Music education courses
The following outlines advising notes for music education courses and requirements for obtaining the teacher licensure with an endorsement in music.
Ensemble requirements
Choral
- Large ensemble: 7 credits.
Instrumental
- Large ensemble: 7 credits.
- Small ensemble: 3 credits.
Performing medium, achievement level and recital
All music education majors must complete:
- 18 credits of the principal performance medium.
- 4 credits of the secondary performance medium (1 credit maximum per semester).
Secondary medium
Choral
- Voice majors must select piano as their secondary medium.
- Piano majors must select voice as their secondary medium.
Instrumental
- It is strongly recommended that the secondary medium be from a different instrument family. A waiver may be granted by the director of music education and the student’s adviser.
All music education majors must earn Achievement Level VI. A minimum of one level must be achieved every two semesters.
All music education majors must successfully complete a junior recital. Completion of APPM 273 (keyboard skills) and all other departmental requirements must occur before permission is granted for the recital. The junior recital must be completed prior to student teaching (recommended in the spring of the third year).
Class instrument methods
Music education methods course work in class instruments cannot be substituted with applied study on a particular instrument. The courses required are:
Choral
- APPM 181 Class Lessons in Strings
- APPM 183-184 Class Lessons in Woodwinds
- APPM 185 Class Lessons in Brass
- APPM 187 Class Lessons in Percussion
- APPM 195 Class Lessons in Guitar
Instrumental
- APPM 181 Class Lessons in Strings
- APPM 183-184 Class Lessons in Woodwinds
- APPM 185 Class Lessons in Brass
- APPM 187 Class Lessons in Percussion
- APPM 193 Class Lessons in Voice
- APPM 195 Class Lessons in Guitar
Music education sequence
The final course work in music education follows a prescribed sequence beginning in the fall of the third year. Students must proceed in this sequence as follows:
MUED 380 Introduction to Music Education – to be taken in the fall of the third year. This course involves a 30-hour practicum.
- Prerequisite – Successfully passed Praxis I (Reading: 178, Writing: 176, Math: 178; or combined score of 532) or appropriate SAT scores (minimum of 530 on both verbal and math, and a combined 1100).
MUED 381 Methods and Practicum in Elementary Music Education – taken in the spring of the third year. This course involves a 30-hour practicum.
- Prerequisite – MUED 380.
MUED 382 Secondary Methods/Practicum and Rehearsal Techniques – taken in the fall of the fourth year. This course involves a 30-hour practicum.
- Prerequisite – MUED 381, APPM 381.
TEDU 485 and 486 Directed Student Teaching I and II – taken in the spring of the fourth year.
- Prerequisite – MUED 382, junior recital, overall GPA of 2.5 and a 3.0 GPA in music education courses.
Teacher licensure
The commonwealth of Virginia requires the following assessments for teacher licensure:
- Praxis I – taken and passed prior to beginning the music education sequence.
- Praxis II (Music Content) – taken in the final semester.
- Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment – taken in the final semester.
Endorsements
VCU offers an approved program leading to the Virginia collegiate teaching certificate in music, PK-12, with an endorsement in either choral or instrumental music.
This endorsement is based on the student’s major applied medium:
Choral
- Allied major: voice or piano.
Instrumental
- Applied major: wind instruments, percussion, orchestral strings or guitar.
