This seminar examines recent and historical approaches to public music theory. It situates music theory within the realm of publicly engaged scholarship, broadly defined as intellectual and creative activities for and with communities beyond the academy. Course topics include: historical perspectives on "the listener," music theory and the changing media landscape, music theory and social responsibility, and applied music theory and community engagement. Students will read and respond to literature on public scholarship, review and critique examples of public music theory (e.g., podcasts, blog posts, YouTube videos), and work collaboratively to develop original content with public engagement in mind.