Academic Programs Catalog

College of Music

Undergraduate Programs

Music Education

The Bachelor of Music in Music Education provides for the comprehensive training of music teachers. It allows students to develop a program of study tailored to their interests and needs as teachers. Students are encouraged to develop their musicianship through ensembles, private lessons, conducting classes, the creative musicianship component, and a wide variety of instrumental and voice classes. Students develop their skills as educators in courses that begin in the freshman year and culminate in a student teaching/professional development semester. Graduates of this program will be able to plan, implement, and assess music instruction in a variety of instructional settings and for a variety of student populations.

The B.M. in Music Education degree leads to music teacher certification by the State of Michigan in grades K-12. To be recommended for certification, persons must complete all course requirements and any additional standards or tests set forth by the Department of Teacher Education or the Michigan Department of Education.

A jazz studies minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in the bachelor's degree program in music education.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education

  1. The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 128 to 140 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with piano as the performance area, whereas 130 to 142 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with stringed instruments, wind instruments, percussion, or voice as the performing area. For the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with jazz as the performing area, 136 to 146 credits are required.

    The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Music Education major is met by completing Music 381. That course is referenced in item 3. a. below.
  2. The requirements of the College of Music for the Bachelor of Music degree.

    The completion of Music 495 satisfies the capstone experience requirement for the Music Education major.
    1. The following requirements for the major:
      a. All of the core courses that are listed above under the heading General Requirements for All of the Bachelor’s Degree  Programs in the College of Music (21 credits)
      b. Music activity requirement (8 credits)
      All students enrolled in the Bachelor of Music degree program in music education are required to participate in a major ensemble as designated by the College of Music during each fall and spring semester of enrollment in the program. A minimum of 8 credits in courses approved by the College of Music is required. Students who are enrolled in the music education major for more than eight semesters are required to complete more than 8 credits to satisfy this requirement. Students for whom a jazz instrument is their primary performance focus must participate in a band/wind ensemble, choir, or non-jazz orchestra for at least two of these semesters.
      c. Complete the requirements for one of the following four performance areas (16 to 22 credits):
      (1) Piano (16 credits)
      Private instruction in piano. This requirement must be met by completing 8 credits of Music 150A and 8 credits of Music 350A.
      (2) Stringed Instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Harp; Wind Instruments: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba; and Percussion Instruments (18 credits)
      Private instruction in violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, and percussion instruments. This requirement must be met by completing one of the following pairs of courses, with 8 credits in the 100-level course and 8 credits in the 300-level course: Music 152A and 352A; 152B and 352B; 152C and 352C; 152D and 352D; 152E and 352E; 153A and 353A; 153B and 353B; 153C and 353C; 153D and 353D; 153E and 353E; 154A and 354A; 154B and 354B; 154C and 354C; 154D and 354D; 154E and 354E; 155 and 355 (16 credits)
      (b) Both of the following courses (2 credits):
      For students who have studied piano previously, this requirement may be waived by examination.
      MUS 141 Class Instruction in Piano I 1
      MUS 142 Class Instruction in Piano II 1
      (3) Voice (18 credits):
      (a) Private instruction in voice. This requirement must be met by completing 8 credits of Music 151 and 6 credits of Music 351 (14 credits)
      (b) Both of the following courses (2 credits):
      For students who have studied piano previously, this requirement may be waived by examination.
      MUS 141 Class Instruction in Piano I 1
      MUS 142 Class Instruction in Piano II 1
      (c) Both of the following courses (2 credits):
      MUS 248 German Diction for Singers 1
      MUS 249 French Diction for Singers 1
      (4) Jazz Instruments:  Piano: Jazz, Woodwind Instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon); Jazz, Brass Instruments (trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba); Jazz, Stringed Instruments; Jazz, Percussion Instruments; Jazz (20 to 22 credits)
      Private Instruction in Piano: Jazz, Woodwind Instruments: Jazz, Brass Instruments: Jazz, Stringed Instruments: Jazz, Percussion Instruments: Jazz. This requirement must be met by completing one of the following pairs of courses, with 8 credits in the 100-level course and 8 credits in the 300-level course: MUS 150J and MUS 350J; MUS 152J and MUS 352J; MUS 153J and MUS 353J; MUS 154J and MUS 354J; MUS 155J and MUS 355J.
      (a) Private Instruction in Piano: Jazz, Woodwind Instruments: Jazz, Brass Instruments: Jazz, Stringed Instruments: Jazz, Percussion Instruments: Jazz. This requirement must be met by completing one of the following pairs of courses, with 8 credits in the 100-level course and 8 credits in the 300-level course: MUS 150J and MUS 350J; MUS 152J and MUS 352J; MUS 153J and MUS 353J; MUS 154J and MUS 354J; MUS 155J and MUS 355J.
