Suggested Plan of Study

The program for the Master of Arts in Music Education provides students with the opportunity to achieve scholarly competence and to develop the capacity to make significant contributions to knowledge in their field. The program has two elements:

1. Courses in the major field, and
2. Supportive studies that provide a broad general knowledge of the discipline of music. 

The program described below is not rigid. It is intended to indicate both the nature of the course work and the usual elements for fulfilling the requirements for the MA degree. The student's actual course work will be designed to provide a well-rounded total program, including depth in the major area and breadth in supportive studies. The program can be construed as a plan with or without a thesis. 

Each student selects a program of study in consultation with an advisor. It must include a reasonable concentration and breadth of study designed to foster research, scholarship, and knowledge of a specialty in relation to allied academic areas, must be approved by the advisor, and is subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. At least 50% of the courses must be designated graduate study only (courses at the 6000-8000 level). 

Major Area of Concentration – 20 total credit hours

Core Courses (required) 

• Music 7760 – Basic Concepts in Music Education (3 credit hours)
• Music 7770 – Introduction to Research in Music Education (3 credit hours)

Electives in Music Education (Thesis plan: 9 total credit hours; Non-thesis plan: 12 total credit hours) 

• Music 5756 – Improvisations with Orff Instruments (2 credit hours)
• Music 5765 – Literature for Vocal Music Education (2 credit hours)
• Music 5772 – Music in Early Childhood (3 credit hours)
• Music 6753 – Teaching the Technology: Centered Music Curriculum (2 credit hours)
• Music 7754 – Midwest Summer String Teachers (2 credit hours)
• Music 7761 – Principles of Music Learning (3 credit hours)
• Music 7762 – Principles and Practices in Elementary School Music (2 credit hours)
• Music 7763 – Literature of Elementary School Music (2 credit hours)
• Music 7764 – Principals and Practices in Vocal Music education (2 credit hours)
• Music 7766 – Teaching Practices in General Music (2 credit hours)
• Music 7768 – Principles and Practices in Instrumental Music Education (2 credit hours)
• Music 7769 – Literature for Instrumental Music Education (2 credit hours)
• Music 7773 – Introduction to Music for Exceptional Learners (3 credit hours)
• Music 7774 – Directive Teaching in Music (2 credit hours)
• Music 7790 – Problems in Vocal Music (3 credit hours)
• Music 7791 – Problems in Instrumental Music Education (3 credit hours)

Individual Research 

• Music 6999 – Research for Master’s Thesis (5 total credit hours for thesis plan students) 
• Music 6998 – Master’s Research Non-Thesis (2 total credit hours for non-thesis students)

Supportive Studies – 10 total credit hours

• Musicology/Music Theory Elective: 2–4 credit hours
• Non-Music Making Electives: 3–6 credit hours
  • May be from any field including applied music, music theory, musicology, conducting, and courses that relate to the student’s development and interests.
• Music Making Elective: 2–4 credit hours

 Minimum Total Semester Credits – 30 credit hours 

Questions? Email mus-grad@osu.edu.