Admission Requirements

Becoming a music education major

To begin course work in the field of music education, you initially need to be admitted to Missouri State. Before completing 75 credit hours, you must also be admitted to a degree program.

Admission requirements

The music education program is offered in partnership with the College of Education. You must meet certain admission and certification requirements to continue in the program.

Teacher Education requirements

1. Enroll in an Introductory Professional Education course. Consult your academic advisor to determine the introductory methods courses required in your program (ECE 304, ELE 302, KIN 200, MUS 200, SEC 302, or SPE 310). The student must:
   1. Transfer students should meet with an academic advisor to determine whether EDC 150 is required.
   2. The introductory methods course may require a field experience. If so, you will be required to complete the Missouri Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Service (MOVECHS) wavier and FBI Fingerprinting Background Check prior to any field experience placement. For more information, refer to Compliance Documents Required for Practicum, Internship or Student Teaching.

2. Requirements for Admission to and Continuance in Teacher Education: Students completing teacher certification requirements must be admitted to Teacher Education. Admission to the Program is required. Admission to the Teacher Education is required as a prerequisite to many professional education courses. Criteria used to determine admission to Teacher Education are outlined below.
   1. Met any specific GPA requirements for admission to teacher education as outlined in the undergraduate major.
   2. A combined (Missouri State and transfer) total of at least 45 credit hours for secondary and middle school majors, or 30 credit hours for early childhood, elementary, and special education majors.
   3. A composite score or superscore of 20 or higher on the ACT or a passing score on all four sub-tests of the Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA).
   4. A grade of “C” or higher in COM 115 or have a transfer course transcripted as GEC 103.
   5. Completion of ECE 304, KIN 200, MUS 200, SEC 302, or SPE 310, with a grade of “C” or higher. Note: A grade of "B" or higher is required in ELE 302 for Elementary Education majors. Note: A grade of "B" or higher is required in SPE 310 for Special Education/Cross Categorical majors. A transfer course transcripted as PEU 015 can be substituted for ELE 302 or SEC 302.
   6. Completion of Missouri Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Service (MOVECHS) waiver and FBI Fingerprinting Background Check prior to starting any field experience placement. For more information, refer to Compliance Documents Required for Practicum, Internship or Student Teaching.
   7. Completion of Professionalism Contract and Student Contract.

Music-Instrumental (Comprehensive)

(Certifiable grades K-12)

Music-Vocal/Choral (Comprehensive)

(Certifiable grades K-12)

Admission and audition requirements

Music degrees are designed to develop the student's abilities for performance, public school certification for teaching, private teaching, or composition. These degrees also prepare students for graduate study in music.

Students desiring to pursue a BA, BMus, BME, or BS music major or minor must first audition for a committee of applied faculty in that student’s desired performance area.* This audition should take place during the semester prior to the first semester of enrollment in applied lessons. All students will be required to demonstrate, through successful completion of a Music Theory Entrance Exam, a rudimentary ability to relate musical sound to notation and terminology before beginning the theory and ear-training sequence.

All music majors must apply for formal admission to the degree program. This typically will occur at the end of the sophomore year, and must be completed before the student has finished 75 hours. In order to be admitted to the degree program, students must pass MUS 298, the piano proficiency exam, and have a combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA of at least 2.75 and a combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA of at least 3.00 in Music courses. Students who have not been formally admitted to the degree program will be unable to enroll in 300-level and above applied study.

*Students pursuing the minor in either Composition or Recording Arts are not required to audition in a performance area.

The admission process

To gain full admittance into the music education program, follow the steps below:

1. Declare or change your major to music education by visiting the Academic Advising and Transfer Center, University Hall 109
2. Meet with your assigned advisor to discuss admission requirements and to develop a plan of study
3. Complete the admission requirements listed above, including the C-BASE exam
4. Enroll in SEC 302 to automatically apply for your program

When you declare your major, you will be listed as a pre-major until you satisfy all admission requirements.

Application review

Upon completion of the above requirements, a student’s record is reviewed and submitted to the Educator Preparation Provider Council (EPPC) for admission to Teacher Education. A student’s qualifications for continuance in Teacher Education is subject to review and change by the EPPC at any time while the student is enrolled. Students must consult with their program for specific program requirements.