Program Overview

BMus in Music Education

The Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from the University of Illinois Chicago prepares students to become leaders in education. The program requires supervised field experiences with students in schools, and field experience hours are included as course assignments in specified courses.

Degree Requirements

To earn a BMus in Music Education degree, students need to complete university, college, and school degree requirements. Students should consult the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

GPA and Student Teaching Requirements

• Consistent with requirements within the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts, students in the School of Theatre and Music must have at least a 2.00/4.00 GPA in all work taken in the major field, and in all work accepted for transfer by the university.
• Student teaching in music is completed through courses (MUS 466 and MUS 467) during the Spring semester of the student’s last year.
• Minimum requirements for student teaching include senior standing; 3.00/4.00 GPA in the professional coursework; grade of C or higher in all coursework required for licensure; satisfactory completion of fieldwork as assessed by university field instructors with input from school mentor teachers.
• Additional criteria for student teaching include approval of the program faculty through the sophomore interview, commitment to the Council on Teacher Education (CTE) Conceptual Framework, development of a Teaching Portfolio, and passing of any state tests required for licensure.

Course List

Course List Code | Title | Hours
---|---|---
Summary of Requirements|
General and Basic Education Requirements| 24
Major Requirements| 97
DLG 120| UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only)| 1
Total Hours| 122

General and Basic Education Requirements

All students must complete a total of 24 hours of General Education courses, with at least one course completed in each of the categories below. Since two courses for the BMus in Music Education major can be applied toward this requirement, students will select an additional 18 hours of General Education courses.

Course List Code | Title | Hours
---|---|---
ENGL 160| Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts| 3
ENGL 161| Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research| 3
General Education Courses|
All students must complete a total of 24 hours of General Education courses, with at least one course completed in each of the categories below. Since two courses (6 hours) for the BMus in Music Education major can be applied toward this requirement, students will select an additional 18 hours of General Education courses. a| 18
Analyzing the Natural World course b|
Exploring World Cultures course b|
Understanding the Creative Arts course b|
Understanding the Individual and Society course b|
Understanding the Past course b|
Understanding U.S. Society course b|
Total Hours| 24

Major Requirements

Course List Code | Title | Hours
---|---|---
Music Education Core (10 hours)|
MUS 324| Music Teaching in Ensemble Settings| 3
MUS 325| Participatory and Digital Music Practices (9-12)| 3
MUS 326| Teaching Music to Children (P/K-8)| 4
Music Education Selectives|
Selective A: Select five of the following:| 5
MUS 161| Teaching and Learning Brass|
MUS 162| Teaching and Learning Jazz|
MUS 163| Teaching and Learning Percussion|
MUS 164| Teaching Popular Music|
MUS 165| Teaching and Learning Strings|
MUS 166| Teaching and Learning Voice|
MUS 167| Teaching and Learning Woodwinds|
MUS 168| Banda, Mariachi, & Salsa|
Selective B: Select one of the following:| 2
MUS 340| Choral Music Methods and Materials|
MUS 341| Instrumental Music Methods and Materials|
Music History Selectives|
Selective A: Select two of the following:| 6
BLST 262| Black Cultural Studies a,b|
MUS 114| Jazz History a,c|
MUS 118| American Popular Music since 1850 a,c|
MUS 127| Latin American Music a,d|
MUS 227| Music Cultures of the World a,d|
MUS 240| Music, Gender and Culture a,e|
Selective B: Select one of the following:| 3
MUS 231| History of Western Music II: Music of the Baroque and Classical Periods|
MUS 232| History of Western Music III: Music from Romanticism through the Present|
Music Core (47 hours)|
MUS 101| Music Theory I| 3
MUS 102| Music Theory II| 3
MUS 103| Ear Training I| 1
MUS 104| Ear Training II| 1
Ensemble: Primary Area - Select one Ensemble course from the list below (7 semesters)| 7
Ensemble: Secondary Area - Select a second Ensemble course from the list below (1 semester)| 1
Ensemble Courses:|
MUS 150| Vocal Jazz Ensemble|
MUS 151| Concert Band|
MUS 153| University Choir|
MUS 154| Chamber Choir|
MUS 155| Treble Choir|
MUS 157| University Orchestras|
MUS 159| Jazz Ensemble|
MUS 160| Small Jazz Ensemble|
MUS 152| Instrumental Ensembles (2 semesters)| 2
MUS 170| Keyboard Skills I| 2
MUS 180| Private Instrumental Lessons (primary instrument; 7 semesters)| 14
MUS 180| Private Instrumental Lessons (secondary instrument; 1 semester)| 2
MUS 201| Theory of Music III| 3
MUS 202| Theory of Music IV| 3
MUS 203| Ear Training III| 1
MUS 204| Ear Training IV| 1
MUS 304| Conducting| 3
Professional Education (24 hours)|
ED 100| Introduction to Urban Education b,e| 3
EPSY 255| Child Development in Contemporary Society| 3
MUS 350| Music Classrooms for All Learners| 3
MUS 351| Assessment in Music Classrooms| 3
MUS 465| Teaching Music to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students| 4
MUS 466| Music Student Teaching in Grades PreK-8 with Seminar| 4
MUS 467| Music Student Teaching in Grades 9-12 with Seminar| 4
Total Hours| 97

