DIVISION OF MUSIC EDUCATION
DIVISION OF MUSIC EDUCATION
Policies & Requirements
Policies & Requirements
It is each student’s responsibility to be familiar with the policies, requirements, and procedures of the division. If you have any questions, contact your advisor immediately to avoid delay in fulfilling requirements. In addition to knowing the policies and requirements of the division, students should read and become familiar with the academic policies described in the beginning of this handbook.
A student with the degree Bachelor of Music Education (BME) is eligible for teaching certification in the state of Maryland. While the BME program is housed within the College of Arts and Humanities, certification to teach is approved by the College of Education and is subject to its policies. Students in the BME program must apply to and be approved by the College of Education for entry into the Teacher Education program, typically during spring semester of the second year in the program. BME students are subject to the policies of both the College of Education and the College of Arts and Humanities.
All undergraduate music majors must complete the MUSC 099 requirement as outlined in this handbook.
For requirements associated with noon recitals, check the section of this handbook relevant to your instrument or voice. Additionally, music education students must attend all scheduled Music Education Noon Recitals.
Music Education students take private lessons in a principal instrument or voice and follow the Principal Series track of MUSP lessons. Music education students typically register for the senior recital during the first semester of the senior year.
Freshman Courses MUSP 109 110
Sophomore Courses MUSP 207 208
Junior Courses MUSP 305 306
Senior Course MUSP 410 (senior recital)
For requirements associated with lessons, check the section of this handbook relevant to your instrument or voice.
A student must pass the Praxis Core examination or meet Maryland state minimums on the SAT or ACT to be admitted into the College of Education Teacher Education program. Prior to student teaching, the student must pass the Praxis II examination. During student teaching, the student must pass the edTPA. These tests are required for State of Maryland teacher certification.
Prior to enrolling in MUED 400-level courses, students must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program in the College of Education. For admission, students must: (1) have completed at least 56 credit hours, (2) have maintained a minimum overall UMD GPA of 2.75, (3) either: successfully complete the Praxis Core exam or meet Maryland State minimums on the SAT or ACT, (4) complete MUED 333 (choral/general track) or MUED 320 (instrumental track) with a grade of B or higher, (5) successfully completed MUSC 251, (6) be admitted to junior standing in applied music (MUSP 305), and (7) pass a comprehensive review by the music education faculty which requires consistently demonstrating the College of Education Foundational Competencies during music education coursework and field experiences.
The music education faculty believe that you learn to teach best by teaching. To this end, there are multiple required internships throughout the program. These internships take place in area school districts, each of which has, in addition to requirements set forth by the State of Maryland and the University, its own requirements for interns to be cleared for work in schools with PreK-12 students. These regulations include completion of paperwork requesting sensitive information necessary to perform FBI background checks, fingerprinting, other paperwork, and, in some cases, online safety training modules. Some requirements come at a cost to the intern. The primary purpose of these background checks is for school systems to attempt to keep their schools and students safe. Interns should plan to complete the required checks in a timely manner and be able to present required documentation (e.g., driver’s license, passport, etc.) when asked. Students prevented from completing internships due to precluding circumstances revealed on a criminal background check will not be able to successfully complete the degree program.
All required education/music education courses including MUED 474 and the Praxis II examination must be successfully completed prior to student teaching (taken under MUED 484/494). Students may not enroll in additional courses, including lessons or ensembles, during the full-time student teaching semester.