Master of Science in Music Education
Advisor: Susan Davis
Mission Statement
The primary mission of this program is to serve as a New York State Education Department (NY-SED) accredited program leading toward Professional Teacher Certification. The degree is offered to teachers who already hold Initial Certification, and is a natural extension of our undergraduate BA in Music Education. Other purposes of the program are to offer advanced knowledge and skills in the areas of pedagogy, research, philosophy, psychology and conducting.
Degree Requirements
The graduation requirement is 36-38 credits including a thesis or summative project. Some credits earned in other graduate programs may be accepted for transfer. This is a highly flexible program based on the interests and needs of the individual student. Students choose from among a group of courses in the categories of Historical, Philosophical, Social, and Psychological Foundations of Education: SEYS 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 717, 718, 719, EECE 700, 703, 704, 705, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714. Further, the student will be allowed 9 credits of electives. These will be allowed from any area of music, music education, or education at the graduate level (600 or higher course number). Students may focus on choral, instrumental, general music, conducting, composition pedagogy or jazz.
- Music 659: General Music in the Elementary Schools
- Music 660: General Music in the Secondary Schools
- Music 670: Advanced Conducting
- Music 641: Teaching of Instrumental Music
- Music 642: Teaching of Choral Music
- Music 678: Introduction to Research in Music Education
- Music 688: Seminar in Research in Music Education
- Music 689: Topics in Music Education
- Music 690: Foundations of Music Education
- Music 691: Psychology of Music
- Music 692: Thesis in Music Education
- or Music 693: Inquiry in Music Education
Students must also take one music history/literature course. A music history qualifying examination will be administered during the student’s first fall semester. Passing the exam will allow the student to take a music history course of his or her choosing. Failing the exam will mean that the student must take MUSIC 768: Western Music History Survey (3 hr.; 2 cr.) as a prerequisite to taking a required history course (thus the two-credit variation in the graduation requirements noted above).
Additional New York State Certification Requirements:
- Attend a seminar on Substance Abuse
- Attend a seminar on Child Abuse
- Attend a seminar on Violence in the Classroom
- Attend a seminar on School Safety
- Pass the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (EAS, edTPA, and CST)