic growth, competition, market failures and the economic role of government.
• Employ economic reasoning and logic to explain the world and make better decisions.

Physics, the fundamental science, conceptualizes the basic principles of the universe and establishes the foundation for astronomy, chemistry and geology. The beauty of physics lies in a small number of powerful concepts which expand our view of the world around us and which lead to many engineering applications from which we derive many benefits.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will know basic physics principles.
• Students will be able to apply their knowledge to practical, theoretical and experimental problems.
• Students will be prepared to advance to the next step in careers in science, industry and education.

The study of Japanese is an excellent choice for students in the Bay Area since a considerable amount of business and trade occurs with Japan by California industries. The electronics industry is especially interested in employing persons who speak Japanese and are familiar with Japanese customs. It is an excellent major or minor for those who plan graduate work in business, electronics or law.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• The student will be able to communicate with native speakers of Japanese, using the appropriate language, styles, sensitivity and level of respectfulness in various situations.
• The student will demonstrate knowledge of Japanese society, culture and history, and will be able to analyze and discuss cultural differences and similarities.

Physical Education is a multi-disciplinary educational experience. These choices include the traditional concentrations in teaching and contemporary choices of fitness, dance or athletic emphasis. Students interested in physical education, dance and athletics are candidates for this program.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• The student will complete this program with the ability to communicate the components of a physical education program to their professional staff.
• The student will demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and values of a multi-disciplinary program, which satisfy core requirements for many physical education transfer majors, including the traditional concentrations in teaching and contemporary choices of fitness, dance and athletic emphasis.

Psychology stands at the intersection of the biological sciences and the humanities because of its study of mental processes, cognition and behavior of individuals and social groups. To further understanding, psychology is involved in research with both animals and people. The psychologist is interested in how the brain and nervous system function, how perception evolves from sensation, how we learn and remember, and what it is that motivates us.

Psychology covers the total life span to learn more about how individuals function in family, community and society. To this end psychologists research what can go wrong in development and how it can be changed, and how to resolve organizational, personal, international, and family conflict. It is a dynamic field in which advanced research methods lead to new understandings of human behavior, which can be applied in practical situations in the lives of individuals.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to recognize the diversity of behavior of various populations and be able to explain, interpret, apply, and evaluate a broad base of concepts in the different fields of psychology.
• Students will be able to apply critical thinking skills and psychological theories to real-world situations, and to be able to apply research methodology and data analysis in the process of answering questions about human behavior.