Fine & Performing Arts Music Education

Description

Students who want to teach music in K-12 schools should pursue a bachelor of music education degree. This degree leads to certification in both vocal and instrumental music.

Degree at a Glance

ACE Requirements30
ACE Outcome 6 must be MUED 244
ACE Outcome 7 must be MUSC 160
ACE Outcome 9 must be MUSC 280
ACE Outcome 10 must be MUED 403
Music Core34
Professional and Music Education Requirements44
Music K-12 Endorsement Requirements24
Total Credit Hours120

Admission

Auditions

A performance audition is required for acceptance as a music education major. Auditions are usually held in January and February. The Glenn Korff School of Music should be contacted for audition dates and other details.

Other

Admission to Music Teacher Education Program

Admission to the Music Teacher Education Program is a prerequisite for a music education major to enroll in any 300- or 400-level music education course. Admission is competitive and enrollment is limited. Admission requires meeting all of the following criteria:

  1. Completion of at least 42 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA.
  2. Completion of MUED 201 Introduction to Music Education and MUED 244 Music Learning and Development with a minimum grade of C and MUED 297 Professional Practicum Experiences with a Pass.
  3. Documentation of proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics through successful completion of a basic skills examination that meets the Nebraska Department of Education competency requirement.
  4. Completion of all 100-level applied music courses required by the BME degree.
  5. Completion of MUSC 266 Music Theory IV, MUSC 266A Aural Skills IV, and MUAP 232 Keyboard Skills IV (or piano proficiency).
  6. Completion of a personal and professional fitness self-disclosure form and formal criminal history background check (fee required). (Undertaken during MUED 201 and MUED 297.)
  7. Successful completion of a screening interview and digital portfolio review with music education faculty. (Undertaken during MUED 244.)

Interview and Portfolio Review Process

Through coursework taken during the freshman and sophomore years, each student will compile a digital portfolio to give evidence of his or her potential as a music teacher. This portfolio will include an autobiographical essay, an educational philosophy statement, a professional resume, and sample lesson plans. The music education faculty will review the digital portfolio prior to conducting a screening interview. During the interview, students will demonstrate their suitability for a career in music education by responding to questions posed by the faculty. Feedback will be provided to each student detailing the results of the faculty’s assessment.

Students will be admitted into the Music Teacher Education Program during the spring semester. If a student fails to meet any of the above criteria, they will meet with the music education faculty to determine a course of remediation if applicable. If a student wishes to contest the decision of the music education faculty, they may appeal to the director of the Glenn Korff School of Music.

Admission to Student Teaching

Student teaching is required for all students who are candidates for an appropriately endorsed Nebraska Teacher’s Certificate. Students who plan to student teach during the fall semester must apply to the coordinator of Music Field Experiences by the preceding March 1. Students who plan to student teach during the spring semester must apply by the preceding October 1.

During their student teaching semester, students are to be enrolled exclusively in courses that comprise the student teaching experience (MUED 403 Student Teaching Seminar and MUED 497D Student Teaching - Elementary Music or MUED 497T Student Teaching - Secondary Music). Students wishing to enroll in a degree requirement course while student teaching (in order to graduate at the end of the semester) may do so only with the permission of the director of the Glenn Korff School of Music. Students cannot enroll in classes that are not required for their degree.

The removal of an incomplete in student recitals (MUSR 90 Recital in Applied Music) during student teaching must have prior approval from the director of the Glenn Korff School of Music.
 

The basic requirements for admission to student teaching are:

  1. Matriculation in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, the Graduate College, or dual matriculation in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and another college.
  2. Admission to the Music Teacher Education Program.
  3. Senior standing (89 hours or more) with a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA.
  4. Completion of all 300- and 400-level MUED courses: MUED 311 Band Instrument TechniquesMUED 312 Voice Techniques, MUED 313 String Instrument TechniquesMUED 343 Emerging Music Methods, MUED 344 General Music Methods, MUED 345 Instrumental Music Methods, and MUED 470 Music and Special Education, with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and no grade below C+ (2.33).
  5. Completion of all 300- and 400-level practica: MUED 397A Professional Practicum Experiences - General Music, MUED 397B Professional Practicum Experiences - Instrumental Music/MUED 397D Professional Practicum Experiences - Choral Music, and MUED 497D Student Teaching - Elementary Music/MUED 497T Student Teaching - Secondary Music, each with a grade of Pass.
  6. Completion of a criminal history check that will be conducted by an independent party (fee required).

The basic program for student teaching in music provides for a full-day experience on a semester basis.

Student Teaching Placement

All student teachers will have a student teacher placement within a 90-mile radius of the UNL City Campus. Although efforts will be made to place students in their location of choice, no placement is guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the district’s HR representative, building principal, cooperating teacher, and the GKSOM Coordinator of Music Field Experiences (COMFE). All placements outside of Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) must be confirmed by the time of the LPS student teacher placement meeting; otherwise, an LPS placement will be requested for the student.