Sample Course Schedule

Plan of Study Grid First Year

Fall Semester| Hours
Ensemble: Primary Area (1 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (1 of 7) | 2
MUS 101 | Music Theory I | 3
MUS 103 | Ear Training I | 1
MUS 170 | Keyboard Skills I | 2
DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar | 1
ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3
General Education course | 3
| Hours| 16
Spring Semester
Ensemble: Primary Area (2 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (2 of 7) | 2
MUS 102 | Music Theory II | 3
MUS 104 | Ear Training II | 1
ED 100 | Introduction to Urban Education | 3
Music History Selective A - BLST 262, MUS 114, MUS 118, MUS 127, MUS 227, or MUS 240 | 3
ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3
| Hours| 16
Second Year
Fall Semester
Ensemble: Primary Area (3 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 152 | Instrumental Ensembles (1 of 2) | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (3 of 7) | 2
MUS 201 | Theory of Music III | 3
MUS 203 | Ear Training III | 1
EPSY 255 | Child Development in Contemporary Society | 3
Music History Selective A - BLST 262, MUS 114, MUS 118, MUS 127, MUS 227, or MUS 240 | 3
General Education course a | 3
| Hours| 17
Spring Semester
Ensemble: Primary Area (4 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 152 | Instrumental Ensembles (2 of 2) | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (4 of 7) | 2
MUS 202 | Theory of Music IV | 3
MUS 204 | Ear Training IV | 1
Music History Selective B - MUS 231 or MUS 232 | 3
General Education course | 3
General Education course | 3
| Hours| 17
Third Year
Fall Semester
Ensemble: Primary Area (5 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (5 of 7) | 2
Music Education Selective A (1 of 5) | 1
MUS 304 | Conducting | 3
MUS 325 | Participatory and Digital Music Practices | 3
MUS 350 | Music Classrooms for All Learners | 3
General Education course | 3
| Hours| 16
Spring Semester
Ensemble: Primary Area (6 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
Ensemble: Secondary Area (1 of 1) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (6 of 7) | 2
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (secondary instrument) | 2
Music Education Selective A (2 of 5) | 1
Music Education Selective A (3 of 5) | 1
Music Education Selective B (1 of 1) - MUS 340 or MUS 341 | 2
MUS 324 | Music Teaching in Ensemble Settings | 3
MUS 351 | Assessment in Music Classrooms | 3
| Hours| 16
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
Ensemble: Primary Area (7 of 7) - MUS 150, MUS 151, MUS 153, MUS 154, MUS 155, MUS 157, MUS 159, or MUS 160 | 1
MUS 180 | Private Instrumental Lessons (7 of 7) | 2
Music Education Selective A (4 of 5) | 1
Music Education Selective A (5 of 5) | 1
MUS 326 | Teaching Music to Children | 4
MUS 465 | Teaching Music to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students | 4
General Education course | 3
| Hours| 16
Spring Semester
MUS 466 | Music Student Teaching in Grades PreK-8 with Seminar | 4
MUS 467 | Music Student Teaching in Grades 9-12 with Seminar | 4
| Hours| 8
| Total Hours| 122

• To be recommended for licensure, candidates are required to maintain a UIC cumulative grade-point average of 2.50, content area (music courses) GPA of 2.75, and professional education course GPA of 3.00. Candidates will be able to consult the Music Education Handbook, their advisor, or the Council on Teacher Education for a listing of courses used to compute these grade-point averages.