Music Education
Degree: Bachelor of Music
What is Music Education?
Miami offers two programs in music education—choral/general music and instrumental music that are geared toward students interested in teaching general music, choral music, band, and orchestra in schools. Offered through the School of Fine Arts, both programs prepare you for licensure as a music teacher in Ohio Public Schools from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
What are the features of Miami's program?
Small classes: As a music student at Miami, you'll benefit from the 6:1 student:faculty ratio and a balanced program of music, education, and liberal arts studies.
Extensive classroom experience: Our teacher education program gives you more classroom experiences than most programs at other universities. Early in your second year, you get a feel for teaching by spending time in school classrooms. In methodology of teaching classes, you spend a quarter of the term in schools, working directly with teachers. And during the semester of student teaching, you are regularly visited by a Miami student-teaching supervisor for consultation and guidance.
Professional education sequence: Teaching requires such knowledge as the characteristics of learners, social structures of schools, families and communities, assessment techniques, classroom practices, law, statistics, electronic support systems, curriculum, and resources. In the professional education sequence, you investigate this knowledge and combine it with extensive experiences in a variety of schools. As you progress through the professional education sequence, you spend increasing time with experienced teachers in a variety of urban, suburban, and rural schools. Your experiences will range from helping individual students in the schools to being responsible for an entire classroom of students.
Teaching licensure: Miami's Department of Music is fully accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. While Miami participates in licensure of teachers through an interstate agreement, if you are planning to teach in another state, you should contact that state's certification office so you can apply for certification or licensure in that state.
Are there special admission requirements?
Yes, your admission into the music education program requires an audition. In addition, admission to sophomore and junior courses in music education is contingent upon a minimum overall g.p.a. of 2.25 and a minimum g.p.a. of 2.75 in all music courses.
What courses would I take?
For this major, coursework includes music theory, history, and applied music. You choose at least one specific concentration in a music area. In addition, you must participate in a music ensemble of your choice and give a senior recital to graduate.
This program also requires you to take classes within the Miami Plan for Liberal Education. Through the plan's foundation courses, you'll hone skills such as thinking critically, understanding contexts, reflecting and acting, and engaging with other learners. These courses are in the broad discipline areas of English composition, fine arts, humanities, social science, world cultures, natural science, formal reasoning, and in the social foundations of education. The principles and content of the foundation are the basis for the professional education sequence and the content specialization.
What can I do with this major?
Many graduates teach music in elementary and secondary schools, colleges, or work independently as studio teachers.
Who can I contact for more information?
For general information about Miami University, please contact:
Office of Admission
301 S. Campus Ave.
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056-3434
513-529-2531 (v/t)
www.muohio.edu/requestinfo
For specific information on the Music Education major, please contact:
Department of Music
119 Center for Performing Arts
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-3014
music@muohio.edu
www.muohio.edu/music
