2018-2019 Brenau University Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Brenau University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Music Education (B.A.)


Career Opportunities  Teaching in public and private institutions, performing, church music positions, professional opportunities, preparation for graduate studies.

Course of Study  In addition to a selection of education courses, a degree in music education shall consist of 67 hours in music courses, including 14 hours in a concentration (applied classes in ones major instrument that are to be selected from voice, piano, or accompanying), 4 hours in a minor instrument, successful completion of piano proficiency exams, successful completion (earning a C or better) in all music and professional education courses. Students must complete all of the above requirements before student teaching. Students will present a senior recital prior to the semester in which they student teach. Full-time students must register for a performing ensemble each semester they are enrolled as assigned by the director of music. Students must be accepted into the teacher education program by the School of Education and must complete the specified teacher education sequence. Students should consult their advisor for details and review the Criteria for Admission to Teacher Education in the College of Education Section of this catalog. After successful completion of appropriate standardized teacher examination(s), music education graduates may earn a teaching Certificate which will qualify them to teach grades K-12. No overload fees will be changed when the total semester credits exceed 18 as the result of ensemble participation. All music majors are required to attend a designated number of concerts and recitals each semester.

Core Expected Outcomes

  • CELO 1: (Creative/Artistic Expression) Students will appreciate artistry and be able to express themselves creatively. They will demonstrate competency for artistic self-expression in chosen primary instrument.
  • CELO 2: (Reasoning skills Core Competency) Students will be able to think critically, analyzing issues and situations to arrive at reasonable conclusions. They will demonstrate competency through written and aural music theory skills.
  • They will demonstrate this by using technology as it relates to music theory, music history, performance, analysis, and research.
  • CELO 3A: (Writing Core Competency) Students will appreciate artistry and be able to express themselves creatively.
  • CELO 3B: (Oral Core Competency) Students will be able to express themselves with oral communication.
  • CELO 4: (Creative/Artistic Expression) Students will appreciate artistry and be able to express themselves creatively. They will demonstrate competency through playing the piano bypassing all or portion of the Piano Proficiency Exam.
  • CELO 5: (Reasoning Skills Core Competency) Students will be able to think critically, analyzing issues and situations to arrive at reasonable conclusions. They will demonstrate the ability to use technology as it relates to music theory, music history, performance, analysis, and research.
  • CELO 6: (Global Perspective) Students will be aware of global issues and their significance. They will gain experience and familiarity with global issues by attending departmentally pre-selected programs. The students will demonstrate that gained awareness through written reflection papers.
  • CELO 7: (Reasoning Skills Core Competency) Students will be able to think critically, analyzing issues and situations to arrive at reasonable conclusions. This will be demonstrated through musical analysis.

Music Education Learning Outcomes

  • ELO 1: (Creative and Artistic Expression Core Competency) Students will appreciate artistry and be able to express themselves creatively. They will demonstrate competency for artistic self-expression to chosen primary instrument. They will present a senior recital of at least 30 minutes of prepared, memorized repertoire.
  • ELO 2: (Strategic Plan: Strategy 1) Demonstrate competence in music methods in the classroom.

Liberal Education Requirements


Brenau University and its faculty are dedicated to the goal of providing students with a thorough background in the liberal arts, as well as academic and professional skills which will help them become enlightened and productive members of society. To that end, the faculty developed a liberal education curriculum based on expectations and learning outcomes.

This liberal education curriculum is divided into four learning portals: World Understanding, Scientific and Analytic Curiosity, Artistic and Creative Imagination and Communication and Language Fluency.

  • World Understanding Learning
  • Scientific and Analytic Curiosity
  • Artistic and Creative Imagination
  • Communication and Language Fluency

Courses applied in one portal may not be applied in another portal. However, courses applied in the Liberal Education may be applied toward a student’s major or minor.

Students with an A.A., A.S. or a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution are exempt from Liberal Education requirements for Brenau’s bachelor degree programsThis exemption does not extend to any other associate’s degree (ex. A.A.S., A.A.T.). This exemption does not affect transfer credit. All college-level credit that conforms to Brenau’s transfer credit policy will be recorded on the student’s Brenau transcript. This exemption does not affect any major courses required or any major foundation courses required.

World Understanding Learning Portal


Historical Perspective - 3 hours


Demonstrate knowledge of major events and movements in history and use this knowledge to generate a more sophisticated understanding of current events.

Scientific & Analytic Curiosity Portal


Mathematics - 3 hours


Demonstrate quantitative reasoning through numeric, symbolic or geometric means.

Course taken will depend upon math placement of the student.

Artistic & Creative Imagination Portal


Lifetime Fitness - 3 hours


Appreciate ones health status and implement a plan for health and fitness.

  • Women’s College students must have one hour of Lifetime Fitness (LF) or Leisure Sports (LS) or Dance (DA); one hour of Women’s Health (WH); and one hour of any P.E. (LS/LF/DA/or WH).
  • Non-Women’s College students may transfer in the above or take HS 105 (3 hours) while at Brenau.
  • Nursing and Dance majors have specific Lifetime Fitness requirements. Please see those major sections for information.

Communication & Language Fluency Portal


Writing - 6 hours


Compose effective and logical written communication.

Modern Language - 0-3 hours


Communicate in a modern language other than English.

  • Students must have modern language competency through the high beginner (102 or 115) level. It is possible for a student to place out of part or all of modern language via placement or CLEP. Please see the placement information section for specific guidelines. If the student takes 101, that course may be applied as the communication requirement, if needed, or as a general elective.
  • International Students will exempt the Modern Language requirement with a minimum TOEFL score of 527 (paper based) or its equivalent.

Communication - 3 hours


Apply communication skills in a given context.

Choose from any course in the Communication and Language Fluency portal not already applied in the Liberal Education, or choose from the courses below. If a student takes 101 and 102 of the same language to satisfy the modern language requirement, the 101 course may satisfy the communication elective.

Music Courses:


Note: Music Performance Majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all major classes. See the program plan for courses that can be cross/dual used between the liberal education and the major. Students must earn a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 and major grade point averalge of 2.75.

Major/minor instrument can be chosen from: piano, voice, guitar or accompanying.

Piano Proficiency


Students must pass a piano proficiency exam prior to graduation.

Total Required Hours


A minimum of 129 hours is required to graduate with this major. It is possible that the student may graduate with more than 129 hours based on placement and transfer credit.

Note: Courses marked with an * are Liberal Education courses.