Music with a Concentration in Music Education (MM)

Overview

The Master of Music with a Concentration in Music Education (MM) program provides graduate level study in teaching at the elementary, secondary, college, and university levels. 

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the graduate program in music, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:

  1. Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent in a similar or related field.
  2. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours.
  3. Three letters  of  recommendation  from  professional  or  academic sources.
  4. Letter of intent detailing reasons for pursuing the graduate degree.
  5. Submission of an essay on professional goals
  6. Resume including educational background and work experience.
  7. Personal interview
  8. Applicants will need to provide video recording sample of their teaching and include a corresponding lesson plan. Length should be approximately 30 minutes. This recording may be either a guest coaching of a UTRGV ensemble (to be arranged by the graduate advisor and/or the ensemble director), or video of classroom/private teaching. 

Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.

Additional Requirements

For the thesis option MUSI 7300, MUSI 7301 will require a research study designed to produce new and original conclusions and knowledge. The student must prepare a formal proposal that must be approved by the thesis committee. Approval of the final paper by the thesis committee will be a required for graduation. The student must also successfully defend the thesis.

For the non thesis option a Final Project (MUSI 6390) will require preparation of an original project approved by an advisory committee in the School of Music. This final project can be completed by various means and should reflect the interests and expertise of each student. 

All students in this concentration must pass a general written and oral comprehensive exam designed and administered by the student’s advisory committee at the end of the degree program. 

Program Requirements

Required Courses - 6 Hours

MUSI 6334Research Methods in Music

3

MUSI 6341Foundations of Music Education

3

Concentration Courses - 6 Hours

This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. These courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.

Choose two from the following:

MUSI 6313Modern Band Pedagogy

3

MUSI 6340Seminar in Music Education

3

MUSI 6342Psychology of Music

3

MUSI 6344Seminar in Elementary Music Education

3

MUSI 6345Seminar in Secondary Music Education

3

MUSI 6346Classroom Management

3

MUSI 6347Technology in Classroom

3

MUSI 6348History of American Music Education

3

Prescribed Electives – 18 Hours

Music Theory

Choose two from the following:

MUSI 6350Music Theory

3

MUSI 6351Music Theory - 20th and 21st Century

3

MUSI 6352Music Theory - Counterpoint

3

MUSI 6353Music Theory - Composition/Arranging

3

MUSI 6354Music Theory - Analysis

3

MUSI 6355Music Theory - Music of the Americas

3

MUSI 6356Music Theory Pedagogy

3

MUSI 6350 may be repeated when topic varies. 

Music History

This degree plan includes courses that appear in more than one section of the degree plan. These courses can only be used to fulfill one requirement on the degree plan and credit hours will only be applied once.

Choose two from the following:

MUSI 6348History of American Music Education

3

MUSI 6360Music History & Literature

3

MUSI 6362Music History and Literature - 20th and 21st Century

3

MUSI 6366Music History and Literature - Wind Band

3

MUSI 6367Music History and Literature - Medieval and Renaissance

3

MUSI 6368Music History and Literature - Baroque

3

MUSI 6369Music History and Literature - Music for the Stage

3

MUSI 6370Seminar in Music and Culture

3

MUSI 6371World Music Cultures

3

MUSI 6372Studies in Music & Gender

3

MUSI 6373Music of Africa and the African Diaspora

3

MUSI 6374Music of Latin America and the Caribbean

3

MUSI 6375Music, Race & Ethnicity

3

MUSI 6381Music History and Literature - 18th Century (Classical)

3

MUSI 6382Music History and Literature - 19th Century (Romantic)

3

MUSI 6360 and MUSI 6370 may be repeated when topic varies. 

Additional Music Elective

Choose any six hours from 6000-level MUSI, MUEN, and MUAP course(s). 

Exam Requirements

All students in this concentration must pass the exit exams designed and administered by the student’s advisory committee at the end of the degree program.

Written Comprehensive Exam

Oral Comprehensive Exam

Non-thesis Option

Final Project - 6 Hours

 
Choose any combination of three hours in MUSI, MUEN, and MUAP courses

MUSI 6390Final Project

3

Thesis Option

Thesis - 6 Hours

MUSI 7300Thesis I

3

MUSI 7301Thesis II

3

Total Credit Hours: 36