The BFA in Music Education in General and Choral Music prepares students to teach music in elementary and secondary schools and culminates in certification by the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Requirements

The Music Department course of study prepares students for recommendation for certification by the State Department of Public Instruction to teach and supervise music Early Childhood - Adolescence (EC-A or Wide Range = Birth to Age 21).

To obtain certification, a student must successfully audition and apply for admission to UW-Milwaukee and the Department of Music. For admission to the Teacher Certification Program, students must audition in the Music Education Area upon successful completion of MUS ED 350, which should be completed in the spring semester of their Sophomore year. Admission to the Music Education Program requires performance on a principal instrument/voice, piano, sight singing as well as requirements 1-4 below. A student seeking recommendation for teacher certification must successfully complete all of the following requirements:

1. Pass OWC-A (English), QL-A (Math) and Communications Course with a C or better to fulfill the Basic Skills requirement;
2. Fulfill all degree requirements, including passing all MUS ED specific courses with a C or better;
3. Show personal qualities giving promise of success as a teacher of music and as a leader in music activities;
4. Achieve and maintain at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA;
5. Fulfill the Requirements for Human Relations and Act 31;
6. Demonstrate teaching competency in their area of expertise through the use of a teaching portfolio (see explanation under Special Core Curriculum Requirements);
7. Meet Content Competency through a 3.0 GPA on specific courses or the Praxis II exam;
8. Complete student teaching successfully; and
9. Successfully submit a passing DPI e-portfolio.

Music Education BFA University Core

¹

See General Education Requirements for more information.

²

Credits may be utilized in required curriculum areas.

³

OWC Part A and QL Part A should be completed within the first two semesters of pursuing a Music program.

⁴

9 credits are required in 3 of the 4 other departments in PSOA, outside of the student's discipline: Art and Design, Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres. One elective must be three credits of MUSIC 310.

Music Education BFA Requirements

The minimum number of credits required to complete the Bachelor of Fine Arts is 130. Students who need background preparation courses in math, English, foreign language, and chemistry may need additional credits.

⁵

Must be completed to apply for admission to Mus Ed. A 2.75 cum GPA is also required for admission to Mus Ed and state licensure.

⁶

Should be completed prior to Student Teaching.

⁷

Required to apply for Student Teaching.

⁸

Required to apply for licensure. Also meets the following GER requirements: cultural diversity and social science. Learn more about General Education Requirements here.

EC-A General and Choral Music Certification

Most students will complete this degree by choosing one of the following principal instruments: Piano or Voice.

Music Education BFA Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a BFA in Music Education will be able to: 

• recognize and distinguish music from all periods of European art music history, and to recognize and distinguish the music from a variety of other world cultures and traditions, based on musical and stylistic features.  
• will be able to recognize assumptions, concepts, models, and various methods in musicological and ethnomusicological work and in their own thinking, and will be able to choose the most appropriate analytical tools and concepts to examine specific musics. 
• to interpret, analyze, critique, and reflect on art music from different critical perspectives and aesthetic viewpoints. 
• to express ideas about music in written form demonstrating a mastery of factual knowledge, bibliographic resources, analytical method, critical thinking, and the ability to construct a coherent and well-organized argument. 
• to perform solo instrumental or vocal repertoire, chamber music, and large ensemble music in public, in a practical demonstration of their understanding of period or cultural aesthetic ideals. 
• meet state standards for music teacher certification in music.
• will be able to apply their knowledge of music (theory, history and practice) and childhood development to explain music concepts to students at different stages of learning (early childhood, elementary through high school). 
• use various modes of pedagogy including singing, listening, moving, creating, and playing as demonstrated through instructional approaches. 
• recognize student differences (cultural, linguistic, physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and affective) and develop strategies for meeting individual student needs, including alternative exercises/assignments/tasks for these students as part of lesson planning. 

Degree Requirements

All Music curricula for the BFA require 125-130 credits, distributed as follows: music courses as specified in each curriculum: 75-80 credits; core curriculum: 45 credits; general electives: 0-9 credits. The BA in Music requires 120 credits, distributed as follows: music courses, 48 credits; core curriculum, 45 credits; general electives, 27 credits.

