Mission Statement

The mission of the Master of Music in Music Education program is to develop advanced competencies in musicianship, critical inquiry, and creative applications of research-based pedagogy in music education.

Master of Music in Music Education Personnel

Dr. David L. Perry, Music Department Chair, Director of Music Education

Dr. Amalia Allan, Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Timothy Dey, Adjunct Professor of Music

Dr. Mark Goodwin, Adjunct Professor of Music

Dr. Richard Williamson, Professor of Music

Program Overview

The Master of Music in Music Education program addresses current research, contemporary issues, modes of inquiry, and advanced competencies in musicianship that can be applied to increase effectiveness of music teaching and learning. Music instructors are required to remain active in professional development to retain their teaching credentials, and this program meets these basic requirements while providing financial and academic advancement within most school systems. Through the integration of research, inquiry, and practice within this curriculum, the program completer can prepare for advanced graduate study, including pursuit of a terminal degree in music education.  

The program consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours, with 18 hours in required music education courses, 3 hours each in music history and theory, and 6 hours in electives that may include applied lessons, performance ensembles, music special topics or education electives (graduate courses in music or education). Students have the choice of completing a capstone project with a focused research study or creating a comprehensive curriculum for their own teaching context. A candidate will be able to complete all degree requirements online, and selected courses are offered on campus, including ensembles and applied lessons.  

Best practices of online instruction will be observed, including online discussion boards, project groups, and assignments that are comparable to traditional class seat times and assignments. An estimated 90-140 hours of student work including online interactions with other students and assignments will be required in a 3-hour course. Courses are offered in seven-week sessions, with courses scheduled in Fall 7A and 7B, Spring 7A and 7B, and Summer 7A and 7B. Online delivery will be varied in use of synchronous and asynchronous interactions, audio and visual instruction, hybrid and online only instruction, and other instructional strategies that are deemed most appropriate to accomplish specific course goals.   Full-time equivalency for the Master of Music in Music Education is six credit hours per semester for purposes of academic workload and financial assistance. Half-time equivalency is three credit hours per semester, the minimum required for financial assistance.  

Admission Requirements

The applicant must meet the following requirements to be eligible for consideration into the Master of Music in Music Education program:

• submit a “South Carolina School of the Arts Graduate Studies Admission Application” with the non-refundable application fee;
• hold a baccalaureate degree in music education from a nationally or regionally accredited institution; or hold a current state teaching certificate in music;
• submit official transcripts from all prior colleges or universities;
• have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 for all course work or the last 60 hours of course work;
• submit two completed reference forms, which must be from the applicant’s current immediate supervisor and one other professional reference of your choice.

Graduate Music Placement Exams

Students must pass Graduate Placement Exams in Music History and Music Theory as prerequisites to MUH 530 - Topics in Music History  and MUT 510 - Analytical Applications I . Students may take the Music History Placement Exam a total of three times and may take the Music Theory Placement Exam one time only to become eligible for MUH 530  and MUT 510  respectively. Students who do not pass the placement exam for MUH 530  must take MUH 497 - Graduate Music History Review  as a pre-requisite. Students who do not pass the Music Theory Placement Exam must take MUT 500 - Graduate Music Theory Review  as a prerequisite.

Conditional Status

At the discretion of the Dean of The South Carolina School of the Arts and Director of Music Education, a degree seeking applicant who does not meet all the requirements for admission to a respective program may be admitted with the status of “Conditional.” In order to reach full admission in a graduate degree program, the student with conditionally admitted status must reconcile any admission deficiencies before the completion of nine (9) credit hours of graduate work. The “Conditional” student who does not resolve any admission deficiencies within this period will be withdrawn from the program.

Comprehensive Review and Candidacy

A comprehensive review will be scheduled near the conclusion of the Master of Music in Music Education studies. The comprehensive review will include a review of the student’s portfolio, (which contains work from the student’s courses and the research/teaching project), a comprehensive written exam, and an oral defense of the research/teaching project portfolio and written exam.

Upon completion of all coursework, submission of the portfolio including a research/teaching project, and completion of the comprehensive written exam, the student will be considered a candidate for the Master of Music in Music Education degree. At that point, the student will schedule a final oral defense. Upon successful completion of the oral defense, the student will be eligible for graduation. The research/teaching project will consist of an investigation of a research problem in music education with a product of a “presentation-quality manuscript,” which could be submitted to a professional journal or for presentation at a professional conference. The student will share findings of the research/teaching project with peers in the program and with the oral defense committee. The purpose of these requirements is to provide a means for faculty review of portfolio products, synthesis of learning in a comprehensive written exam, and to prepare the candidate for advanced graduate research through the processes learned in the research course, research/teaching project, and other coursework.

Non-Degree Seeking Status

The student who is not seeking a Master of Music in Music Education degree may enroll in a maximum of nine (9) credit hours after meeting all admission requirements except the history and theory placement exams. See Graduate Music Placement Exams for enrollment requirements in music history and theory courses. If the student decides to become a degree-seeking student, the Director of Music Education Program must be notified.