Students must be formally observed a minimum of five times during the semester by a designated UNL supervisor. The supervisor will also be responsible for completing a midterm and final evaluation of the student teacher. Students are not to contact potential cooperating teachers directly to set up their own placement, since each district must follow its specific placement process. The student may only contact the cooperating teacher directly once notified by the COMFE that the placement has been confirmed and approved. Students may not student teach at the high school from which they graduated. Cooperating teachers must have completed at least three years of teaching experience. State rule also requires that student teachers are placed in a building that is approved or accredited. Student teachers must complete a OneSource criminal background check within 90 days prior to the start of student teaching. Students will be responsible for attending MUED 403 Student Teaching Seminar, which meets approximately once a month during the semester. Students must attend the seminar in person; remote attendance will not be permitted.

Criminal History/Background Check

All students will be required to have a criminal history/background check completed no earlier than 90 days prior to the first day of their student teaching experience. This will be at the expense of the student. The applications for acceptance into the music teacher education program and into student teaching also require the completion of a self-disclosure form.

Removal from Student Teaching

Students participating in practicum or student teaching assignments may be removed from their assigned schools if their conduct suggests a lack of professional commitment and presents a negative influence on the well-being or learning of the students in the schools. If such a problem occurs, the student in question will be removed by the coordinator of Music Field Experiences at the request of the cooperating teacher, building principal, and the university supervisor. In such cases, a written report stating the problem and efforts to correct the situation will be forwarded to the Certification Officer for the College of Education and Human Sciences.

Any student removed from a practicum or student teaching assignment may appeal that decision by submitting a written request to the director of the School of Music within 30 days of the removal. The director will schedule a meeting, request pertinent information from the coordinator of Music Field Experiences, and notify the student several days in advance of the scheduled appeal meeting. Students are advised of their right to seek legal advice and may personally attend the appeals meeting. The decision will be forwarded in writing to the student, the coordinator of Music Field Experiences, the director of Field Experiences for the College of Education and Human Sciences, and the dean of the College.

Moral Character and Safety Concerns

Teaching is a profession that requires its potential candidates to be individuals of integrity. Prospective teachers must be able to demonstrate that they are individuals of strong moral character who can make mature decisions for themselves and for their students. Teachers are responsible for the education, safety and well-being for anyone in their charge. Therefore, the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts is interested in training future teachers who show a high degree of moral character and the ability to act responsibly. These individuals must be able to serve as representatives of our College and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

With this in mind, should the College discover behavior which in its reasonable judgment establishes on the part of the candidate a lack of integrity or questionable moral/ethical character or otherwise indicates a potential of risk to young persons and others in the educational community, the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts reserves the right to deny entry to or dismiss anyone from any program which leads to certification. More specifically, these kinds of behavior shall be adequate foundation to deny any candidate or potential candidate from participation in any practicum, pre-practicum, student teaching, or similar field experience, since the interests and safety of the children and young people present in the classroom, schools, and other venues where these practicum experiences take place are paramount.

Problematic behaviors, which the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts reasonably determines renders the candidate a risk to the educational community or demonstrates a likelihood of illegal activity, may be established by any credible means, including the facts surrounding a record of arrests and/or convictions.

Similarly, behaviors which result in a finding by a court or other governmental body that the individual is:
 

  • A mentally ill and dangerous person.
  • Mentally incompetent to stand trial.
  • Acquitted of criminal charges because of insanity.
  • An incapacitated person.
  • A person in need of a guardian or conservator.
  • A person unable to manage his or her property due to mental illness, mental deficiency, or chronic use of drugs or chronic intoxication are the kind of behaviors which are likely to disqualify a candidate from participation in practicum experiences and other Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts programs.

Nebraska State Department of Education Policy Pertaining to Students with Felony or Misdemeanor Convictions

The Nebraska Department of Education policy requires that a person with felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct shall not be allowed to participate in pre-student teaching laboratory and classroom experiences or student teach without approval by the Board of Education. To comply with this policy, the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts will require each student to affirm under oath that he or she does not have any convictions in the above named areas prior to each field placement. If a student does have any felony or misdemeanor convictions, he/she is required to meet with the Director of Accreditation, Placement, and Licensure in the College of Education and Human Sciences as soon as possible.

Application for a Nebraska Teaching Certificate

To actively engage in the teaching profession, a candidate must fulfill both the College degree requirements and the professional certification requirements of the State of Nebraska. Undergraduate students apply for the teaching certificate at the same time they apply for the baccalaureate degree. Post-baccalaureate students completing teacher certification apply to the Advisor for Music Education, Westbrook Music Building.

Graduation Without Certification

In rare cases, permission may be granted for a student to graduate without a recommendation for certification. This provision is for the student who does not qualify for or is removed from student teaching. However, there are times when, because of illness or other extreme situations, a student will decide not to complete all professional requirements. In this situation, the student should contact his or her advisor, then complete a formal request to the coordinator of Music Field Experiences to be allowed to graduate without completing all certification requirements. If permission is granted, the student is expected to complete all professional requirements except student teaching. This includes a passing grade in all methods courses. If a student fails to complete at least one half of the student teaching assignment, the individual will be required to complete a culminating project not to exceed 6 credit hours.

