PhD in Music Education-Course of Study

The Ph.D. in Music Education requires 18 courses (NU units) beyond the masters. Full-time registration is 3 courses per quarter (a 4th course can be taken without extra tuition). Coursework is divided among five categories:

a) Foundations of Music Education

b) Research (methods and types, design and implementation)

c) Music Education Electives (focused study leading to a dissertation, musical studies, special needs and interests).

d) Cognate Field (student’s professional teaching area, related teaching areas).

Foundations in Music Education (2 units)
MUSIC ED 421 Philosophical Bases of Music Education
MUSIC ED 422 Curriculum Development in Music Education

Research in Music Education (3 units)
MUSIC ED 423 Paradigms and Processes of Research in Music Education
MUSIC ED 424 Qualitative Research in Music Education
MUSIC ED 425 Quantitative Research in Music Education

Music Education Electives (choose 3)
MUS_GRAD 401-3 Proseminar in Music and the Academy
MUSIC_ED 430 Seminar in General Music Education
MUSIC_ED 432 Seminar in Instrumental Music Education
MUSIC_ED 436 Seminar on Music in Higher Education
MUSIC_ED 437 Psychology of Music Teaching & Learning
MUSIC_ED 438 Creative Thinking in Music
MUSIC_ED 441 Professional Practicum
MUSIC_ED 463 Teaching High School Non-Performance

Cognate Field (3 units)
In addition to completing the unified Ph.D. core, foundations courses in music education, and research offerings, all students will be required to take three 300- or 400-level courses outside the School of Music in an approved cognate area. Students whose work touches fields such as cognitive psychology, learning sciences, performance studies, comparative literature, linguistics, cultural anthropology, African studies, acoustics, film, or dance will be encouraged to take enough work in that field so as to develop meaningful intellectual connections and depth of understanding.

The Graduate School Cluster and Certificate Programs
While PhD music education students are not required to participate in one of the TGS Clusters or Certificates, this program is available to music education PhD students.