The Master of Music, Music Education Specialization – Kodály Emphasis Option, is an exclusive distance-learning degree that features on-campus participation in the annual Colorado Kodály Institute as a two-week residency each summer, with additional courses offered online during the school year. The program is designed for elementary classroom music teachers, independent music instructors, and secondary music teachers interested in developing their teaching, conducting, musicianship, and depth of knowledge in music education..
A unique aspect of this program is that it enables students to earn national certification in Kodály music teaching through CSU’s Colorado Kodály Institute while earning a master's degree. The Colorado Kodály Institute (CKI) is one of the select programs endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators. CKI faculty are among the top experts in the United States, and the University Center for the Arts location, at the foothills of the Rockies, provides an inspiring setting for personal growth.
The majority of participants in this degree program teach either part or full-time during the school year, gaining relevant experience while pursuing the graduate degree. As a result, they are continually assimilating real-world teaching experiences into their academic coursework. The degree program is designed to be completed over three summer residencies, with online courses and/or evening courses taken during the school year. Students may live remotely during the school year and travel to Fort Collins for the core summer coursework.
Most participants in this program teach either part-time or full-time during the school year, gaining relevant experience while pursuing the graduate degree. As a result, they are continually assimilating real-world teaching experiences into their academic coursework.
Admission
Applicants are expected to be State-Licensed Music Teachers* and demonstrate excellent musicianship and interpersonal skills. *Exceptions may be made by the Music Education area on a case-by-case basis.
For information about the program and admissions processes to the Graduate School and School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, as well as details about the summer institute, please visit CSU Online.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Graduate Music Education Degrees: General Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Develop the ability to think abstractly, analyze complex ideas or phenomena, synthesize or generalize knowledge across disciplines and sub-disciplines, interpret and apply scholarly findings to specialized topic areas, and communicate ideas effectively in oral and written forms.
- Develop an awareness of substantive publications in music education and the field of education.
- Define national trends in music education that impact K-12 educational settings.
- Describe the contemporary role of curriculum and assessment design plays in the teaching-learning process.
- Create music curriculum assessment tools designed to measure simple and complex learning in classroom and studio/applied settings.
- Engage in informed critical discussion regarding current standards-based frameworks in music and contemporary K-12 American education contexts.
Kodály Program-Level Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Develop the skill, intellect, and musicianship necessary among those who wish to become the next generation of leaders in the field of Music Education.
- Develop a philosophical and pedagogical approach to utilize in all educational settings and competency in techniques that embody the approach.
- Develop foundational skills in advocacy and leadership for school settings.
- Develop a method of score analysis that fosters learners' success in all educational settings.
- Develop a concept-based collection of pedagogical repertoires that is fully analyzed, researched both musically and culturally, and organized into a practical, retrievable curriculum.
- Develop the skills necessary to lead and conduct ensembles within K-12 schools with best-practice rehearsal strategies and methodology, including repertoire of varying difficulty levels spanning multiple genres and time periods.
- Integrate best-practice rehearsal strategies with sound conducting technique into school music classrooms and/or community/professional ensembles.
Music Program Fee
A music program fee is assessed with undergraduate and graduate music and musical theatre majors and music minors, per semester. Does not apply to the following students: online degree students and summers-only master's degree students. Please visit the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for special course fees.
Effective Fall 2022
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDRM 600 | Introduction to Research Methods | 3 |
| MU 510 | Foundations of Music Education | 3 |
| MU 518 | Post-Tonal Analytic Techniques 1 | 3 |
| MU 526A | Kodaly Training Program: Level I | 5 |
| MU 526B | Kodaly Training Program: Level II | 5 |
| MU 526C | Kodaly Training Program: Level III | 5 |
| Music History 1 | 3 | |
| Electives 2 | 3 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 30 | |
A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete this program.
- 1
Specific courses will be approved by the student’s graduate committee. Students may be required to take additional course work as determined by diagnostic examinations and/or by their graduate committee.
- 2
Electives must be approved in advance by the student’s graduate committee. Workshops will not count as elective credits toward the degree program.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |