Music Program Capstone Assessments

All music students undertake program-specific components in their senior year. The nature of these undertakings emphasizes personal responsibility and independent professional development.

Student Teaching: B.Mus. in Music Education students are required to complete a full semester of supervised student teaching with an associated seminar, EDU 3387: Student Teaching and Seminar: Music Education. They are placed in both an elementary placement (grades preschool through upper elementary) and a secondary placement (middle school or high school). Student teachers work with an on-site cooperating teacher and are supervised by college faculty. Students typically participate in general music, choral music, and/or instrumental music environments. One of the student teaching placements must be in an urban setting and the other in a suburban setting. Assessment is made based upon on site evaluations, cooperating teacher recommendation and a series of rubrics based assessments undertaken in the seminar. Topics for assessment and associated rubrics include the following:

  • Reaching the expectations of the profession and of the School of Education.
  • Writing curriculum with reference to national and state standards.
  • Writing a personal philosophy of the teaching and learning of music.
  • Working through pedagogical process and materials.
  • Knowledge and application of vocal and instrumental pedagogy.

Internship Seminar: Students in the B.A. in Music Business program undertake a semester of supervised internship associated with a seminar. Students are responsible for finding, and participating in an internship at a placement associated with the music industry. Students will be evaluated by an onsite supervisor and a faculty member, and will be required to submit an ongoing log of activities to the faculty member. As part of the seminar assignment for the course, students research current controversial issues in the music business, document findings in a paper, and present to the class.