Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts / BOYER COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND DANCE

Learn more about the Master of Music in Music Education.

About the Program

The Master of Music in Music Education degree offers opportunities for advanced studies on broad-based principles and practices in Music Education, as well as theories of learning and teaching, and provides an introduction to research methodology.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 6 years

Campus Location: Main. Also offered fully online for students currently residing in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Whether enrolling in the in-class or the online program, students must already hold teacher certification in at least one state.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Accreditation: The Music Education programs at Boyer College of Music and Dance are fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Areas of Specialization: The MM in Music Education provides opportunities for advanced study through specialization in either music education practice or music education research. This program of study is designed for students intending to pursue a doctoral degree in Music Education, those seeking permanent certification in Pennsylvania. or those who view the degree as terminal.

Job Prospects: Students typically find employment in educational systems and also within the music industry. The program also is recommended for those who plan to pursue a doctoral degree in Music Education.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: With permission from the Dean's Office, individuals may be granted permission to enter the College as a non-matriculated student, taking up to 9 graduate credits (excluding private lessons) before applying for admission to a program.

Financing Opportunities: Boyer College of Music and Dance offers a number of assistantships and academic internships to matriculated graduate students. Full awards carry a cash stipend plus full tuition remission for the Fall and Spring terms. Partial awards also are available in values of 1/4 or 1/2 of a full award. Duties for assistantships and internships vary, but typically include teaching, tutoring, classroom assistance, research, artistic performance and/or direct service related to academic programs. Assistantship and internship awards are made only in the Fall term for up to two terms: Fall and Spring. Awards may be renewed on an annual basis (typically up to one additional year for master's students and up to three years for doctoral students) based on departmental needs as well as satisfactory academic and musical progress by the recipient.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: February 1
Spring: November 15

Decisions regarding admission are rendered after all required credentials have been submitted and the admissions application is complete.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators who can provide insight into the applicant's abilities, talents and aptitude for graduate study. Applicants who received a bachelor's degree from the Boyer College of Music and Dance within the previous 12 months are exempt from this requirement.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate Bachelor of Music degree at Temple University, which is based on a curriculum of 124 to 135 hours.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A degree in Music Education is required.

Statement of Goals: Provide a written account of your accomplishments to date, goals and expectations for the program, goals for beyond the program, and special interests in the discipline.

Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 90
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 61

Resume: Your current resume must be submitted in paper form with other supporting application materials and forwarded electronically to the department chair.

Academic and Musical Profile (AMP): The Academic and Musical Profile (AMP) consists of two parts:

1. Performance: Applicants must submit a digital video of representative instruction episodes that adequately demonstrate both teaching skills and musicianship. The tape should be no more than 15 minutes in duration and may include any type of music teaching. Applicants should include a brief written narrative explaining the contents of the video.
2. Written: This examination is completed by the applicant during the on-campus interview visit. The applicant has 90 minutes to demonstrate writing skills and general knowledge about music education. The exam is scored by Music Education faculty. Results are considered in the admissions decision. Additional coursework may be required to remediate inadequacies.

Teaching Certification: Applicants must be certified to teach in at least one state in the United States. A copy of the teaching certificate must be submitted.

Transfer Credit: A student who wishes to transfer credit should speak with their academic advisor and obtain a "Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit" form, found in TUportal under the Tools tab within "University Forms." Transfer credits must be approved by the advisor, the department chair, and the Associate Dean. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Other: Due to the large number of applications for admission and the competitive nature of its music programs, the College admits only a portion of its applicants. In addition to the general admissions credentials required of all Temple University graduate applicants, specialized admission criteria (i.e., auditions, portfolios, interviews, recommendations, departmental term papers, and standardized examinations) are very heavily weighted in admission decisions of the Boyer College of Music and Dance. Graduate applicants may be rejected for admission for failing to obtain the required level of proficiency in any one area of the specialized admission criteria regardless of the level of success in meeting the Temple University general admission criteria. In addition to the level of success demonstrated in the above-mentioned criteria, a final admission factor is the College's Optimum Enrollment Policy. This policy may preclude the admission of any student who meets the minimum requirements.

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit any additional information that will help the faculty making an admissions decision. Additional items may include, but are not limited to, digital recordings of compositions or arrangements, recordings of performance groups, lesson or rehearsal plans, curriculum development material, and recital performance recordings.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30

Required Courses:¹

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
MUED 8651	Psych Music Lrn & Behav	3
MUED 8652	Measurement and Evaluation in Music	3
MUED 8653	Learning Theory in Music	3
MUED 8661	Research in Music Education	3
Electives
Additional Music Education Courses		6
Coursework in Supporting Areas 2		9
Capstone Course
MUED 9995	Master's Final Project	3
or MUED 9996	Master's Thesis Music Education
Total Credit Hours		30

¹

All MM coursework stresses the acquisition of advanced knowledge of the theory of teaching and learning, as well as principles of and practices in Music Education.

²

"Supporting areas" include, for example, ethnomusicology, music history and music theory.

Additional Requirements:
Diagnostic Examinations:
Diagnostic examinations in Aural Theory, Written Theory, and Music History are required for all entering master's students. The exceptions are students in Jazz Studies and Music Therapy who have their examinations arranged within their respective departments. In addition, Keyboard students take an additional two-hour examination in Keyboard Literature. As stated in the Boyer College Graduate Handbook, master’s "students may not take final qualifying examinations nor perform graduation recitals until all diagnostic examinations have been successfully completed."

