6. Academic Studies
Students in Baylor's BME Program take extensive coursework in both music and education — all of which is housed in the School of Music. Each student will craft their own journey based on their primary instrument, secondary instrument(s), and ensemble choices. No matter the choices that you make, there are five significant milestones every BME student passes on their way to graduation.
BME Milestones
- Admission/Audition
- To study in the Baylor Music Education program, you must be apply to both Baylor University and the School of Music. Audition dates are chosen on the School of Music application. For more information check out Admissions.
- MUS 1330: Introduction to Music Education must be taken in the spring of a student’s freshman year or the fall of their sophomore year. It serves as a prerequisite for all upper-level music education courses. Transfer students should enroll in this course during their first semester of enrollment at Baylor.
- Music Education Evaluation
- During the second year of study, every BME student undergoes a review process prior to entering upper-level study in the Baylor Music School and for admission into the Teacher Education Program. This evaluation occurs through the MUS 3001 course and is designed to assess our students' musical and academic performance and fitness for continued study towards a BME. The experience is intended to be an honest conversation about each student's future We want every student that graduates from our program to be ready for the joys and challenges that teaching music can bring.
Music Education Evaluation Form
- During the second year of study, every BME student undergoes a review process prior to entering upper-level study in the Baylor Music School and for admission into the Teacher Education Program. This evaluation occurs through the MUS 3001 course and is designed to assess our students' musical and academic performance and fitness for continued study towards a BME. The experience is intended to be an honest conversation about each student's future We want every student that graduates from our program to be ready for the joys and challenges that teaching music can bring.
- Recital
- In the final year of study, all BME students are required to give a 25-minute recital. This recital is the capstone project of a student's applied music study at Baylor, and a wonderful opportunity to showcase the outstanding musicianship learned in years of study. More information on student recitals can be found under section 5 of the Undergraduate Student Handbook.
- Fieldwork in Music Education
- In the semester prior to student teaching, all BME students demonstrate readiness by fulfilling all requirements for the BME degree and toward TEA certification. MUS 4001 Fieldwork in Music Education is the course where you will complete all the procedures and make your student teaching placement requests. It is an exciting time (even if filled with paperwork) to look forward to entering the classroom.
- Student Teaching
- You made it! The final semester of the BME is completed off-campus, in the music classroom of your choosing. Here you will combine everything you have learned in the Music Education Program as the foundation of your student teaching experience. We work with our students as much as possible to provide assignments in line with their career goals. Student teaching takes place either in Waco, or in communities within a 200-mile radius of the Baylor campus. Student teaching is challenging, rewarding, and a big step on your journey as a music educator.
Clinical Teacher Handbook
Cooperating Teacher Handbook
- You made it! The final semester of the BME is completed off-campus, in the music classroom of your choosing. Here you will combine everything you have learned in the Music Education Program as the foundation of your student teaching experience. We work with our students as much as possible to provide assignments in line with their career goals. Student teaching takes place either in Waco, or in communities within a 200-mile radius of the Baylor campus. Student teaching is challenging, rewarding, and a big step on your journey as a music educator.
The Music History sequence in the core music courses required of all music majors consists of four courses that may be completed in any order, but require successful completion of both Theory II and Musicianship II. These courses include:
MUS 3324: The History of Music Before 1600
MUS 3325: The History of Music from 1600 to 1800
MUS 3326: The History of Music from 1800 to World War I
MUS 3327: The History of Music from World War I to Present
The freshman and sophomore Theory and Musicianship sequences are designed to complement each other – meaning Theory I and Musicianship I should be taken concurrently, Theory II and Musicianship II concurrently, etc. Generally, all music majors enrolled in Theory I-IV should be enrolled in the corresponding Musicianship course. A student may, however, enroll in a Theory course while being enrolled in a lower-level Musicianship course if at some point the student’s level of achievement in Musicianship falls behind their level of achievement in Theory. A student may not take a Musicianship course at a higher level than a Theory course – as the Theory course may only be equal or one level greater than the current enrolled Musicianship course. At no time should there be more than one level difference between Theory and Musicianship courses being taken concurrently in a semester term.
Students must achieve a grade of C or higher in the following courses to advance in the academic sequence: MUS 1301, MUS 1101, MUS 1302, MUS 1102, MUS 2301, and MUS 2101.
Theory V is offered each term and offers advanced material and discussion-based topics that require class enrollment sizes to be set to smaller capacities than its predecessors to facilitate student learning and experiences. It is acceptable in some cases to have a “gap” semester between the completion of Theory IV and enrollment in Theory V due to the lower enrollment capacity.
Please note: Because Theory V is a different type of course and not a direct continuation of the material in Theory IV, there is no significant pedagogical disadvantage in having a “gap” semester between Theory IV and Theory V.
MUS 4V80 is a course designed for independent research undertaken by a student under the supervision of one faculty member and is limited to area of study other than applied music. Students wishing to register for MUS 4V80 must submit a “Request for MUS 4V80 – Independent Study” form with required approval signatures to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for final approval. Completed forms must be submitted by the end of the third (3rd) day of class.