Rutgers Music

Music Education

Rules And Procedures For All Students

In addition to their enrollment in the Mason Gross School of the Arts and their affiliation with one of the residential colleges, students in the Music Education program must also be affiliated with the Graduate School of Education (GSE), which is the only agency at Rutgers that can recommend students for New Jersey teacher certification. Application is made to the Office of Teacher Education (OTE) at the GSE, normally at the end of the first year in the program.

The Music Education program is different from any of the other education majors at Rutgers. Many of the normal policies of the OTE do not apply to music students. Whenever there is doubt over some policy or procedure, students should consult with the Music Education faculty rather than with the OTE.

Academic Standing

Students must have a grade point average of 2.75 or higher in order to apply for and complete Student Teaching. This requirement is established by state law and is therefore not flexible. In view of this requirement, students must have a G.P.A. of at least 2.75 at the time of the Music Education Advisory Review (see below) in order to continue in the program without probation.

Music Education Advisory Review (MEAR)

The progress of each student in the Music Education program will be evaluated during the second semester of the sophomore year. The review normally takes place near the end of the semester, often during final exams.

Each student is evaluated in terms of commitment to the profession, professionalism, communication abilities, and teaching aptitude. The following measures are used: a survey of the music faculty, the student's transcript, the grade achieved in Foundations of Music Education (07:700:210), and the evaluation report from the sophomore pre-student teaching experience. In addition, each student is interviewed by the Music Education faculty. Students must have a G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher. The MEAR will result in one of the following actions:

Dismissal from the program as a result of the MEAR is considered an Artistic Dismissal and may not be appealed.

Artistic Standing

Evaluation of each student's artistic progress is a separate process. Students must successfully complete all jury and recital requirements and must achieve grades of B or better in their lessons in order to remain in good standing (see the rules governing Artistic Probation And Dismissal).

Although students are expected to perform regularly, the only formal requirement is that each student perform a significant work at Music Assembly no later than the junior year. A senior recital is not required. Students who wish to perform a recital are encouraged to do so, with the approval of the performance instructor.

Teaching Experiences

Students are required to complete a series of teaching experiences in K-12 schools as part of the certification process. Three of these experiences occur prior to student teaching itself. Normally students are not allowed to be in the same school for more than one experience. Students are not allowed to teach in the school system they attended.

I. Pre-Student Teaching (Intern Teaching)

The pre-student teaching experiences are normally completed in correlation with the required courses in Music Education. The experience includes both observation of teaching and some actual teaching, to be completed outside of normal class time. Policies on grading are provided prior to each experience in the relevant course. The required courses and corresponding experiences are as follows:

For further details concerning these pre-student teaching experiences, see the year-by-year Sequence Of Requirements.

II. Student Teaching

Student Teaching is the primary activity in the last semester of study; students work full-time in the schools during the entire semester, including during exam week. An orientation session is held the week before the semester begins.

Because music teachers receive certification to teach both elementary and secondary levels, student teachers at Rutgers are required to student teach at both levels. Therefore, most student teachers in music have two cooperating teachers, one at each level of instruction. Normally students spend half a semester with each cooperating teacher.

Students must apply for student teaching during the year prior to the experience. The application is normally made in the second semester of the junior year, in early February. The necessary steps are:

  1. Obtain application forms, which are available from <%medir%>.
  2. Seek advice from the Music Education faculty about placement in your area of specialization (choral/general or instrumental).
  3. Return the forms to <%medir%>.
  4. <%medir%> submits the forms to the Office of Teacher Education at the Graduate School of Education.
  5. The OTE coordinates the placement procedures and notifies the student about final placement. In most cases students will have to be interviewed by the host school district prior to final approval.

The Sequence Of Requirements For Music Education Students

The required coursework in Music Education, and the usual distribution of these courses by semester, is shown in the curriculum pages:

Students should complete the required courses in writing and mathematics during the first year. Moreover, failure to take math in the first year may mean that you have to retake the placement exam.

