The courses in this module serve as a central introduction to the degree programme. The subject-specific perspectives, sub-areas and essential music-related questions and problems, techniques of academic work as well as methods and areas of responsibility of popular music research are dealt with; students also gain insights into the various musicological sub-disciplines and selected subject areas of music research.

The history of pop music draws its content from the developments in popular music from the second half of the 19th century to the present day. In addition to socio-cultural aspects of its emergence, dissemination and perception, the basic components of cultural genres and styles are analysed in terms of their style or reminiscences using exemplary examples. The main focus here is on penetrating the relevance of contemporary historical media and their influence on the development stages of popular music.

The examination of the main currents of Western music history (up to the 18th century, General Music History I) and continuing up to the present day (General Music History II) serves to acquire basic music-historical competences. At the same time, analysis and aesthetic evaluation criteria are taught, which gradually enable students to assess historical, present and future music cultural development processes.

The courses of the module serve as a central introduction to musicological methods and content. The subject-specific perspectives, sub-areas and essential music-related questions and problems, techniques of academic work as well as methods and tasks of popular music research are dealt with.

Within (pop) music theory, students deal with fundamental musical parameters. The content is recruited on the one hand from general music theory, but is expanded to include parameters such as sound and performance.
Within practical exercises and subtasks, a hermeneutic process of gaining and deepening knowledge is aimed at, in which practical problems are theoretical research and re-analyses and vice versa.

The module combines basic theoretical knowledge from the fields of music recording, acoustics and recording studio work with practical and creative exercises and projects in the field of software-based songwriting. At the same time, music theory skills from the field of (pop) music theory, which were previously acquired in modules 2 and 3, are incorporated.

The module courses cover the historical and international development of the music industry, the specific organisational and structural principles of the music business (including collecting societies and forms of marketing), the music industry's value creation processes and the professional fields of activity within the recording and music industry. In addition, questions of musical copyright as well as the background and effects of digitalisation and the increased use of the Internet on music industry business processes are addressed.

The module courses focus on current development phenomena and manifestations of pop music and media culture from a critical academic perspective. Accordingly, the course content to be taught is orientated towards the respective pop music and media culture conditions. In view of the relatively fast-moving nature and diversity of aspects of new popular music phenomena, the primary aim is therefore to relativise everyday assumptions and reception clichés, to examine the plausibility and viability of existing theoretical models and to develop preliminary criteria for explanation and evaluation.

The module provides students with the basics of music and media sociology, cultural studies and the general principles of sociology. In addition, the significance and changes in gender relations and gender differences in music cultures are addressed, as well as the diversity and hybridity of (pop) musical forms of expression in multi-ethnic societies.

The sub-module "Music and Media Practice / Music Journalism" builds on the BA students' previous knowledge and experience of (pop) music and media practice. In mostly interdisciplinary seminar and group projects, students develop innovative forms of expression and concepts in the field of music and media practice under guidance and in a self-organised manner and reflect on these against the background of the theoretical skills they have acquired. In the sub-module "Music Journalism", students acquire basic journalistic skills by learning about and analysing different types of texts (literature, specialist journalism, marketing, PR) and the media forms relevant to music journalism. Exercises in journalistic research, writing and editing will deepen this knowledge and skills and put them to the test, e.g. in the journalistic preparation and follow-up of student concert initiatives or university music or multimedia events.

The courses are designed to specifically improve students' English language skills in the field of their potential future careers. This is done through subject and general language practice phases:

• Introduction to technical language through text and video analyses on the topic of popular music and media
• Consolidation and expansion of written and oral language use through presentations, exercises in conducting conversations, writing reports and other complex business-related documents.

The basic module Media Theory/History serves as an introduction to the subject area and the acquisition of initial in-depth specialist knowledge. The focus is on initial definitions of the concept of media, critical reflection on everyday assumptions about the media and an introduction to the basic methodological problems of the subject area. In addition to the introductory seminar (compulsory), proseminars are offered on specific individual topics (compulsory elective). The seminars take an exemplary approach: using selected texts and media materials, exemplary problem constellations of media theory, media history and their interrelationships are developed; the courses build on the students' media experience and place it in a new framework.

The basic module Media Analysis picks up on the media experience and media skills that students bring with them and expands them in a targeted manner. Their own media experience is expanded and problematised through confrontation with media material. The aim here is to distance oneself from superficial judgements of quality in order to reflect on the specific aesthetics and function for different audiences. The material includes media products of mass and popular culture, examples from past phases of media history and artistic-experimental works, marginal products of the media landscape and innovative media concepts.

Bachelor's students who do not choose a specialisation in economics or media economics, but who are aiming for a journalistic-editorial or research-oriented qualification with a view to their future career, the Studium Generale offers the opportunity to develop an individual and career-relevant profile beyond the core subjects. In principle, all freely accessible courses available at the university are open for this purpose.

How should resources be allocated? When is a decision rational? How is prosperity created? When do markets fail? Why do companies exist and how do they function? Why are rich countries rich and poor countries poor? Why are there crises? This module introduces various basic models that are used to provide initial answers to these questions and to make simple predictions for business and economic applications.

As a basis for the further course of study, the Management module introduces the disciplines of marketing, human resources, organisation and leadership.
a) Marketing
The lecture "Marketing" provides an overview of the guiding concept of marketing. The basic instruments and methods of marketing are presented from an exchange theory perspective. An introduction to marketing is followed by a unit on the topics of value and customer loyalty. Furthermore, the characteristics and special features of products and services are considered in differentiation. In addition, students are introduced to the basics of brands and communication. Knowledge of pricing and distribution policy is a further focus. The sub-module ends with a case study-based introduction to social media marketing.
b) Personnel, organisation and leadership
What are the constitutive characteristics of organisations such as companies and administrations? Why do individual actors join together to form a "company"? Why do we observe different types of organisations in reality? Why do companies that appear similar at first glance often differ greatly in terms of their internal organisation? Why do companies often use very different strategies for recruiting, qualifying and retaining staff? In the lecture "Personnel, Organisation and Leadership", these and similar questions will be answered from a micro- and
institutional economics perspective. In addition, students are introduced to the basics of corporate governance.

a) Micro theory:

Microeconomic theory is based on the decisions of households and companies and analyses whether and how an economic system can function on this basis. To this end, decisions made by consumers and producers are modelled and analysed, and the mechanisms of a market are examined in more detail.
b) Macroeconomic theory:

After an introduction to the macroeconomic indicator system and a presentation of the stylised facts of macroeconomic development, the central macroeconomic theories are presented. In the context of short-term macroeconomic analysis, these include the demand-orientated Keynesian model approaches. As part of the long-term macroeconomic analysis, growth models and long-term monetary models are presented and applied to the real situation
.

'Media economics': Fundamentals of media markets from a microeconomic and communication science perspective, taking into account the interplay between state/public law and private sector institutions. In particular, the basics of communication science, not least the "second mother" of media economics, will be an integral part of the presentation.
'Media Management': Management and control as well as financing of modern internationally operating media companies, groups and networks of media professionals (project networks) against the background of a modern, entrepreneurially orientated understanding of management.
'Media and Marketing': The symbiosis of marketing, PR, advertising and media is the main focus of the programme, as media companies compete on both the consumer and advertising markets. Communicating this connection is essential for understanding modern media use and modern business models of media companies.

Students complete either a three-month internship outside the university, preferably in the (pop) music and media industry, or a study semester at a foreign university. The purpose of this is to gain insights into future professional fields of activity or to train foreign language skills through a semester abroad and to get to know and assess similar degree programmes and research institutions abroad.