The exams may be taken in one day or split over three days, or the exams can be taken online for a fee. Preparations are provided upon registration. Visit the Boyer College of Music and Dance website for the graduate music examination schedule and registration form.

Please note that registration for a student's first term of study is completed in consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Please re-read the admission letter, especially the "Special Notes" section on page 2, regarding any entrance deficiencies. If any remedial coursework is required, it must be completed by the end of the first year of study. It is also best for students to complete MUST 8701 Research in Music, which is required of all students except those in Jazz Studies, Music Education, and Music Therapy in the first year of study.

A. Graduate Diagnostic Examination in Aural Theory

The examination lasts approximately 40 minutes and consists of a written portion in which students are asked to:

1. Dictate a chord progression that modulates and contains chromatic harmony by writing out the bass line and identifying chords by Roman numerals and inversions.
2. Complete a two-part melodic dictation that modulates and contains chromatic pitches.

B. Graduate Diagnostic Examination in Written Theory

The examination lasts one and one-half hours and is in two parts: 

1. Harmonic analysis of two chorales: one that uses diatonic harmony, and one that uses chromatic harmony.
2. Analysis of the form, motives and phrase structures of the first movement of a Classical-era piano sonata.

C. Graduate Diagnostic Examination in Music History

The examination lasts one hour and contains objective questions in a multiple choice and/or true/false format. It covers composers, forms, instruments, musical works, styles and terms from 1450 to the present. Sample questions are:

1. The basso continuo came into use in about which year?
   (a) 1500  (b) 1600  (c) 1650  (d) 1700
2. Who composed Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth)?
   (a) Mahler  (b) Bruckner  (c) Brahms  (d) Schumann
3. Which of the following instruments would not be found in the score of a symphony by Haydn?
   (a) horn  (b) oboe  (c) timpani  (d) trombone  (e) trumpet

D. Conditions for Exemption from Diagnostic Examinations

The requirement to take the Diagnostic Examination in any area is waived only for graduates of the Boyer College of Music and Dance who:

• matriculate and enroll in the term immediately following completion of all undergraduate degree requirements; and
• received grades of "B-" or better in every undergraduate course taken in each individual examination area to be waived.

Professional Development Policy:
In addition to taking the required subjects for their degrees, all students in the Boyer College of Music and Dance are obligated to serve in a number of capacities in order to enrich their academic and musical expertise. Boyer College of Music and Dance believes that such experiences give impetus to successful professional careers. Among the duties that may be required are conducting laboratory classes; tutoring; teaching private lessons; coaching; participating in the distribution and inventory control of Temple University-owned musical instruments and instructional materials; participating in ensembles; accompanying; performing at admissions and open house events; supervising performance classes; and engaging in other academic activities.

Independent Study Courses:
Independent study courses provide a special opportunity for graduate students to work in a highly individualized setting with one or more faculty members. All such study must receive the approval of the faculty member providing the instruction, the students' major advisor, and the Associate Dean. Approval is granted only after the student has presented a detailed description of the intended independent study project. Approval of independent study projects is granted only for students whose academic and musical record provides substantial support for the benefits of this type of study. In no case may more than 20% of a graduate student's curriculum be taken as independent study. Private lessons beyond those required in the curriculum are not an appropriate form of independent study.

Acceptable English:
All students, including those for whom English is not the native language, are expected to present all written work in acceptable English. No double standard exists to differentiate students on the basis of proficiency in the use of the English language. Students are also responsible for becoming familiar with the College's statement on plagiarism and academic honesty.

Applied Study:

1. Graduate students in non-performing curricula may take up to 6 credits of applied study toward the degree with the permission of the major advisor, department chair, and the chair of vocal or instrumental studies. Such non-required lessons may be taken only if the student can pass the normal graduate-level performing audition expected of performance majors. In this event, a fee of $200, not covered by tuition remission, is charged.
2. Regardless of major, graduate students with a demonstrable performing proficiency that may not meet the more rigorous requirements of a graduate-level audition may, by audition, qualify to take 2 credits of applied study per term for graduate credit. These courses carry a fee of $400 plus tuition and may be applied to the non-performing curriculum for degree credit. Up to 6 credits may be taken with the approval of the major advisor.
3. Graduate assistantships and other forms of University-sponsored financial aid do not cover private lesson or Recital Extension fees.

Incompletes:
All incomplete grades and keyboard proficiencies must be fulfilled by the first day of the month in which the student expects to graduate.

Culminating Event:
Comprehensive Oral Examination:
Students in the Music Education MM program must take a comprehensive oral examination as part of the capstone course. The choice of capstone course must be declared no later than the second term of study following discussion with the academic advisor:

• MUED 9995 Master's Final Project: The comprehensive oral examination is part of the oral defense of the final project. It is scheduled individually during finals week. The student is asked to apply coursework materials to concepts covered in the final written project. The Defense Examining Committee presides and evaluates.
• MUED 9996 Master's Thesis Music Education: The comprehensive oral examination is part of the oral defense of the thesis. The student is asked to apply coursework materials to concepts covered therein. The Defense Examining Committee presides and evaluates.

Contacts

Department Contacts: