MUSIC EDUCATION

We believe you learn to teach by teaching. To put this belief into action, we provide ample opportunities for you to work with real students in real classrooms every semester — starting in the first semester of freshman year. Field experiences and teaching are embedded throughout all four years of the program.

As you pursue the Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.), you will participate in a vast array of coursework and experiences designed to prepare you to be the best musician and music teacher you can be. In addition to the range of music courses, ensembles and applied private lessons required of all undergraduate music majors, you will work with music education faculty members every semester. As you become a stronger musician, you will also develop into a stronger teacher through teaching K–12 aged students on campus and in the field.

We believe the best musicians make the best music educators. Music education students at Maryland have the same applied lessons, large ensemble and chamber music opportunities as our performance majors. Music education majors always study on their major instrument with faculty — never with graduate assistants.

Our undergraduate music education program is fun, rigorous and will prepare you to enter the teaching profession with a diverse arsenal of knowledge and skills. With a 100 percent placement rate, our graduates are highly sought-after in the job market.

Dual Music Degree

Our B.M.E. degree is robust and generally not appropriate for those seeking another degree outside of music. Within music, earning a dual degree in music education (B.M.E.) and music performance (B.M.) is very possible and only takes one additional semester (four-and-a-half years) as you will earn the degrees simultaneously. The dual degree may be the best fit for a student seeking to gain the most performance experience during their time at the University of Maryland. Dual degree students complete eight semesters of coursework, applied private lessons and ensembles, and a final ninth semester dedicated to a full-time student teaching internship.

Graduate programs in music education at the University of Maryland serve as an extension of the undergraduate curriculum, incorporating elements of philosophy, learning psychology, education policy and research methods, as well as practical coursework related to classroom pedagogy and music teacher education. Our graduate students enter the program as excellent music teachers and return to their classrooms as leaders of the profession.

Master of Music & Master of Arts

The Master of Music in music education is designed for qualified graduate students holding a Bachelor of Music who are seeking a professional degree in music education that culminates with a final project. This degree is ideal for music teachers seeking to improve their instructional practice and musicianship and broaden their scholarly understanding of music teaching and learning.

Qualified graduate students who are considering doctoral study in music or music education after the master's degree might instead prefer the Master of Arts in music education, which culminates with a rigorous original research thesis. The thesis option serves as a capstone for your master's work and is excellent preparation for the kind of scholarship required by music education doctoral programs.

Coursework for both master's degrees includes three categories of study:

Courses in music education (foundations, research, curriculum and assessment)
Courses in music theory and music history
Electives chosen in consultation with an advisor, including music performance options and summer music teacher professional development courses on campus

Master of Music and Master of Arts in music education admissions are now on a rolling basis. Please visit our Graduate Admissions page to apply!

Doctorate

The Doctor of Philosophy in music education is designed for music educators who would like to pursue research and prepare future music teachers for work in K–12 classrooms. The degree, which includes a rigorous sequence of courses and colloquia both within and beyond the School of Music, can be completed in as few as three years of full time enrollment. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree allows our students to explore and specialize in fields relevant to their areas of personal interest and current trends in music education.

The program is designed to extend and refine students’ prior experiences in musical performance and pedagogy through advanced study in music teacher education and social science research methodology. The program aims to equip students with knowledge, skills and dispositions that will allow them to successfully integrate the roles of social science researcher and music teacher educator with their prior experiences as musicians and music educators.

To be admitted to the program, applicants must, at minimum: (1) hold an earned bachelor’s and master’s degree, at least one of which is in the field of music education, (2) hold state or national licensure — as appropriate to their citizenship — to teach school music and (3) have taught music in a school setting for a minimum of three years. Preferred applicants, with a greater chance of admittance to the program, will: (1) hold an earned master’s degree in music education from a program that emphasized research and (2) have taught music in a school setting for a minimum of five years.

Looking to expand your professional development? Enroll in summer credit and non-credit graduate offerings. Contact Music Education Division Coordinator Kenneth Elpus for more information.