Any student who graduates without a recommendation for certification will not be recommended for teacher certification in any state. In addition, the student will not be eligible for graduation with honors. If, at some future time, the student wishes to complete certification requirements, he or she must first appeal for readmission to the music teacher education program. At least one semester must pass after graduation before the appeal can be made. If the appeal is granted, the student will be treated as a readmitted student and will complete all requirements in effect at the time of reentry, including passing grades in all methods courses.

College Requirements

College Admission

Requirements for admission to the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts are consistent with general University admission requirements. These include:
 

  • English (4 units)
  • Mathematics (4 units)
  • Social studies (3 units)
  • Natural sciences (3 units)
  • Foreign language (2 units)

NOTE: One unit equals one year of high school credit.

One of the following performance standards must also be met:

New Freshmen: Minimum ACT 20 (composite), minimum SAT 950 (combined), or rank in top half of high school graduating class.

Transfer and Readmit Students: Completed 12 or more semester credits from a post-secondary institution with a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA and 2.0 GPA during the last semester of record at the time of application. (Emerging media arts majors: minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA and 3.0 GPA during the last semester of record at the time of application.)

International Students: Minimum TOEFL 70 (Internet) or 523 (paper).

Individual departments may have higher standards for acceptance into the different degrees and options. Please check with the individual departments for these standards.

Auditions/Portfolio Reviews

Auditions are required for admission to the Glenn Korff School of Music for music, music education, and dance majors. Auditions are also required for admission to the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film for the acting major. A separate application and portfolio review are required for acceptance into all other programs in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film.

Admission Deficiencies/Removal of Deficiencies

Students who are admitted through the Admission by Review process with core course deficiencies will have certain conditions attached to their enrollment at Nebraska. These conditions are in this catalog under “Removal of Deficiencies.”

Students with one deficiency, two deficiencies but not in the same category, or two deficiencies in a world language who receive a Deferred Admission or Admission by Review, may be considered for admission to the college. Students who are admitted through the Admission by Review process with core course deficiencies will have certain conditions attached to their enrollment at Nebraska. These conditions are explained under Admission to the University, Removal of Deficiencies in this catalog.

College Degree Requirements

College General Education Requirements

World Languages/Language Requirement

The language requirement serves to help students gain a working familiarity with a language and a culture other than their own.

All students pursuing bachelor of arts or bachelor of music degrees are required to complete the intermediate level in one world language. The language requirement is fulfilled by the completion of the 4th level of a single language (either in high school or in college). Language study at UNL is currently available in Arabic, Chinese, Czech, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish, and American Sign Language. Courses offered at UNL that complete the sequence include: ARAB 202, CHIN 202, CZEC 202, FREN 202 or FREN 210, GERM 202, GREK 301 & GREK 302, JAPN 202, LATN 301 & LATN 302, SLPA 202, SPAN 202 or SPAN 210 or SPAN 300A.

NOTE:

  • A student who has completed the fourth-year level of one world language in high school is exempt from the language requirement.
  • A student whose language proficiency is not reflected on a transcript may demonstrate proficiency of the intermediate level through assessment with the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. (Greek, Latin, and American Sign Language are not included in this process.) Report of the results will be made to the academic advisor for consideration of a waiver of the language requirement without credit toward the degree.
  • International and domestic students whose first language is not English will be exempt from the requirement without credit toward the degree based on documentation of previous study.

Minimum Hours Required for Graduation

A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit is required for graduation from the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. Students in the College are required to maintain a minimum current and cumulative GPA of 2.0. Individual departments may require a higher current and cumulative GPA.

Grade Rules

C- and D Grades

The College will accept no more than 15 semester hours of grades lower than C (includes C-, D+, D, and D- grades)  from schools outside of the University of Nebraska system.

Courses with grades lower than C—either those earned at Nebraska or transferred from other schools—cannot be applied toward requirements in a major, but may be applied toward total hours and other requirements that do not have a minimum grade threshold.

Pass/No Pass

University regulations for the Pass/No Pass privilege state: The Pass/No Pass option is designed to be used by a student seeking to expand his/her intellectual horizons by taking courses in areas where he/she may have minimum preparation without adversely affecting his/her grade point average.

  • Neither the P nor the N grade contribute to a student’s GPA.
  • P is interpreted to mean C or above. Some professional education courses require a C+ or above.
  • A change to or from Pass/No Pass may be made until mid-term (1/2 of the course).
  • The Pass/No Pass or grade registration cannot conflict with the professor’s, department’s, college, or University policy governing grading option.
  • Prior to the mid-term deadline, changing to or from the Pass/No Pass requires using the MyRED system to change the grading option or filing a Schedule Adjustment Form with Husker Hub in the Canfield Administration Building. After the mid-term deadline, a student registered for Pass/No Pass cannot change to a grade registration unless the Pass/No Pass registration is in conflict with a professor’s, department’s, college, or University policy governing Pass/No Pass.
  • The Pass/No Pass grading option cannot be used for the removal of C- or D or F grades.

Pass/No Pass privileges in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts are extended to students according to the following additional regulations:

  • Pass/No Pass hours can count toward fulfillment of ACE requirements up to the 24-hour maximum.
  • