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.
  1. 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)

Bachelor of Music Education

(Certifiable grades K-12)

Music-Vocal/Choral (Comprehensive)

Bachelor of Music Education

(Certifiable grades K-12)

Music-Vocal/Choral

Bachelor of Music Education

(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.

Admission to Teacher Education

Application to Teacher Education is automatic upon completion of MUS 200 and is contingent upon completion of requirements. Admission to Teacher Education is required before students are allowed to enroll in additional courses in the professional education component. The criteria below are used to determine admission to Teacher Education.

  1. Completion of 45 credit hours.
  2. Combined GPA (Missouri State and transfer) of 2.75 or higher.
  3. Combined GPA (Missouri State and transfer) of 3.00 or higher in the major requirements (music content).
  4. Piano proficiency passed.
  5. Completion of COM 115, MUS 148, and MUS 200 with a grade of “C” or higher and MUS 298 with a grade of “P”.
  6. ​​​​​​​Earned a composite score or superscore​​​​​​​ of 20 or higher on the ACT or earned passing scores on all four sub-sets of the Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA). Refer to the MoGEA website for details.
  7. Completion of Transition Point One.
  8. Approval of the Educator Preparation Provider Council.

Major requirements (60 hours):

All students must be admitted to Teacher Education and to Supervised Teaching in order to earn this degree. The curriculum for music education leads to the degree of Bachelor of Music Education and carries with it an Initial Professional Certificate (IPC) to teach in the state of Missouri.

Note: A grade of "C" or better is required in all Music courses counted toward the major.

  1. Music Theory (14 hours): MUS 103(3), 104(3), 203(3), 204(3), 315(2).
  2. Music History/Literature (9 hours): MUS 239(3), 345(3), 346(3).
  3. Conducting (4 hours): MUS 321(2), 322(2).
  4. Diction (2 hours): MUS 294(1), 295(1).
  5. Vocal Pedagogy and Materials (3 hours): MUS 530(3).
  6. Music Education Elective (2 hours): Select from: MUS 131(1), 141(1), 142(1), 144(1), 145(1), 146(1), 216(2), 219(2), 327(2).
  7. Piano (3 hours – may be waived by examination): MUS 137(1), 138(1), 237(1).
  8. Choral Arranging (2 hours): MUS 518(2).
  9. Applied Music (14 hours): MUS 498(2), and 12 additional hours from MUS 153(2), 253(2), 353(2), 453(2).
  10. Recital Attendance: MUS 107(0), 108(0), 207(0), 208(0), 307(0), 308(0), 407(0).
  11. Upper Division Applied Status: MUS 298(0).
  12. Large Ensemble (7 hours): As determined by audition. Full-time students shall be in one of the following vocal ensembles, in their certification emphasis, each semester except the supervised teaching semester, until graduation (a minimum of seven hours must show on the completed transcript): MUS 161(1), 361(1), 561(1); MUS 162(1), 362(1); MUS 163(1), 363(1); MUS 168(1), 368(1).
  13. Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion of MUS 488(2) and 496(5).

Professional Education requirements (37 hours):

Note: A grade of "C" or better in each course is required for state certification.

  1. Introduction to Music Teaching (2 hours): MUS 148(2).
  2. Principles and General Methods of Music Education (3 hours): MUS 200(3).
  3. Adaptive Music for Special Learners (2 hours): MUS 340(2).
  4. Introduction to Multicultural Education and Diversity (3 hours): EDC 345(3).
  5. Educational Psychology (3 hours): PSY 360(3).
  6. Reading and Writing in the Content Fields (3 hours): LTC 474(3).
  7. Music in Early Childhood and the Elementary School (3 hours): MUS 430(3).
  8. Middle Childhood and Preadolescent Vocal Methods and Material: Vocal (3 hours): MUS 410(3).
  9. Adolescent and Early Adult Choral/Vocal Literature and Materials for Secondary Levels: Vocal (3 hours): MUS 510(3).
  10. Student Teaching Seminar (2 hours): MUS 488(2).
  11. Supervised Teaching (10 hours): MUS 494(5), 496(5).
  12. At least a 3.00 combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA with no grade lower than a "C" in Professional Education requirements.
  13. At least a 3.00 combined (Missouri State and transfer) GPA with no grade lower than a "C" in major requirements.
  14. Additionally Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MoDESE) certification rules require the following:
    1. Completed degree in music education.
    2. Attainment of all Missouri Teacher Education Requirements in effect at the time of certification.
    3. Successful completion of Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA) as established by MoDESE.

University level requirements:

  1. General Education Program and Requirements
  2. General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Applied music courses

Amount of credit for each course is determined by the Music Department at registration. All applied music courses may be repeated for credit. Applied music courses: 149, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 249, 251, 252, 253, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 349, 351, 352, 353, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 398, 449, 451, 452, 453, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 498, 649, 651, 652, 653, 655, 656, 657, 660, 749, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 757, 760, 798.

Ensembles

All ensemble courses may be repeated for credit. Only eight hours of ensembles can be counted toward a degree. Ensembles courses: MUS 161, 162, 163, 168, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 178, 192, 193, 280, 361, 362, 363, 368, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 380, 392, 393, 480, 561, 563.

Diploma in Applied Music

A diploma recital may be given by Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music Education majors. Based on excellence in performance, this departmental diploma is granted upon recommendation of the Department of Music. It is not granted to those receiving the Bachelor of Music degree since excellence in performance is evident in the awarding of this degree. Contact the department for more information.

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.

Schedule your audition

Additional audition information

Audition dates are announced in the fall of each academic year. At that time you will have an opportunity to do all of the following: audition with the faculty of your interest area(s), audition with the ensemble director(s) of your interest area(s), take a theory placement exam, take a campus tour arranged with the admissions office, and observe a concert chorale rehearsal, if you are a vocalist.

The audition with the area faculty is for acceptance as a music major, placement into an applied studio, and consideration for any area scholarships that might be available. The audition with the ensemble director(s) is for acceptance into one or more ensembles and consideration for talent awards and/or band grants.