Douglas T. Owens, Graduate Program Director
The College of Arts and Letters and the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music offer the Master of Music Education degree with concentrations in Applied Studies (performance, conducting, composition), Research, and Pedagogy. The graduate degree is designed to develop advanced knowledge of broad-based principles and practices in music and music education for application in the public or private school, private studio, or higher education setting. A minimum of 34 semester hours of coursework is required to complete the degree, with the hours distributed according to the area of concentration. The degree does not provide Virginia state licensure for teaching.
Admission
In order to be admitted into the graduate program, each candidate must have earned a bachelor’s degree in music and have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 with a 3.0 in the major field of study. Candidates seeking the concentration in applied studies are required to audition before the graduate faculty. See the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music Graduate Admissions page for complete information.
Curriculum Requirements
The three areas of concentration for the Master of Music Education degree are:
- Applied Concentration, requiring 34 hours of coursework and full master’s recital in either performance or composition, or various conducting performances with the assigned ensembles
- Research Concentration, requiring 34 hours of coursework and a thesis or problems paper
- Pedagogy Concentration, requiring 34 semester hours of coursework and a culminating portfolio presentation
Required credits for each concentration will include core coursework as well as coursework in the Concentration and Cognate/Elective areas.
Before the completion of 12 credits, each candidate must declare a concentration of study. Those admitted to the applied option must pass an applied jury or performance presented before the graduate faculty for continuance review during each semester of study. Students in all areas of concentration must pass the graduate music theory placement test prior to or during their studies, and must pass the written comprehensive examination near the completion of their studies.
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| MUSC 603 | Principles of Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 604 | Foundations of Music Education | 3 |
| MUSC 600 | Introduction to Graduate Research (Taught concurrently with MUSC 630) | 1 |
| MUSC 630 | Research in Music Education | 3 |
| Literature of the Wind Ensemble | |
| Choral Music Literature | |
| Literature of the Orchestra | |
| History of Jazz | |
| Modern Music | |
| Music in the Baroque Era | |
| Music in the Classical Era | |
| Music in the Romantic Era | |
| Workshop in Music Education | |
| Workshop in Instrumental Music | |
| Workshop in Choral Music | |
| Total Credit Hours | 34 |
Each concentration will require additional courses in the concentration and from the Cognate/Elective area. The Graduate Program Director will advise each student regarding course selection.
Research Concentration
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
| MUSC 698 | Thesis Research | 3 |
| MUSC 699 | Thesis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 17 |
