WCSU Graduate Catalog 2023-2024 : SCHOOL OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MUSIC EDUCATION

Master of Science in Music Education

Jeremy Wiggins, Graduate Coordinator, VPAC 319 Phone: (203) 837-8354
wigginsj@wcsu.edu
Jolee Dinho-Guerreiro, Department Secretary, VPAC 218 Phone: 203) 837-8350
dinhoguerreiroj@wcsu.edu
Fax: (203) 837-8630

 

Faculty:  M. Astrup; J. Begian; M. Callaghan; M. Doiron; J. Green; G. Haynes; R. Hirshfield;  K. Isaacs; L.F. Jimenez; L. Larson; D. O’Grady; K. Walker; J. Wiggins.

 

This program is on hiatus for program redesign. No applications will be taken at this time.

Program Overview

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Music Education program at Western Connecticut State University is designed to develop further the student’s cultural, musical, and professional growth and to provide graduate course work necessary for permanent teaching certification. We believe the earnest pursuit of this mission will have a positive effect in advocating for the arts and musical culture in our community and will enhance Western Connecticut State University’s influence throughout the region and state. Western Connecticut State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Program Goals

The Department of Music at Western Connecticut State University is a friendly, vibrant, student-oriented unit committed to fulfilling the university, school, and department goals to:

  1. Prepare students who desire further study with the necessary musical skills to pursue advanced degrees, especially in music education;
  2. Encourage development of the creative, intuitive, and intellectual capabilities of students, faculty, and audience by cultivating lifelong advocacy for the arts;
  3. Provide cultural enrichment and services to the students, the university, and the community at large.

Program Objectives

The goals of our mission statement are attainable through the following objectives:

  1. Prepare students who desire further study with the necessary musical skills to pursue advanced degrees, especially in music education;
    1. Help students understand, use, and teach musical components, structure, and organization;
    2. Provide a comprehensive history of music and music literature to enhance their appreciation, teaching, and performance of diverse musical styles;
    3. Provide a comprehensive music education curriculum that prepares the student for contemporary strategies in music education.
  2. Encourage development of the creative, intuitive, and intellectual capabilities of students, faculty, and audience by cultivating lifelong advocacy for the arts;
    1. Offer a musical culture where students can hear, see, and experience musical performances by their peers, faculty, and guest artists;
    2. Install in all students the belief that expert content knowledge and skill is imperative to being an informed lifelong advocate for the arts;
    3. Create an environment where students and faculty are encouraged to participate in projects that will continue their creative and professional development to provide a model for students.
  3. Provide cultural enrichment and services to the students, the university, and the community at large;
    1. Provide experiences that instill the value of the arts in the lives students, families, faculty members, and the community members;
    2. Serve as a regional resource center for educators in elementary and secondary music programs;
    3. Help students to develop skills in self-discipline, problem-solving, and interpersonal communication through caring and personalized guidance and academic advising.

Program Learning Outcomes

The program goals and objectives are attainable through the following learning outcomes:

  1. Prepare students who desire further study with the necessary musical skills to pursue advanced degrees, especially in music education;
    1. Help students understand, use, and teach musical components, structure, and organization;
      • The students will analyze scores, compose examples, and practice musical components.
    2. Provide a comprehensive history of music and music literature to enhance their appreciation, teaching, and performance of diverse musical styles;
      • The students will master topics in music history and literature though writing, research, and the use of constructive discourse.
    3. Provide a comprehensive music education curriculum that prepares the student for contemporary strategies in music education.
      • The students will demonstrate mastery in content knowledge in both affective and cognitive domains in music education by conducting, writing & reading research, and utilizing contemporary methodology and pedagogy.
  2. Encourage development of the creative, intuitive, and intellectual capabilities of students, faculty, and audience by cultivating lifelong advocacy for the arts;
    1. Offer a musical culture where students can hear, see, and experience musical performances by their peers, faculty, and guest artists;
      • The students will have opportunities to create, perform, evaluate, and connect to musical performances.
    2. Install in all students the belief that expert content knowledge and skill is imperative to being an informed lifelong advocate for the arts;
      • The students will develop and evaluate their own action research to be presented to students.
    3. Create an environment where students and faculty are encouraged to participate in projects that will continue their creative and professional development to provide a model for students.
      • The students and faculty will have the opportunity to attend guest lectures, conferences, colloquia, and other specialized continuing educational events.
  3. Provide cultural enrichment and services to the students, the university, and the community at large;
    1. Provide experiences that instill the value of the arts in the lives students, families, faculty members, and the community members;
      • The students will have opportunities to participate in the creation in, evaluation of, and connection to musical performances
    2. Serve as a regional resource center for educators in elementary and secondary music programs;
      • The students will serve as a resource for regional educators to learn and apply content knowledge, skill, contemporary methodologies, and pedagogy.
    3. Help students to develop skills in self-discipline, problem-solving, and interpersonal communication through caring and personalized guidance and academic advising.
      • The students will utilize constructive discourse to create action research projects for the purpose of presentation to students, peers, and faculty.

