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.

Certification eligibility requirements

Completion of certification requirements is a four-step process. Students who receive a certification recommendation must meet the standards for certification eligibility as outlined below:

1. Requirements for Eligibility to Enroll in Professional Education Courses: Before a student can enroll in the introductory methods courses (ECE 304, ELE 302, KIN 200, MUS 200, SEC 302, or SPE 310), the student must:
   1. Meet with academic advisor to determine whether completion of EDC 150 transfer section is required. Note: For Agriculture Education, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Music Education, Physical Education, and Special Education majors, competency is covered in major requirements.
   2. Complete Missouri Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Service (MOVECHS) FBI Fingerprinting Background Check prior to any clinical experience placement. For more information, refer to Compliance Documents Required for Practicum, Internship or Student Teaching.

2. Requirements for Admission to and Continuance in the Teacher Education Program: Students who plan to complete teacher certification requirements must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Eligibility is automatically monitored when enrolling in EDC 150 transfer section, ECE 304, ELE 302, KIN 200, MUS 200, SEC 302, or SPE 310. Admission to the Program is required before students are allowed to begin additional courses in the professional education component (with the exception of EDT 365 which may be taken concurrently with EDC 345, ELE 302, SEC 302, or SPE 310).
   
   The criteria used to determine admission to the Teacher Education Program are outlined below. In addition to having completed at least 45 semester hours (secondary and middle school majors) or 30 semester hours (early childhood, elementary, and special education majors) of university coursework, the student must have:
   1. Earned a combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA of 2.75 or higher. A major (certificate subject area) GPA of 2.75 or higher is also required for students in History (Social Science), and a major (certificate subject area) GPA of 3.00 and passing score on the piano proficiency exam are also required for all students in Music education.
   2. Earned a composite score or superscore of 20 or better on the ACT or earned a passing score on all four sub-tests of the Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA).
   3. Earned a grade of “C” or higher in COM 115.
   4. Completed ECE 304, ELE 302, 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 or transfer equivalent for Elementary Education majors.
   5. Completion of Missouri Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Service (MOVECHS) FBI Fingerprinting Background Check prior to any clinical experience placement. For more information, refer to Compliance Documents Required for Practicum, Internship or Student Teaching.
   6. Completed Disposition Checklist 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 the Teacher Education Program is subject to review and change by the EPPC at any time while the student is enrolled. Students should check with their advisor or department head for any additional program specific requirements.