3.4: Coursework
- Page ID
- 310482
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Required Courses for All Music Majors
Theory and Aural Skills
In many music schools, music theory and aural skills are taken simultaneously and begin right away in the first semester of school. It is common to have theory classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday while aural skills class meets Tuesday and Thursday. Both include skill practice, but aural skills, especially, includes a lot of drill. Music theory will teach the fundamentals to understand, analyze, and create music. This will include aspects of harmony, melody, and rhythm as well as compositional elements such as form, tempo, notes, chords, key signatures, intervals, scales, and more. It also examines musical qualities such as pitch, tone, timbre, texture, and dynamics. Aural skills classes, sometimes referred to as ear training, will include learning to hear and dictate melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ideas. You will learn to identify pitches, intervals, melody, chords, rhythms, and other basic elements of music, solely by hearing.
Class Piano
Class piano teaches basic piano skills to all students and is available to those who need to prepare for a proficiency. Most schools allow students with strong piano skills to “pass out” of this requirement by taking the proficiency exam early. Passing the proficiency doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that you have all of the piano skills you will need. You need to keep practicing and playing!
Music History
Music history is usually a multi-semester sequence of courses that provides an overview of the Western music tradition and its historical eras including the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern. Sometimes a Jazz History or History of Popular (or Rock) Music course may also be offered.
World Music
An examination of music that is not Western European or American in origin is often referred to as World Music. These courses provide insight into different cultures, communication patterns, rhythms, instruments, sounds, and ways of making music. These classes are sometimes included as part of the Music History sequence or can stand alone.
Conducting
These courses focus on developing conducting skills for music majors. Degree programs usually require 1-2 semesters of study. Students learn fundamental beat patterns, basic conducting technique, phrasing, articulation, and tempo. Other common topics include terminology, score study, transposition, and rehearsal skills.
Required Courses for Music Education Majors
Methods Courses
Usually methods courses will teach you ‘how to teach.’ They will likely be divided into general music, vocal/choral music, and instrumental music. These courses will introduce you to different pedagogiesand often provide “lab” experiences in which you will practice your skills through peer teaching activities. Instrumental majors will also be required to take classes on all of the instruments in order to gain basic performance skills and learn how to teach them to future students.
Education Courses
All music education programs work cooperatively with the education school or program on campus and the state to ensure that all graduates meet local teacher licensure requirements. Required courses will likely include some sort of educational or developmental psychology course as well as courses in educational policy, literacy, special education, and multicultural education.
Clinical/Practicum Experiences
Clinical or practicum experiences are a very important part of your teacher education program. In these courses, you will go out into the schools and spend time observing and teaching. You will work with teachers and students in real-life situations. Most states require a certain number of “practicum” or “clinical” hours during coursework usually spread out over multiple semesters and then a culminating semester of student teaching where you will be in a school setting full-time for your last semester of the degree program, much like an internship.