Admission Requirements

All applicants who wish to be admitted to the Master of Science in Music Education program must submit the required materials to the Office of Graduate Admissions and, in addition, provide evidence of the following:

  1. an earned baccalaureate degree in music education (or equivalent) from an accredited institution of higher education
  2. a valid certificate to teach music in elementary and/or secondary education
  3. a successful interview with the graduate program coordinator.

Students wishing to take courses for continuing education graduate credit (up to nine credits) must hold a baccalaureate degree in music from an accredited college or university.

Potential music graduate students are required to audition either in person or by submission of a video or audio cassette tape only when attempting to include ensemble or applied performance courses in their degree program. A maximum of three semester hours of ensemble and applied music may be used. Auditions and supportive materials are reviewed by the graduate program coordinator and either the conductor of the ensemble or the applied music instructor.

Degree Program Requirements

The M.S. in Music Education degree will be conferred upon matriculated students who have completed 30 graduate credits at Western Connecticut State University (minus transferred credits), using either the thesis or nonthesis approach in a program approved by the graduate program coordinator.

Transfer of Courses

WCSU accepts as transfer credit toward a graduate degree course work that was completed at a college or university regionally accredited as a degree-granting institution at the time the course work was completed. No more than nine hours of transfer credit will be accepted, except in the case of work completed at another campus of the Connecticut State University system; however, a student must complete at least 15 semester credits in residence (including thesis requirements, alternative research project, departmental seminar, and/or comprehensive examination), as required for particular programs.

Master of Science in Music Education

Professional Education Requirements  6 SH Course Rotation
ED 500 Contemporary Educational Issues 3 SH
ED 501 Introduction to Educational Research (after 18 SH) 3 SH
Thesis or Nonthesis Requirements  3-6 SH
MUS 590 Music Department Seminar     -or- 3 SH Every Spring
MUS 591 Independent Thesis Research in Music 6 SH Any Semester
Music History and Literature  6 SH
MUS 515 Chamber Music 3 SH Every Sixth Summer
MUS 516 Opera 3 SH Every Sixth Summer
MUS 541 Early Music 3 SH Every Fourth Spring
MUS 542 Music in the Baroque Era 3 SH Every Third Fall
MUS 543 Music in the Classic and Romantic Eras 3 SH Every Third Fall
MUS 544 Music in the Twentieth Century 3 SH Every Third Fall
MUS 545 Topics in Music Literature 3 SH Every Other Summer
Music Structure and Organization  3 SH
MUS 520 Form and Analysis 3 SH Every Fourth Spring
MUS 522 Twentieth-Century Compositional Techniques 3 SH Every Fourth Spring
MUS 527 The Structure of Music 3 SH Every Other Spring
Music Education  9 SH
MUS 523 Conducting 3 SH Every Other Summer
MUS 530 Music Supervision and Administration 3 SH Every Fourth Fall
MUS 533 Choral Techniques and Materials 3 SH Every Third Summer
MUS 534 Instrumental Techniques and Materials 3 SH Every Third Summer
MUS 535 Contemporary Strategies in Elementary Music Education 3 SH Every Fourth Fall
MUS 536 Topics in Music Education 3 SH Every Other Fall
Applied Music  0-3 SH
MUS 509 Performing Organizations   Any Semester
MUS 510 Applied Music   Any Semester
Free music electives-music course(s) from above  3 SH Any Semester
     
Total Semester Hours   30 SH

Thesis/Non-thesis Option

The thesis is a scholarly work researched and solely written by the student under the guidance of a thesis adviser and committee. Thesis students must register for MUS 591, Independent Thesis Research in Music, a six semester-hour requirement. Before a thesis proposal is accepted, candidates must provide information about their research to the department chair. Thesis candidates must also pass a comprehensive examination similar to the examination given to those students who elect a nonthesis approach.

Graduate music majors who elect a nonthesis approach must register for MUS 590, Music Department Seminar, a three semester-hour requirement. In addition, all nonthesis candidates must pass a comprehensive examination that is scheduled by the Music Department each spring.