      (b) One of the following two-semester sequences (4 or 6 credits):
      (i)   MUS 230 Beginning Jazz Improvisation I 2
            MUS 231 Beginning Jazz Improvisation II 2
      (ii)  MUS 301 Advanced Jazz Musicianship I 3
            MUS 302 Advanced Jazz Musicianship II 3
      d. Two of the following courses (4 to 6 credits):
      MUS 112 Chamber Music 2
      MUS 131 Jazz Combo 2
      MUS 150J Piano: Jazz 2
      MUS 152J Stringed Instruments: Jazz 2
      MUS 153J Woodwind Instruments: Jazz 2
      MUS 154J Brass Instruments: Jazz 2
      MUS 155J Percussion Instruments: Jazz 2
      MUS 210 Song Writing 2
      MUS 230 Beginning Jazz Improvisation I 2
      MUS 231 Beginning Jazz Improvisation II 2
      MUS 301 Advanced Jazz Musicianship I 3
      MUS 302 Advanced Jazz Musicianship II 3
      MUS 303 Advanced Jazz Musicianship III 3
      MUS 304 Advanced Jazz Musicianship IV 3
      MUS 441 Advanced Fixed Media Composition 2
      MUS 483 Composition 2
      MUS 484 Instrumentation and Basic Orchestration 2
      Courses used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. c. above.
      e. One of the following courses (2 credits):
      MUS 410 Jazz History 2
      MUS 413 Keyboard Literature to Mid-19th Century 2
      MUS 414 Keyboard Literature since the Mid-19th Century 2
      MUS 415 Art Song Literature: German 2
      MUS 416 Art Song Literature: French, Spanish and Italian 2
      MUS 417 Art Song Literature: British and American 2
      MUS 419 Baroque Music 2
      MUS 420 Music of the 18th Century 2
      MUS 421 Music of the 19th Century 2
      MUS 422 Music of the 20th Century 2
      MUS 423 History of Opera 2
      MUS 424 Music, Sexuality, and Gender 2
      f. All of the following courses (32 credits):
      MUS 163 Class Instruction in Clarinet 1
      MUS 171 Class Instruction in Stringed Instruments I 1
      MUS 173 Class Instruction in Percussion Instruments I 1
      MUS 177 Principles of Music Education I 2
      MUS 277 Principles of Music Education II 3
      MUS 335 Ensemble Conducting I 2
      MUS 495 Student Teaching in Music 9
      TE 150 Reflections on Learning 3
      TE 250 Human Diversity, Power, and Opportunity in Social Institutions 3
      TE 302 Learners and Learning in Context - Secondary (W) 4
      TE 496 Becoming a School Music Teacher 3
      Students who take MUS 153C and MUS 353C to satisfy the requirement 3. c. 2. (a) above must complete MUS 162 Class Instruction in Flute and Saxophone in lieu of MUS 163.
      g. One of the following courses:
      Students whose performance area is voice must take: 
      MUS 143 English Diction for Singers 1
      Students whose performance area is not voice must take:
      MUS 145 Class Instruction in Voice I 1
      h. One of the following courses:
      MUS 165 Class Instruction in High Brass Instruments 1
      MUS 166 Class Instruction in Low Brass Instruments 1
      i. Three of the following courses:
      Students whose performance area is voice must take Music 144 as one of the electives. Students who wish to teach bands are strongly encouraged to take Music 162, 164, 174, and 165 or 166. Students who wish to teach strings are strongly encouraged to take Music 172. Students who wish to teach choral or general music are strongly encouraged to take Music 160. The electives selected cannot include the course used to satisfy section 3. h. above.
      MUS 144 Italian Diction for Singers 1
      MUS 160 Class Instruction in Guitar 1
      MUS 162 Class Instruction in Flute and Saxophone 1
      MUS 164 Class Instruction in Double Reed Instruments 1
      MUS 165 Class Instruction in High Brass Instruments 1
      MUS 166 Class Instruction in Low Brass Instruments 1
      MUS 172 Class Instruction in Stringed Instruments II 1
      MUS 174 Class Instruction in Percussion Instruments II 1
      j. One of the following courses:
      MUS 336A Ensemble Conducting II: Instrumental 2
      MUS 336B Ensemble Conducting II: Choral 2
      k. One of the following courses:
      MUS 455 Teaching Instrumental Music 3
      MUS 468 Teaching Choral Music 3
      l. One of the following courses:
      MUS 467 Teaching General Music in the Elementary School 3
      MUS 469 Teaching Secondary Classroom Music 3
      m. Two courses from the following (4 to 6 credits):
      The electives selected must be different from those courses used to satisfy sections 3. j., 3. k., and 3. l. above.
      MUS 336A Ensemble Conducting II: Instrumental 2
      MUS 336B Ensemble Conducting II: Choral 2
      MUS 340 Methods and Literature for Voice 3
      MUS 341 String Pedagogy 2
      MUS 438 Jazz Pedagogy I 2
      MUS 455 Teaching Instrumental Music 3
      MUS 456 Teaching Stringed Instruments 3
      MUS 461 Marching Band Methods 2
      MUS 465 Music in Early Childhood 2
      MUS 467 Teaching General Music in the Elementary School 3
      MUS 468 Teaching Choral Music 3
      MUS 469 Teaching Secondary Classroom Music 3
      n. One of the following courses not used to satisfy 3. e. (2 credits):
      MUS 409 American Music 2
      MUS 410 Jazz History 2
      MUS 420 Music of the 18th Century 2
      MUS 421 Music of the 19th Century 2
      MUS 422 Music of the 20th Century 2
      MUS 423 History of Opera 2
      MUS 424 Music, Sexuality, and Gender 2
      MUS 425 Music of South Asia and Its Diaspora 2
      MUS 426 Music of Africa 2
      MUS 427 Early Music 2
      MUS 429 Music of East Asia 2
      MUS 430 Music of the Caribbean 2
      MUS 491 Special Topics in Music 2
      (Section: Music and Religion in World Cultures)
      MUS 491 Special Topics in Music 2
      (Section: Indigenous Music and Globalization)