uwloo

MUSIC 110How Music Matters

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Music

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course studies music from around the globe and throughout the ages, employing several approaches in studying how music reflects and responds to its diverse social, political, and historical contexts.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 001446733 / 60TTh 10:00–11:20

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00143170 / 60TTh 10:00–11:20
LEC 701172716 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

63% liked it63% easy27% useful

From 19 ratings and 8 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • This course is about music history and connecting it to society and politics. I took it thinking I would get a good mark and since I like learning about music but NEVER was I so wrong. The content was easy, but even if you read the text they provided, paid attention, and looked over the class notes; it will only be sufficient enough to get you an okay grade. Since there are three profs, it was difficult to understand what they expected in the test (I call it a midterm as each is worth 25%) for definitions and short answers. One prof had slides full of text and sped through everything way too quickly for students to comprehend and copy text down. This prof also didn't post the class slides…

    Nov 2016 · didn’t like it · 3 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • An interesting course with a lot to learn for those who don't have a background in music. There are a lot of readings that I personally didn't find as appealing as the lectures, as well as lots of class discussions. The course is more assignment-based, with a couple of quizzes scattered in.

    May 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Pretty easy until you get to the end of the units and have a lot thats expected to be memorized (including being able to recognize songs, their performers, creators, and cultures). Otherwise the class is mainly discussion based where you can get away without doing readings and listening to the music. Overall interesting and I liked having two different profs but wasn't my favorite.

    Mar 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Not very interesting, content felt a little forced. Workload was too heavy for a course that wasn't something that I could apply to my future courses. Only interesting thing was that there are two professors who teach the course.

    Dec 2024 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Pretty easy course, the assignments are relatively short and you could complete it in a day.

    Feb 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

4 posts and comments in 4 threads mention MUSIC 110, October 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2022

MUSIC 275 DAW requirements (any music 275 students pls I need ur input) 8 points, 5 comments

“So I'm heavily considering doing MUSIC 275 next semester. I'm pretty decent in FL and am almost always composing and I know that they mainly use Ableton and sometimes Logic. …”

u/PrinceAdebayo: “You can use any DAW you want outside of the the first and third assignments. For context, this semester there are 6 assignments, a midterm project, an essay, a collaborative project, and a final …”

u/BananaSS99: “Oh also one more thing if you don't mind, I haven't taken MUSIC 100 or 110 which I believe is a prereq for MUSIC 275 but like... do I really need it? If I have a portfolio of compositions, can I just show it to them and ask them to let me in?”

View on RedditRemove this

Winter 2022

MUSIC 275 - How Is It? 2 points, 3 comments

“Hey guys, I'm really interested in taking MUSIC 275 next term but can't really find a lot of info on it. …”

u/ohsheeeshyall: “I took it last term. He taught the class in Ableton but you could do the assignments in Ableton or Logic. …”

u/CarusinKid: “I know this is an old post but did you take MUSIC 100 or 110 before this course? It says it’s a prerequisite but I wanna confirm that it’s actually required”

View on RedditRemove this

Fall 2019

Bird courses 3 points, 7 comments

“I'm thinking about these courses to take since I'm dropping my current online course as I'm in first year. CLAS 100 CLAS 104 RS 121 Let me know about any of these courses, or any more recommendations.”

u/normalandharmless: “SOC101 is super easy, as well as MUSIC110 (i think that’s what the code is, but the class is called music in cultural contexts) both i got >90% with not much effort. CS100 is also pretty easy, but i don’t think u can take it if ur a CS major as far as i know. …”

View on RedditRemove this

Fall 2017

Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments

“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”

u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”

u/Jackhofmann: “… 322 MTE 360 MTE 380 MTE 400A MTE 420 MTE 481 MTE 544 MTE 545 MTHEL 131 MTHEL 300 MUSIC 100 MUSIC 110 MUSIC 111 MUSIC 116 MUSIC 117 MUSIC 121W MUSIC 140 MUSIC 181AW MUSIC 216 MUSIC 217 MUSIC 222 MUSIC 226 MUSIC 227 MUSIC 232 MUSIC 253 MUSIC 254 MUSIC 261 MUSIC 270 MUSIC 275 MUSIC …”

View on RedditRemove this

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar