What is Music Education? Learn about the Online Master of Music in Music Education

hand playing clarinet

Kent State University’s Glauser School is a leader in music education. It is the home to the largest 100% online Master of Music in Music Education program (MMME) in the United States.

Today, the online MMME boasts over 680 graduates from all 50 states.

What is Music Education?

The question of ‘what is music education?’ conjures up many images: students in ensembles performing together with a teacher directing; students sitting at computers with earbuds in and dragging and dropping loops in a program to create their own music, or individual students singing or playing in rehearsal or performing with a teacher guiding them.

Music education is each of these scenarios and so much more. Teachers, who have dedicated their careers to lifelong learning about better methods and practices of teaching music, also are creating visions of what music education CAN be.

Twenty-first-century music education researchers (who invariably are musicians and teachers themselves) envision and implement new methods and curricula for students. They build on the idea that the power of music lies in the creative, social, and cognitive benefits of music in young people’s lives.

The premise that all children are musical empowers post-secondary music education students to make a difference in communities by manifesting their love for young people and music into the mission of helping children find their voices. Whether they will become a clarinet player in a community band after college, pursue a career on Broadway, or be a knowledgeable advocate of live and recorded music, music educators support their students through guidance, coaching, listening, and collaboration.

Fostering a connection between kids and music is precisely what the Kent State Masters of Music in music education degree is about. Taking a deeper dive into the philosophy of music education and its evolving history frames the perspective for new graduate students. Tying in the psychosocial aspects of music learning with practical methods of curricular delivery helps our graduates become leaders in their education communities and beam light back to our program.

Find out how you can be on your path to self-discovery as a leader in music education by investigating our program.

Why Kent State University?

Kent State University is synonymous with music education. Some of the leading voices in the field have earned degrees here. We are dedicated to helping you design a program that provides you with exciting new perspectives in your teaching right from the beginning.

With this degree, you will have the opportunity to focus your course of study on the aspects of music teaching that are most relevant to your career now and in the future. A master’s degree opens up opportunities to teach post-secondary institutions or apply for further doctoral study in music education or a related field. This degree in music education may also help you climb the salary scale, and it may qualify you for leadership positions within your school, district, and state.

In 2019, the MMME program was recognized for Outstanding Student Support Services by BestColleges.com.The program is also currently listed in the top 20 programs in the country for online music education by OnlineMasters.com.

Kent State University Online Master of Music in Music Education

The Online Master of Music in Music Education is designed to offer music teachers the opportunity to develop and refine their professional skills. The degree program allows for enhancement and specialization relative to music teaching and learning in contemporary school contexts. The program does not provide licensure and is constructed for those who have a music education background and the desire to improve the student and teacher experience in music classroom settings.

Flexibility and innovation are built into the program. The curriculum continues to evolve as the needs of music educators change, offering flexibility in tailoring each student’s program by including new course options in general, choral and early childhood education, rock band, jazz, and more. New courses are continually in development to meet the needs of 21st-century educators. Topics covered in class are immediately applicable to each student’s classroom.

This program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

For more information on Kent State’s Online Master of Music in Music Education degree, visit https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/degrees/master-of-music-in-music-education

Dr. Christopher J. Venesile is Associate Professor of Choral Music Education at Kent State University. where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, coordinates the 100% Online Master’s of Music in Music Education degree, and directs the new Kent State University Nova Jazz Singers, which serves, in part, as the vocal ensemble component for the new Jazz Minor.
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