Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 SUNY Potsdam Academic Catalog 
    
2018-2019 SUNY Potsdam Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Music Education, M.M.


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The Crane School of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

The Crane School of Music offers programs leading to the Master of Music (MM) degree in music education and performance. These programs are designed to meet student interests, needs and requirements within a framework that provides opportunities to pursue a balance of academic and professionally oriented courses. Full-time students with no deficiencies can usually earn a master’s degree in two (for music education majors) or three semesters of study (for performance majors). Music education students may also complete their program over as few as two summers with at least two online courses.

A minimum of 24 credit hours for 30-hour programs must be earned in courses offered by SUNY Potsdam. A minimum of 18 credit hours must be earned at the Potsdam campus. With prior approval from the Dean of The Crane School of Music or his/her designee, a maximum of six credit hours may be transferred from other approved colleges and universities.

For those persons holding initial certification to teach music K-12 in the State of New York, both degree programs in The Crane School of Music are designed to fulfill the academic requirements for Professional certification to teach music K-12.

For persons who have earned a baccalaureate degree in music that did not lead to teacher certification, it is possible to complete the undergraduate coursework required for initial certification as a separate program or while working on coursework for a Master’s degree. The program takes at least two years. Contact the Crane Office of Music Education for more information.

Program Requirements


Course Requirements


A minimum of 30 credit hours with an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required for the granting of the Master of Music, Music Education degree. Students may select one of two options: with Thesis (Option A) or without Thesis (Option B). Upon entering the program all students are placed in the Option B (without thesis) program. If a student would like to transfer to the Option A (with thesis) program they should request the change after taking Introduction to Graduate Study.

Option A: Music Education with Thesis


The 30 credit hours are divided as follows.  All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

 

Thesis or Graduate Research Project


  • A thesis or appropriate graduate project is required of all students in the M.M. Music Education, Option A degree program.
  • Students must register for MUCE 699 - Thesis/Graduate Research Project in Music Education  every semester after they begin the project until its completion.
  • Students will receive “In-Progress” (IP) on their transcript each semester until the project is completed.
  • A proposal must be submitted to a three-member committee by the end of the second semester or second summer of study. A student may not register for coursework beyond the second semester until the proposal has been approved.

Music Education Final Oral Exam


For students in Option A, the thesis will be discussed and defended during the final oral examination. More information about the final oral exam and the exam committee can be found in the Crane Student Handbook.

Option B: Music Education without Thesis


The 30 credit hours are divided as follows.  All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

 

Music Education Final Oral Exam


Upon entering the program, students in Option B will create a list of 3 questions; one question based on curriculum work, one question based on historical/philosophical influences, and one question self-generated. These questions will frame the graduate learning experiences and culminate with a presentation during the final oral exam. Four weeks before the final oral exam, students will submit an outline of their final oral presentation along with a bibliography. For the final oral meeting, students will create a half-hour presentation which highlights how their graduate journey has answered the questions posed at the beginning of the degree work and illustrate how the student has synthesized their learning. The presentation will end with the student’s vision for future learning. Following the presentation, committee members will have 45 minutes to question the candidate about the presentation or any aspect of their degree program.

Presentation and documentation will be evaluated on the following:

  • Thoroughness in addressing the questions submitted.
  • Synthesis of understanding through application of learning to future teaching and a plan for implementation of new ideas.
  • Artistry in presentation so that what is presented is synthesized and artfully arranged.
  • General scholarship and organization.
  • The three-person oral examination committee will confer immediately following the examination and announce the results to the student.
  • For the student whose performance during the final examination is satisfactory, each committee member will sign the Final Oral Examination Completion form. The recommendation of the committee must be unanimous in order for a student to pass the final oral examination.
  • For the student whose performance during the final examination is unsatisfactory, the committee has two options:
  1. The student must retake the oral examination, presenting the entire oral presentation or the portion(s) of the presentation that the committee found to be unsatisfactory followed by the questions from the committee. A student is allowed on rehearing. A third examination will not be given.
  2. The student must prepare a formal paper focusing on the portion(s) of the examination that the committee found to be unsatisfactory. The paper will be evaluated either by the full committee or by one designated member of the committee. The paper must be submitted within two semesters of the original examination date. A student is only allowed one opportunity to submit a paper. A second paper will not be considered.

More information about the final oral exam and the exam committee can be found in the Crane Student Handbook. 

Piano Pedagogy Concentration


Course Requirements


Graduate student enrolled in the Master of Music Education or Performance degree programs can apply to also complete a Concentration in Piano Pedagogy; this program is similar to adding a minor to your degree. Admission to the Concentration is via interview (and audition for students who are not Master of Music Piano Performance majors) with the program coordinator. For those students required to audition, the audition should consist of 20 minutes of memorized solo piano repertoire from at least two different style periods. Piano teaching experience and completed coursework in piano pedagogy at the undergraduate level are strongly recommended.

Piano Pedagogy concentration candidates will complete the following 9-credit sequence of courses:

Total Credit Hours Required: 30


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