Bachelor of Music (B.M.)

Music Education

For those who plan to teach music in elementary or secondary schools, our concentration in music education is designed to cover vocal/choral, instrumental, and classroom music education. It offers a broad educational background combined with the development of musical and performance skills. The program includes a teaching internship that leads to state certification.

Completing all requirements in the music education option leads to an initial teaching certificate for music in grades K-12, earned through the School of Education.

Licensure/Certification Information

B.M./Music Education Program Advisor: Atla DeChamplain

Curriculum

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.

Students selecting this option must complete 94 credits in Studies in Music and Professional Education, as follows:

Studies in Music (64 credits):

  • 7 semesters of the principal applied music area (instrument or voice must be selected from MUS 210 and 410 A-W, 2 credits per semester (14 credits total).
  • 7 semesters of MUS 300: Music Convocation;
  • Senior recital MUS 450 (capstone);
  • Also required are 7 semesters of major ensembles appropriate to the principal applied music area, at 0-1 credit per semester. Major ensembles include (6 credits):
    • MUS 291: Marching Band
    • MUS 292: Concert Band
    • MUS 293: University Chorus
    • MUS 394: Symphonic Wind Ensemble
    • MUS 395: Concert Choir
    • MUS 396: Jazz Studio Ensemble
    • MUS 397: University Symphony Orchestra

no more than two semesters of MUS 291 and/or 396 can count toward the major ensemble requirement.

Additional course requirements are:

  • MUS 115: Musicianship Lab I
  • MUS 116: Music Theory I
  • MUS 117: Musicianship Lab II
  • MUS 118: Music Theory II
  • MUS 119: Introduction to the Music Profession
  • MUS 169: Percussion Methods
  • MUS 170: Guitar Methods
  • MUS 173: Voice Methods
  • MUS 175: String Methods
  • MUS 177: Woodwind Methods
  • MUS 179: Brass Methods
  • MUS 215: Musicianship Lab III
  • MUS 216: Music Theory III
  • MUS 217: Musicianship Lab IV
  • MUS 218: Music Theory IV
  • MUS 220: Music as Global Culture
  • MUS 222: History of Classical Music 900-1900
  • MUS 235: Introduction to Music Teaching
  • MUS 239: Music, Gesture & Sound
  • MUS 322: Genre as Identity in 20th and 21st Century Music
  • MUS 311: Choral Conducting Lab
  • MUS 312: Instrumental Conducting Lab
  • MUS 416: Form and Analysis or MUS 417: Orchestration

Professional Education (30 credits):

Students pursuing the music education option must apply for admission to the teacher certification program through the School of Education.

Required courses are:

  • MUS 340: Ensemble Methods and Materials
  • MUS 376: Field Experience in Elementary Music Education
  • MUS 476: Field Experience in Secondary Music Education
  • EDC 250: Supervised Preprofessional Field Experience
  • EDC 484: Supervised Student Teaching
  • EDC 485: Seminar in Teaching

The piano proficiency examinations or MUS 171, 172, 271 and 272 and all courses required for the music education option must be successfully completed before supervised student teaching seminar (EDC 485). Prior to the semester of student teaching, URI requires students to take a certification test for the state in which they plan to teach and submit their scores to your faculty advisor and the Office of Teacher Education. See your faculty advisor for support and guidance related to certification tests.

Teacher candidates will need to complete all state requirements for licensure, including licensure testing, prior to certification in any state.

Six credits of professional electives with a minimum of 3 credits from:

  • EDC 102: Introduction to American Education
  • EDC 103G: Education and Social Justice
  • EDC 312: The Psychology of Learning
  • EDC 402: The Education of Special Needs Students
  • PSY 113: General Psychology
  • PSY 232: Developmental Psychology
  • HDF 200: Life Span Development I
  • HDF 201: Life Span Development II

Up to 3 credits may be selected from:

  • MUS 136: Music Therapy Overview
  • MUS 256: Somatic Education for Musicians
  • MUS 311: Choral Conducting Lab or MUS 312: Instrumental Conducting Lab

Licensure and Certification

Individuals seeking state licensure will need to complete ALL certification requirements prior to certification, including meeting all licensure testing requirements. All states have multiple requirements for teacher licensure, often including (1) the completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program, (2) specific licensure tests, and (3) other requirements. In completing a teacher preparation program at URI, you will have met the requirement of completing a state-approved teacher preparation program (requirement 1). Teacher candidates will need to complete all state requirements for licensure, including licensure testing, prior to certification in any state. Please see the links below for more information on certification requirements.

URI Licensure Testing Policy
Information for Current Students
RIDE Testing Requirements
ETS Resources

Test Preparation Resources and Tips

Curriculum Materials Library (CML) Resources
General ETS Praxis Information

Out-Of-State Certification

In accordance with the 2019 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, URI hereby discloses only that the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure in the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Maryland. The applicable licensing board in these states may impose additional requirements on candidates prior to granting a license (e.g., passing of an exam; obtaining a certificate; performing additional clinical/practicum hours; etc.), and we encourage you to investigate those requirements with your licensing board. URI has not determined whether the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure in any other states or territories and we encourage you to investigate the requirements in your state or territory.

The best place to find licensure information is on the Department of Education’s website of the state where you plan to pursue licensure. You can also find useful information on general teacher licensure websites, such as Certification Map and Teach.com.