Bachelor of Music in Music Education

The undergraduate Music Education curriculum is planned to develop teachers who are reflective, who acknowledge the connections music has to the child’s world, and who seek to promote an understanding of those connections in a social context.

As a result of a curriculum based on Critical Pedagogy for Music Education they come to know and understand:

1. The central concepts, tools of inquiry and structures of music education as they relate to the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts, and how to design appropriate learning experiences that connect to the students’ world and help students to broaden their perceptions of the world around them.
2. How children learn and adapt to instruction that meets a diversity of learning styles and special learning needs in a variety of school contexts
3. The importance of teaching that is culturally responsive
4. Instructional planning and curriculum design that promote critical thinking, action and feeling through teaching constructivist and other appropriate strategies
5. How to engage students in problem solving, problem posing and meaningful dialogue
6. The appropriate use of multiple assessments.
7. Sound principles of effective classroom management
8. Effective verbal, nonverbal and written communication techniques and the tools of information literacy
9. The importance of being articulate advocates for music education in the schools
10. The importance of schooling within the context of the community and of learning to build partnerships with parents, families and agencies within the community to support students’ learning and well-being
11. The importance of ongoing professional development. The curriculum includes a state-approved music education program that leads to a letter of certification eligibility for teaching vocal and instrumental music at all levels in New Jersey.

Transfer of certificates to other states is greatly facilitated by accreditation of the program by the National Council for the Accreditation of teacher Education (NCATE) and by membership of the State of New Jersey in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification program (NASDTEC) and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC).  Students whose general progress is unsatisfactory or whose cumulative grade point average falls below a minimum 2.75 level may be dropped from the Music Education major. If dropped from the major, students may appeal to the department for reinstatement. Decisions regarding retention or appeals will be made in a manner consistent with state and institutional nondiscrimination policies.

Applications for certification are processed each year on November 15 And April 15 and at no other time.
 

Bachelor of Music in Music Education (131 semester hours)
Choirs and Conducting	13 Credits
CR109  Chapel Choir (2 terms)	2
CR209  Schola Cantorum (2 terms)	2
CR309  Symphonic Choir (3 terms)	3
CR215  Fundamentals of Conducting	3
CR315  Techniques of Conducting	3
Applied Music and Diction	25 Credits
Voice, Organ, or Piano Primary (7 terms)	14
Voice and Piano Secondary (4 terms)	4
VC115  English & Italian Diction1	2
VC116  French & German Diction1	2
ME187  Instrumental Music: Strings	1
ME188  Instrumental Music: Winds & Percussion	2
Theory and Music History	33 Credits
TH141  Musicianship I	4
TH142  Musicianship II	4
TH241  Musicianship III	4
TH342  Contemporary Trends	3
Theory level I elective	3
Theory level II elective	3
MH247  Music Historiography I	3
MH248  Music Historiography II	3
MH345  Music History Since 1900	3
Music History elective	3
Professional Studies	30 Credits
ME171  Critical Pedagogy I	2
ME271  Critical Pedagogy II	2
ME172  Guitar & Recorder	1
ME295  Elementary Praxis	3
ME395  Secondary Praxis	3
ME371  Critical Pedagogy III	2
ME492  Student Teaching	12
ME495  Assessing Music Learning	1
ME496  Music in Special Education	1
ME540  Choir Training for Young Singers or ME591  Choral Music Grades 5 - 12	3
Arts and Sciences	24 Credits
LL131  English Composition	3
SP175  Introduction to Psychology	3
SP273  Development Psychology or SP274  Educational Psychology	3
Literature or Philosophy elective	3
Science elective	3
Social Science elective	3
History elective	3
Mathematics electives	3
Free Electives	6 Credits
Free electives	6

Important Notes:

1. VC115 and VC116 are required for voice primary students only. Organ and piano primary students may substitute three additional credits of free electives for these two courses.
2. Students must successfully complete a portfolio review at the end of the sophomore year in order to continue as music education majors. Transfer students with sophomore status must successfully complete the portfolio review at the end of the first year of study.
3. Weekly Music Education Lab attendance is required of all music education majors except during the semester of student teaching.

 

Please see the Academic Catalogs for more information, including course descriptions.
Please see General Undergraduate Degree Requirements for more degree information.

Disclaimer:  This information is taken from a recent published version of a Rider University academic catalog or manual, though not necessarily the most recent.  Please be aware that, while the University makes reasonable efforts to keep website material current and correct, this information is subject to the University's academic policy committees, relevant accreditation organizations, and (in some instances) state and federal laws and regulations.  For this and other reasons it may be subject to change at any time without notice and without being immediately reflected on the Web site.