Considerations for mathematical backgrounds and goals of music students in introductory acoustics courses

Many music institutions include an introductory course in acoustics as prerequisites for certain classes and/or requirements for graduation of a degree program. With the topic involving science, there are mathematical concepts that are naturally introduced to the students. For instruction of music students this may result in challenges as the range of their mathematical background is generally larger. Aside from difficulties in the coursework, it is also common where students will not utilize the mathematical concepts from the course throughout their career. Therefore, it is crucial to survey the typical level of the students' interests and skills in mathematics to align it with the course objectives and determine the methods of instruction. This presentation will focus on modifying the level of mathematical instruction based on the goals of typical music students and the real-world applications of the learned content.