MUSA 1200 Introduction to Music

This course will attempt to develop essential and critical listening faculties by employing a chronological survey of the elements, forms, and various types of music that the serious listener is exposed to today. The principal emphasis of the course will be on traditional Western art music from medieval Gregorian Chant to twentieth-century electronic music, but certain excursions into the world of non-Western musics, jazz, and American popular song will be included to diversify and enrich the experience of listening critically to music.

Course overview

Department
Music Academic
School
Boston College
Credits
3

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating
4.05 / 5 · Very Good
879 responses
Instructor rating
4.40 / 5 · Very Good
879 responses
Terms evaluated
13
Most recent: Spring 2026

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
TermInstructorCourse overallInstructor overallWell organizedClear learning objectivesIntellectually challengingHelpful assignmentsApplicable beyond courseAttendance necessaryWeekly effortResponses
Spring 2026Daniel Callahan3.63.94.54.44.64.34.14.87–9 hrs/week34 of 40
Spring 2026Jeremiah Mcgrann3.64.14.34.24.44.03.64.31–3 hrs/week14 of 18
Spring 2026Margarita Restrepo4.64.74.94.94.14.64.44.81–3 hrs/week34 of 37
Spring 2026Peter Watchorn4.34.84.74.74.54.74.54.71–3 hrs/week29 of 38
Fall 2025Anna Wittstruck4.65.04.64.64.64.84.64.81–3 hrs/week16 of 22
Fall 2025Juliet Glazer4.04.44.44.63.94.24.04.61–3 hrs/week14 of 19
Fall 2025Lance Morrison4.14.44.44.53.84.14.13.81–3 hrs/week33 of 43
Fall 2025Margarita Restrepo4.44.74.94.94.24.54.55.01–3 hrs/week37 of 39
Fall 2025Michael Goetjen3.14.04.44.44.24.33.34.21–3 hrs/week12 of 14
Fall 2025Peter Watchorn4.14.64.44.64.84.64.64.61–3 hrs/week14 of 19
Spring 2025Anna Wittstruck4.64.84.84.84.24.64.64.71–3 hrs/week15 of 19
Spring 2025Daniel Callahan3.14.04.54.24.64.23.54.74–6 hrs/week26 of 32
Spring 2025Lance Morrison4.34.44.64.64.14.34.34.21–3 hrs/week38 of 45
Spring 2025Margarita Restrepo4.44.64.84.84.44.74.44.91–3 hrs/week18 of 19
Spring 2025Peter Watchorn4.04.64.34.24.44.54.34.61–3 hrs/week31 of 38
Fall 2024Anna Wittstruck4.04.44.54.54.04.54.14.41–3 hrs/week17 of 20
Fall 2024Jeremiah Mcgrann3.44.24.34.24.83.83.84.81–3 hrs/week12 of 16
Fall 2024Lance Morrison3.84.24.34.54.04.04.13.91–3 hrs/week30 of 39
Fall 2024Margarita Restrepo4.54.84.94.94.14.64.54.91–3 hrs/week35 of 38
Fall 2024Michael Noone3.54.14.34.24.34.44.24.71–3 hrs/week11 of 17
Fall 2024Peter Watchorn4.34.74.54.74.74.94.84.84–6 hrs/week14 of 19
Summer 2024Peter Watchorn4.04.54.04.04.54.04.04.010+ hrs/week2 of 4
Spring 2024Anna Wittstruck4.44.74.84.64.04.34.34.51–3 hrs/week17 of 23
Spring 2024Jason Mccool3.94.24.34.24.24.34.24.1—17 of 19
Spring 2024Lance Morrison4.24.74.64.44.24.34.34.11–3 hrs/week18 of 20
Spring 2024Margarita Restrepo4.74.95.04.94.34.74.64.91–3 hrs/week17 of 19
Spring 2024Peter Watchorn4.24.54.64.64.54.64.44.41–3 hrs/week33 of 39
Fall 2023Jeremiah Mcgrann—————————9 of 15
Fall 2023Margarita Restrepo—————————35 of 42
Fall 2023Michael Noone—————————16 of 18
Fall 2023Peter Watchorn—————————14 of 18
Summer 2023Peter Watchorn—————————4 of 5
Spring 2023Daniel Callahan3.13.64.13.84.63.63.64.84–6 hrs/week24 of 28
Spring 2023Margarita Restrepo4.24.74.84.73.43.94.24.61–3 hrs/week14 of 21
Spring 2023Peter Watchorn3.63.73.94.24.14.04.04.11–3 hrs/week22 of 36
Fall 2022Jeremiah Mcgrann3.13.74.14.14.63.93.64.34–6 hrs/week14 of 23
Fall 2022Margarita Restrepo4.74.84.94.94.24.34.54.81–3 hrs/week30 of 39
Fall 2022Peter Watchorn4.54.64.84.84.54.84.74.94–6 hrs/week13 of 16
Summer 2022Peter Watchorn3.03.23.43.44.03.43.84.010+ hrs/week5 of 7
Spring 2022Daniel Callahan3.63.94.64.54.84.44.04.97–9 hrs/week18 of 31

Showing the 40 most recent of 45 term and instructor rows.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Anna Wittstruck
    Fall 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024 · Official rating 4.73/5
  • Daniel Callahan
    Spring 2026, Spring 2025, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 · Official rating 3.84/5
  • Jason Mccool
    Spring 2024, Fall 2021 · Official rating 4.16/5
  • Jeremiah Mcgrann
    Spring 2026, Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 · Official rating 3.95/5
  • Juliet Glazer
    Fall 2025 · Official rating 4.36/5
  • Lance Morrison
    Fall 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024 · Official rating 4.40/5
  • Margarita Restrepo
    Spring 2026, Fall 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2022 · Official rating 4.75/5
  • Michael Goetjen
    Fall 2025 · Official rating 4.00/5
  • Michael Noone
    Fall 2024, Fall 2023 · Official rating 4.07/5
  • Peter Watchorn
    Spring 2026, Fall 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Summer 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Summer 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021 · Official rating 4.42/5
  • Rachel Carpentier
    Fall 2021 · Official rating 4.50/5