Students completing the Master of Music Education at Bemidji State University will take courses in musicianship, performance studies, teaching pedagogy, contemporary topics and music materials, literature and analysis. Specializations include choral and general music or instrumental and general music.

Course Descriptions

MUS 5000 Musicianship Review (1 credit) | Taken in all Summer Sessions
Designed to satisfy deficiencies indicated by the Graduate Musicianship Placement Test. Develop preliminary audiation skills through sightsinging, dictation, musical memory, transposition, part-work, analysis, listening, improvisation, keyboard, music theory and ear training. Use relative solmization, rhythm syllables, hand signs, conducting, stick notation, staff notation and absolute letter names in a Kodály-inspired teaching sequence. Analyze and perform repertoire from Western and non-Western traditions. (Does not count toward the Master of Music Education degree. Should be completed prior to enrollment in MUS 5101 Musicianship I.)

MUS 5101 Graduate Musicianship I (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer I
Develop graduate level audiation skills through sightsinging, dictation, musical memory, transposition, part-work, analysis, listening, improvisation, keyboard harmony and ear training. Use relative solmization, rhythm syllables, hand signs, conducting, stick notation, staff notation and absolute pitch names in a Kodály-inspired teaching sequence. Analyze and perform pentatonic and diatonic repertoire from Western and non-Western traditions.

MUS 5200 Graduate Music Ensemble (1 credit) | Taken in all Summer Sessions
Develop musicianship skills, including audiation, musicality, intonation, music literacy and technique, in an ensemble context. Perform works from a multiplicity of style periods and genres from Western and non-Western traditions. Culminates in a public performance. (May be repeated for credit.)

MUS 5301 Models of Music Learning I (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer I
Articulate the philosophy, historical development and teaching practices of major music education pedagogies suitable for children in early elementary grades. Create and teach general music lessons that demonstrate an understanding of short- range and long-range planning, learning objectives, learning outcomes, differentiated instruction, lesson design and delivery and assessment. Develop a curriculum with Scope and Sequence. Special emphasis given to Kodály-inspired teaching and learning.

MUS 5401 Topics in Music Education I (1 credit) | Taken only in Summer I
Investigation of specialized topics in music education practice and research, including instructional methods; historical, philosophical and social foundations; and contemporary issues in music education.

MUS 5501 Music Materials, Literature, and Analysis I (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer I
Begin to assemble a personal repertoire collection in the form of an Archive and Retrieval System for the purpose of extracting, sequencing and teaching the elements of music. Develop techniques for researching, collecting, analyzing, classifying, retrieving and notating musical selections. Music literature should be representative of a multiplicity of style periods and genres including folk, art and vernacular music from Western and non-Western traditions and should fit within a Scope and Sequence. Such repertoire should be suitable for the beginning music learner.

MUS 5600 Choral Conducting and Pedagogy (2 credits) | Taken in all Summer Sessions
Select, analyze, prepare, rehearse and conduct choral music. Sequence musical materials as part of short- and long-term rehearsal planning. Fundamentals of vocal pedagogy will be included. Develop a portfolio of content related to ensemble administration and management. (May be repeated for credit.)

MUS 5700 Instrumental Conducting and Pedagogy (2 credits) | Taken in all Summer Sessions
Select, analyze, prepare, rehearse and conduct instrumental music. Sequence musical materials as part of short- and long- term rehearsal planning. Fundamentals of instrumental pedagogy will be included. Develop a portfolio of content related to ensemble administration and management. (May be repeated for credit.)

MUS 6102 Graduate Musicianship II (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer II
Continuation of MUS 5101 Graduate Musicianship I. Develop graduate level audiation skills through sightsinging, dictation, musical memory, transposition, part-work, analysis, listening, improvisation, keyboard harmony and ear training in a Kodály-inspired teaching sequence. Use relative solmization, rhythm syllables, hand signs, conducting, stick notation, staff notation and absolute pitch names. Analyze and perform diatonic and modal repertoire from Western and non-Western traditions.

MUS 6103 Graduate Musicianship III (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer III
Continuation of MUS 6102 Graduate Musicianship II. Develop graduate level audiation skills through sightsinging, dictation, musical memory, transposition, part-work, analysis, listening, improvisation, keyboard harmony and ear training in a Kodály-inspired teaching sequence. Use relative solmization, rhythm syllables, hand signs, conducting, stick notation, staff notation and absolute pitch names. Analyze and perform chromatic and contemporary repertoire from Western and non- Western traditions.

MUS 6302 Models of Music Learning II (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer II
Continuation of MUS 5301 Models of Music Learning I. Articulate the philosophy, historical development and teaching practices of major music education pedagogies suitable for children in intermediate elementary grades. Create and teach general music lessons that demonstrate an understanding of short-range and long-range planning, learning objectives, learning outcomes, differentiated instruction, lesson design and delivery and assessment. Develop a curriculum with Scope and Sequence. Special emphasis given to Kodály-inspired teaching and learning.

MUS 6303 Models of Music Learning III (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer III
Continuation of MUS 6302 Models of Music Learning II. Articulate the philosophy, historical development and teaching practices of major music education pedagogies suitable for children in late elementary grades and beyond. Create and teach general music lessons that demonstrate an understanding of short-range and long-range planning, learning objectives, learning outcomes, differentiated instruction, lesson design and delivery and assessment. Develop a curriculum with Scope and sequence. Special emphasis given to Kodály-inspired teaching and learning.

MUS 6402 Topics in Music Education II (1 credit) | Taken only in Summer II
Continuation of MUS 5401 Topics in Music Education I. Investigation of specialized topics in music education practice and research, including instructional methods; historical, philosophical and social foundations; and contemporary issues in music education.

MUS 6403 Topics in Music Education III (1 credit) | Taken only in Summer III
Continuation of MUS 6402 Topics in Music Education II. Investigation of specialized topics in music education practice and research, including instructional methods; historical, philosophical and social foundations; and contemporary issues in music education.

MUS 6502 Music Materials, Literature, and Analysis II (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer II
Continuation of MUS 5501 Music Materials, Literature and Analysis I. Continue to assemble a personal repertoire collection in the form of an Archive and Retrieval System for the purpose of extracting, sequencing and teaching the elements of music. Develop techniques for researching, collecting, analyzing, classifying, retrieving and notating musical selections. Music literature should be representative of a multiplicity of style periods and genres including folk, art and vernacular music from Western and non-Western traditions. Such repertoire should be suitable for the intermediate music learner.

MUS 6503 Music Materials, Literature, and Analysis III (2 credits) | Taken only in Summer III
Continuation of MUS 6502 Music Materials, Literature and Analysis II. Complete the assemblance of a personal repertoire collection in the form of an Archive and Retrieval System for the purpose of extracting, sequencing and teaching the elements of music. Develop techniques for researching, collecting, analyzing, classifying, retrieving and notating musical selections. Music literature should be representative of a multiplicity of style periods and genres including folk, art and vernacular music from Western and non-Western traditions. Such repertoire should be suitable for the advanced music learner.

MUS 6804 Graduate Lesson (1 credit) | Taken only in Fall or Spring
Instrumental, vocal, arranging, conducting, composition or other one-on-one lessons. (Must be taken two times.)

MUS 6853 Capstone (1 credit)
In cooperation with a faculty advisor, present a recital, thesis or final project.