The Peabody Undergraduate Music Education program is designed for the gifted performer who also has a special interest in sharing his or her musical expertise through teaching music in the 21st Century. The aim of the progressive preparation program is to impart to prospective teachers in the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary to the effective teaching of music. Graduates of the program will be certified to teach music K-12 in Maryland and in all other states with which Maryland shares reciprocity.

Music Education students receive the same attention to their musical development (applied study, theory, history) as do students in the performance programs at Peabody and are held to the same standard of excellence. The Music Education program distinguishes itself from other programs at the Conservatory in the following ways:

• a broader experience in the liberal arts, including U.S. history, math and science;
• experience in a variety of musical instruments and in the use of the voice, especially applied to beginning and intermediate instruction; and
• instruction in the learning processes of children at various stages of development and supervised teaching experiences in the local public schools. Music Education students receive highly individualized attention in developing teaching skills as well as the musical development on their major instrument or voice.

The Music Education faculty members at Peabody are themselves former successful elementary and secondary school music teachers with years of experience teaching in a variety of situations. In addition, Peabody draws upon the abundant resources of practicing public and private school teachers in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area through observations, presentations and field training. Since 1984, every Peabody Music Education graduate who has sought a teaching position has obtained one.

Liberal Arts

All students accepted into the Music Education program must fulfill specific liberal arts requirements(30 credits) as mandated by state and national accrediting agencies. After the required Liberal Arts courses (which are taught at Peabody) are completed, students may elect courses in Communications, Sociology, History, Literature, American History, Cultural Anthropology, Foreign Language, Math or Science.

Students who enroll in liberal arts courses at institutions other than Peabody must receive prior approval from the Music Education Division. All AP credits, which may be used toward fulfilling the Liberal Arts Requirement for Music Education students, must have a score of 4 or 5. The Music Education division will make determination of which credits may be accepted as transfer or AP credit and will be responsible for all advising of Music Education Students regarding Liberal Arts requirements.

Qualification for Student Teaching

Prerequisite course work and standards for student teacher placement include:

• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0.
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in music education related courses.
• Successful completion of theory courses through 710.314 (these must be completed prior to the student teaching placement).
• Successful completion of ear-training courses through 710.222 or 710.224.
• Successful completion of keyboard studies through 710.256.
• Successful completion of Brass, Woodwind, Percussion and String methods courses (510.211, 212, 223, 311 – Instrumentalists only).
• Successful completion of at least three semesters of the conducting sequence for choral emphasis students (two choral and one instrumental conducting).
• Successful completion of at least four semesters of the conducting sequence for instrumental emphasis students (two choral and two instrumental conducting).
• Successful completion of appropriate General, Vocal and Instrumental Practicums (510.311, 312 and/or 314, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0).