BIS 301: Researched Paper
Essay 3
Charles Skaugstad
March
28, 2007
When
I wake up twenty years from now, I am confident that I will still be pleased with my choice to pursue an Interdisciplinary
Studies degree. As an Interdisciplinary Studies major with emphases in music and communication, I look forward to the future
when I am able to take my classroom learning and apply it to my life, both personally and professionally.
It may sound strange to some that I would choose music and
communication as my two concentrations. I have had many people ask me how music and communication relate, and I always seem
to go back to the phrase, music is communication.
From the beginning of time, music has played an important
part in all aspects of life, especially communication. According to The Oxford Dictionary, music is defined as “organized
sound” or “sounds and pitches organized in time to create a chosen artistic or aesthetic statement”. Harold
Owen, a Music Professor at the University of Oregon, says in his book, Music Theory Resource that the history of music “predates the written word and is tied to the development of each
unique human culture. Although the earliest records of musical expression are to be found in the Sama Veda of India and in
4,000 year old cuneiform from Ur, most of our written records and studies deal with the history of music in Western civilization.”
One of the first forms of Western
music was the Gregorian chant, a way of reciting words to music, first started in the Catholic Church. As a high school chorus
member and madrigal singer, I performed many different Gregorian chants throughout my high school years. According to Grove
Music Online, Gregorian melodies provided musical material and served as models for many forms, including music sung by minstrels
in the 12th to 17th centuries. Minstrels, or wandering poets, were professional entertainers that moved
around the countryside, putting into song the happenings of the people in the area. Minstrels sang stories from battles and
war to fashion trends and royal “gossip”, kind of like today’s tabloids.
Songwriters still work current
events into their lyrics, because music reflects how life is, how it could be and the connection in between. While taking
Music 354: Hip Hop last semester, I gained a better understanding of how Hip Hop artists used their lyrics to send a message
to society. Hip Hop’s bestselling artist, Tupac Shakur, wrote songs about growing up around violence and hardship in
ghettos, racism, problems in society, and sometimes his feuds with fellow rappers. Shakur's work is known for advocating political,
economic, social, and racial equality as well as his raw descriptions of violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and conflicts with
the law.
Other examples of music that
relates to history can be found in many of the musicals written in the 20th century. I am currently taking Music
356: Survey of American Musical Theater, and learning about the meaning and political messages behind many Broadway musicals
has been very interesting. The 1957 Broadway musical, West Side Story, is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and
focuses on ethnic divisions and social problems in 1950s America. West Side Story marked a turning point in music and theater,
which had previously been made up of musicals with comedy and happy themes. I have found that relating Romeo and Juliet to
West Side Story has helped me understand Shakespeare’s most famous work.
As much as music is a part
of human history, communication dates back to the earliest signs of life. According to the book, Communicating for Results,
communication is defined as “the process of sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings with each other in commonly understandable
ways”. To sit here and define communication would take millions of hours and paper, so I will focus on how good communication skills will help me excel in my future career. I believe that all forms of communication
and learning about each will help me a great deal as an employee, a boss, a parent, etc. when I enter the “real world”.
While taking Com 259: Communication in Business and Professions,
I learned that good communication skills are essential to making a positive impact in the workplace. This class taught me
how to create a professional portfolio, which includes a sample cover letter, resume and reference request. I also learned
a great deal about the job interview process and the importance of giving a good impression at an interview and preparing
myself for different interview styles and formats. These basic skills, along with my concentration course work will help me
a great deal as my journey to become interdisciplinary begins.
In my attempt to become interdisciplinary, I have found through
our BIS 301 class readings that I am already moving in a positive direction. In Tanya Augsburg’s book, Becoming Interdisciplinary,
chapter four discusses characteristics of interdisciplinarians. After reading the characteristics, I believe that I already
exhibit many of them. I am reliable, flexible and patient. I take pride in the fact that when someone asks me to do something
for them; I will always get the job done. I also have come to realize that it takes time to develop my interdisciplinary skills,
and I am okay with my progression so far. I have also been told that I show sensitivity to others, especially those with physical
and mental handicaps. As a student, I participated in a program called Big Buddies where I was paired with a handicapped child,
and that experience strengthened my character.
Although I have many of the interdisciplinary characteristics,
I still need to work on taking more risks and developing a “thicker skin” as I can be a little too sensitive to
what others think sometimes. As I mentioned before, I am often questioned about what a BIS major is and why I wouldn’t
just go for a BA or BS degree. I appreciate that ASU has this option, but it is sometimes frustrating to have to explain my
choice to other people. At the same time I believe I have a lot of self confidence in many of the things that I do, like my
golf skills, singing ability and my ability to meet and make new friends.
In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus’ homecoming
strengthened his wisdom and judgment, skills that I hope to strengthen on my own journey. I also can relate to Telemachus’
journey. He is the same age as I am and at times is uncertain and insecure about his future. I also feel a relation to Telemachus
because he learns how to behave among the Greek leaders and his own father and gains a respect for loyalty and devotion. My
Dad has always been an important and influential person in my life and as a business owner, I value his opinion when if comes
to skills needed in the workplace and in life. I have proven to my dad that I am progressing and moving along in my journey
and he has helped me secure an internship next year with some of his peers that will help prepare me for my career.
Although I have chosen an interdisciplinary plan with two
concentrations, I feel like I am really a multidisciplinary student. I have taken real estate courses and am on my way to
receiving my real estate license in Arizona. Along my journey I have realized that my career goal is to obtain a position
in real estate and my concentrations and BIS degree will help strengthen my skills to help me achieve this goal. If I decide
down the road that real estate is not where I want to be, I feel comfortable that my BIS degree and my concentrations give
me a broader choice of careers, because it is not as specialized as if I were to have pursued only one discipline.
I believe that my concentration in communication is most
vital to my success, because it covers such a broad range of topics and is designed to help students transition into their
careers from college. Courses in communication are important for all students, but
I think it’s important for a real estate career because the job requires a lot of contact and various types of communication
between buyers and sellers. On the other hand, music is one of my passions but I do not see it as a large part of my career
plans, but more as a part of my personal and social journey. I plan to continue to sing in either a community choir or church
choir and always in the shower.
As my college career begins to wind down and I look forward
to the future, I feel that my journey is leading in the right direction. Like Telemachus, I hope to continue to grow and gain
the respect from my peers, both professionally and personally along the way.
Bibliography
Augsburg, Tanya. Becoming Interdisciplinary. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 2005.
Fagles, Robert. Homer: The Odyssey. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1996.
Hamilton, Cheryl. Communicating for Results. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc. 2005.
“Notation”. Grove Music Online. 24 Mar, 2007. www.grovemusic.com.
Owen, Harold. Music Theory Resource Book. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press,
2000.
Soanes, Catherine. “Music”. Oxford Dictionary of English.
Revised edition. 2005.