Here is a closer description of the steps required of Music Education students:

First year: second semester
All Music Ed majors take Intro to Music Education (700:110).
Second year: first semester
In this semester, students take Foundations of Music Education (700:210), which is offered only in the fall semester. As part of this class, students must complete a 20-hour pre-student teaching experience that is done outside of class time. This should be done in 1.5 to 3 hour blocks, one day per week, during the entire semester. As part of each visit, students must maintain a time log on a form that is provided by the Music Department.
Students must have a Mantoux test (or its equivalent) performed prior to actual school visits. The doctor must use a form provided by Rutgers; this form must be given to the school that is visited, and a copy must be sent to the OTE.
At the end of the pre-student teaching experience, cooperating teachers complete an evaluation form. It is the student's responsibility to make sure that the cooperating teacher sends both the evaluation and the time log to the OTE. The student should send a letter of thanks to the cooperating teacher after the experience is completed.
While in Foundations of Music Education, students apply for admission into the teacher certification program. This is done through the Office of Teacher Education (OTE). See <%medir%> to obtain forms.
Second year: second semester
In this semester, students undergo the Music Education Advisory Review (MEAR). The actual timing of the MEAR varies from year to year, but it normally takes place near the end of the semester, often during the final examination period.
It is strongly recommended that the Keyboard Proficiency Examination be taken by the end of the second year.
Third year: first semester
As part of the Materials and Methods in Elementary School Music course (07:700:381), the student will complete a 20-hour pre-student teaching experience. The procedure is the same as the one described for Foundations of Music Education (Second year: first semester, see above).
The course called Music Education Lab (700:386) will be offered in the Fall semester of every year, but the focus alternates between choral and instrumental from one year to the next (F2008 choral, F2009 instrumental, etc). If the Music Ed Lab appropriate to your concentration is offered in the Fall semester of your third year, you should take it. If not, you should take one of the Special Topics courses and then take Music Ed Lab in the Fall semester of your fourth year.
Third year: second semester
Students complete another 20-hour pre-student teaching experience during this semester. Vocal/general majors will be enrolled in Materials and Methods in Secondary Choral Music (700:382); instrumental majors will be enrolled in Materials and Methods in Instrumental Music Education (700:384). The procedure is the same as the one described for Foundations of Music Education (Second year: first semester, see above).
During the year prior to the student teaching experience (normally the second semester of the third year in March), students must apply for student teaching. The procedure is described in the section on student teaching.
Students must perform in Music Assembly during the junior year. Students are encouraged to remind their performance teachers of this requirement.
Fourth year: first semester
In this semester students will take Music Education Lab (if it was not offered in the Fall semester of the third year) and any remaining Special Topics courses. Note that vocal/general majors are required to take a total of three Special Topics courses and instrumental majors are required to take two.
Fourth year: second semester
Student teaching is the primary activity in the last semester of study; students work full-time in the schools during the entire semester. An orientation session is held during the week before the semester starts.
The Keyboard Proficiency Examination must be completed prior to student teaching.
There are several steps that must be taken during this semester to obtain certification. The details of these requirements are covered in the Seminar for Student Teachers (07:700:480). Here is a summary:
  1. Schedule and take the Music Praxis Examination in music. The test must be taken during the year in which certification is requested. Students are responsible for the examination costs. Test dates and informational brochures are available from <%medir%>.
  2. Apply for certification through the OAS. There is a fee for this service.
  3. Students who have taken no course in biology must take and pass the Physiology and Hygiene Test that is administered by the OTE. (This applies primarily to transfer students or graduate students who have previously completed courses in another science department. Undergraduates who do the entire Music Education program at MGSA should take a biology course to satisfy this certification requirement.)

Click here for more on student teaching.
Keep in mind that if you intend to teach in another state you must be certified in that state. New Jersey has 'reciprocity' with some other states. Anyone seeking employment in another state should write to that state's office of teacher certification for information and instructions for obtaining certification. The OAS will confirm the completion of the New Jersey approved program offered by Rutgers. Other states may have different certification requirements. It is important to find out about them as early as possible, since in many instances these requirements can be completed at Rutgers.

See Full Index
TOP of Music Student Handbook
[send updates to: preid@rci.rutgers.edu]