The graduate music education program offers certified music teachers the opportunity to earn a master's degree in a little over two years with courses in the evenings and summers. Educational theory and practice merge throughout course work, and students have the flexibility to select elective areas of study. The program culminates with a final paper or project, allowing students to research an area of special interest.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | 48 |
| Total hours required | 48 |
Demonstrate basic music research techniques and apply knowledge of standard reference tools and bibliographic sources to the writing of a variety of professional and academic music texts.
Develop an expanded global, historical, and cultural understanding of music through the in-depth study of musical elements, compositional processes, and aesthetic properties.
Program Specific Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Understand and synthesize historical and current music education issues and their impact on music teaching and learning grades K-12 and apply pedagogical knowledge and skills teaching across multiple contexts.
- Demonstrate acceptable musicianship knowledge and skills, including performance, music history, and theory.
- Utilize qualitative, quantitative, historical, and philosophical research procedures and practices, and be able to express ideas in writing.
Degree Requirements
Course Requirements
A minimum of 48 quarter hours of graduate credit is required for the Master of Music degree. This total is divided between the basic studies required of all master’s degree students, and courses in the specialization.
Music Core Requirements (16 credits)
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUS 408 | ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES | 4 |
| or COM 405 | ANALYTICAL STUDIES | |
| MUS 400 | MUSIC RESEARCH | 4 |
| Select two Music History courses from the following: | 8 | |
| JAZZ HISTORY | ||
| HISTORY OF THE ORATORIO | ||
| 18th & 19th WIND HISTORY AND LITERATURE | ||
| 20th CENTURY WIND HISTORY AND LITERATURE | ||
| MEDIEVAL MUSIC | ||
| RENAISSANCE MUSIC | ||
| BAROQUE MUSIC | ||
| HISTORY OF OPERA | ||
| WORLD MUSIC CULTURES | ||
| CLASSICAL MUSIC | ||
| ROMANTIC MUSIC | ||
| MUSIC SINCE WORLD WAR II | ||
| 20TH CENTURY MUSIC BEFORE WWII | ||
Music Education Specialization (20 credits)
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Education Seminars: | ||
| MED 401 | SEMINAR IN MUSIC EDUCATION I: PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC EDUCATION | 4 |
| MED 402 | SEMINAR IN MUSIC EDUCATION II: PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC TEACHING & LEARNING | 4 |
| MED 403 | SEMINAR IN MUSIC EDUCATION III: CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN MUSIC EDUCATION | 4 |
| MED 404 | HISTORY OF MUSIC EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES | 2 |
| MED 498 | MASTERS CANDIDATE RESEARCH | 2 |
| MED 492 | TECHNIQUES OF RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION | 4 |
Music Electives (12 credits)
Students may take any 400 level courses within the School of Music, selected in consultation with their advisors.
Terminal Requirements
Two terminal requirements are required of all students:
- A written comprehensive examination, in which the students must demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of their major field of study. The comprehensive examination may be taken at any time after 32 quarter hours of graduate credit have been earned.
- The completion of a final project.
Residency Requirements
All courses for the master’s degree must be taken at DePaul University. Graduate credit for courses completed at other institutions may not be applied toward the degree.
The music education graduate program is designed to accommodate the schedule of working teachers, and students typically enroll part time for three summers and two intervening academic years. To earn full-time status, graduate students must be registered for a minimum of six quarter hours in any term. All requirements for the degree must be completed within six calendar years from the time a student is first enrolled. For students removing deficiencies, this period will begin when all deficiencies are removed and admission to the master’s degree program has been granted.