Entertainment Course Descriptions


ENT 225 (3 credits) Survey of the Music Industry.
Various aspects of the music industry are covered including music publishing, the record company, studio techniques, and production. (Fall, Spring)

ENT 235 (3 credits) Audio in a Multimedia Environment. Students are introduced to the myriad of careers associated with recorded audio.  Class includes discussions of historical development, current trends and future possibilities.  Integral to the coursework is the process of becoming familiarized with basic, popular software used by the entertainment industry and combining all the semester's knowledge to create a multimedia project.  Course fee: $30.00. (Fall, Spring)

ENT 245 (3 Credits) Critical Listening. Students in this course will develop their critical listening skills. Students will examine the unique timbres produced by common instruments, natural and artificial reverb, delay, and other production effects. Students will also analyze professional recordings and strengthen their listening skills through advanced audio ear training drills. This “Technical Ear Training” component will examine the nature of reproduced sound, frequency balance, acoustics, and distortion. Significant criteria such as: noise, spatial arrangement, time and dynamics based effects, frequency response, spectral shape, and appropriateness of technique for the music recorded will be discussed in detail. Course topics also include the physics of sound, acoustics and psychoacoustics, sound analysis, the identification of various production techniques, and instrument identification. (Offered on sufficient demand)

ENT 299 (1 credit) Seminar and Lecture Series. Discussion of current topics from industry trade publications and blogs. There will be guest lecturers from the industry four times each semester, to which the general public will be invited. This class will be used to further engage students in departmental activities. May be repeated, but may not exceed a total of three semester hours. (Fall, Spring)

ENT 300 (3 credits) Songwriting and Analysis. The art, craft, and business of writing contemporary popular songs is studied through analysis of popular songs on the music trade publication charts, practical original song composition, and participation in listening workshop experiences. Course Fee: $30.00. (Offered on sufficient demand)

ENT 310 Musicianship for Audio Engineers. A study of the etiquette, working relationships, skill sets, knowledge and vocabulary needed to work efficiently in the recording studio as a musician or engineer. Emphasis is placed on how studio musicians and recording engineers work together, moving musicians beyond standard notation and audio engineers closerto it. Offered on sufficient demand. 

ENT 325 (3 credits) Music Publishing. Covers publishers’ and writers’ obligations, different forms and laws of copyright protection, royalties, and foreign publishing. Prerequisite: ENT 225. (Fall)

ENT 329 (3 credits) Record Company Operations. How recordings make their way through marketing, promotion, publicity, and distribution. Topics include major, independent, DIY labels, the recording contract, income associated with the artist and the record product. Prerequisite: ENT 225. (Spring)

ENT 335 (3 credits) Survey of Audio Recording. Audio recording techniques of professional studio recording are studied including basic audio electronics, analog and digital tape machines and related outboard recording gear, microphones, studio set-up; and recording, mixing, editing, and engineering functions of studio recording. The relative place and significance of recording studio operations is presented. Course Fee: $30.00. (Fall, Spring)

ENT 340 (3 credits) Live Production Technology. A broad overview of the live production industry. Primarily hands-on training for touring crew, including but not limited to live audio and video production, lighting for concert and theatrical applications, projection systems and live entertainment broadcast production. Prerequisites: ENT 335. Course Fee: $30.00. (Fall)

ENT 345 (3 credits) Concert Promotion and Touring. An analysis of the performing artist’s management team and income streams associated with personal appearances, including discussions of contractual considerations. Topics include representation, talent agencies, and touring. Prerequisite: ENT 225. (Spring)

ENT 355 (3 Credits) Artist Career Development. This course focuses on exploring the creative and business challenges of being a performing artist including studying various sources of partnerships to maximum career results. An analysis of the performing artist's management team and income streams associated with personal appearances, including discussions of contractual considerations. Prerequisite: ENT 225. (Offered on sufficient demand)

ENT 400 Advanced Songwriting and Analysis. A continuation of ENT 300, with hands-on, fully immersive activity in songwriting and collaboration. Creativity and craft will be equally explored in real world situations. Participation in listening workshop experiences and performances in class and/or recordings will be required. Course Fee:  $30.00. Pre-requisite ENT 300. (Offered on sufficient demand) 

ENT 425 (3 credits) Recording Techniques. The technical characteristics, appropriate functioning, and skill-development associated with all components of the recording studio will be studied including such topics as digital and analog recording, studio maintenance, mixing, overdubbing, editing, tape machine alignment, recording session engineering and control room tuning. Prerequisite: ENT 335. Course Fee: $30.00. (Fall)

ENT 426 (3 credits) Production. Production roles, artist roles, and financial roles from conception to the finished recording. Students are responsible for finding recording artists and completing the pre-production, in-studio, and post-production phases of the recording process. Prerequisite: ENT 335. Course Fee: $30.00. (Spring)

ENT 430 (3 credits) Music Technology and MIDI. Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) and how it is used for popular recording.  Emphasis is on learning to use ProTools, the music industry standard for production.  Students will learn the basics of recording, editing and mixing in the MIDI environment.  Prerequisite: ENT 335. Course fee: $30.00. (Fall)

ENT 435 (3 credits) History of Popular Music. Study of the history and culture of popular music from minstrelsy through the various styles of blues, jazz, rock and other significant popular genres to the present day. Traces the development of business, technology and significant individuals in the music business. (Fall)

ENT 445 (3 Credits) Advanced Recording Techniques. Further exploration of acoustics, studio design and physical characteristics of audio. Students go deeper into the use of plug-in software and outboard gear, and applying those skills to modern mixing and mastering techniques. Every effort is made to simulate actual commercial settings and demands for a graduating audio engineer to prepare them for the job market. Prerequisites: ENT 335 and ENT 425. Course Fee: $30.00. (Spring)

ENT 470W (3 credits) Entertainment Industry Law. A study of procedures, principles, and practices of law and management in the entertainment industry including such areas as intellectual property rights, artists, contracts and negotiations, and other legal and managerial issues associated with the performing arts. Preparation of papers on related issues. Prerequisite: ENT 225. (Spring)

ENT 480 (3 credits) Senior Seminar. This course has three major components. Focus on preparation, review, and completion of an exit exam. Extensive preparation and counseling for internship experience and placement. Completion of entertainment industry related capstone project or paper. Prerequisites: ENT core and senior standing. (Fall, Spring)

ENT 485 (3 credits) Professional Field Experience in Sport and Entertainment Management. Provides the student with an opportunity to be actively involved in a specific aspect of sport or entertainment industries. Includes application of theoretical knowledge to practical situations related to management of sport and/or entertainment. The student will be required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of documented field experience during the semester. Also listed as SRM 485 but creditable only in field for which registered.

 ENT 490 (1-3 credits) Special Topics. Topics selected for investigation and reports from the field of entertainment with departmental approval. May be repeated, but may not exceed a total of nine semester hours. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

ENT 492 (1-3 credits) Singing River Records. Training and practical experience in the making and marketing of recordings. Students run the record company as a business with actual profits and/or losses. Prerequisite: departmental approval. (Offered on sufficient demand)

ENT 495 (3-6 credits) Entertainment Internship/Practicum. Selected problems and practice emphasizing actual professional work situations in the field of entertainment through special study, projects or field experience under departmental supervision and evaluation. May be repeated but not to exceed an aggregate of six credit hours. Prerequisites: Senior standing and departmental approval. (Fall, Spring, Summer)