Performance Ensemble Requirement

All Music majors are required to participate in performing organizations during the course of their study. All Performance and Music Education majors must be registered in an approved major performing organization concurrent with each semester of private study. The director of bands, the director of choral activities, and the director of orchestras make ensemble assignments at the beginning of each semester. Only one approved ensemble credit per semester can apply toward degree requirements. For the purpose of fulfilling the Performance Ensemble requirement, the Department of Music recognizes the following approved major performing Ensembles: University Advanced Women’s Choir, Concert Chorale, Women’s Chorus, University Men’s Chorus, University Band, Symphony Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Symphony Orchestra, and University Community Orchestra. (Other performance ensembles may be approved in certain degree programs; see individual degree programs below for specific requirements in each area.)

Performance Ensemble Requirement for Transfer Students

Credits from an accredited college/university for performing organizations may be granted as follows:

• All transfer students to UWM, regardless of entry level, must take at least two semesters of an approved major performing organization. The performing organization must conform to the individual degree requirements: instrumentalists take band or orchestra, vocalists take choral ensembles;
• Entering sophomores with 30 or more earned credits may only transfer up to two completed semesters of an approved performing organization from another university; and
• Entering juniors with 60 or more earned credits may only transfer up to four completed semesters of an approved performing organization from another university.

Recital Attendance and Music Convocation Requirements

All Music majors must attend weekly Music Convocation meetings for a minimum of five semesters. All students entering the Music Department as freshmen are required to take one semester of MUSIC 106 during their freshman year.

All Music majors, excluding transfer students and second degree candidates, must earn 80 recital attendance credits for graduation. This requirement may be met by attending:

• Campus recitals (one attendance credit per recital),
• Weekly departmental Music Convocation (five attendance credits per semester), and
• Off-campus recitals (one attendance credit per recital to a maximum of three per semester).

Transfer students and second degree candidates must earn 10 recital credits (including weekly Music Convocation) for each semester on the UWM campus, to a total of 80, or until the completion of the degree.

Music Performance Course Enrollment Requirements

The study of music performance in private lessons, master classes, and seminars is governed by four special conditions:

• Performance courses (lessons) cannot be dropped after the second week of each semester;
• Eligibility for undergraduate Music major private lessons requires a minimum of 4 credits in Music Department courses. Only one ensemble credit can be applied to the 4-credit minimum;
• All Music majors are required to enroll in an approved ensemble concurrent with each semester of Performance lessons; and
• Students enrolled in Music Performance lessons at the 200 level or above must enroll in the appropriate Performance Master Class. Music Education Majors are not required to take Performance Master Class, but may enroll in Performance Master Class as music electives.

Music Theory and History Requirements

The Music Theory core comprises a three-semester sequence of Materials of Theory concurrently with three semesters of Aural Theory. This is followed by a semester of Form Analysis. The Music History core comprises a three-semester sequence of the General History of Western Music. Additional Music Theory and Music History courses are required in all Music degree programs. See individual programs for details.

Laptop Requirement

Preparing for a future defined by digital technology is an important step in developing artists. Our digitally integrated curriculum helps you achieve a professional level with leading art-related software and practices.

Laptop ownership is strongly recommended for all undergraduates. However, it’s required for the programs below. For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts admission page. 

• Art & Design (BA and BFA Programs)
• Dance (BA and BFA Programs) 
• Film, Video, Animation & New Genres (BA and BFA Programs)
• Music (Composition & Technology Program)
• Theatre (BFA Production and BA Theatre Education Programs)

Advising

Location: Theatre 120
Hours: M–Th 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Fri. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed on university holidays)
Contact: 414-229-4763 | Contact Form 

Academic advising is an important aspect of long-term academic success. At the Peck School of the Arts, we offer professional advising in the undergraduate disciplines of art, dance, film, music and theatre.

Our advisors provide students with individualized appointments to assist them in areas such as: degree requirements, major options, course selection, campus resources, college success strategies, graduation assessment, academic policies and procedures, and more.

For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts advising and student services page. 

Honors in the Major

Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a GPA of 3.500 or greater in the major and the academic department's recommendation.

High Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or greater and the academic department's recommendation.

Departmental Honors are granted to students recommended by their academic department for Honors excellence in performance not reflected in the GPA.

Dean's Honors are granted to students with major achievements in one or more of the arts.

College of the Arts and Architecture Dean's Honor List

GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.

Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction

Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.

Commencement Honors

Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).

Final Honors

Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.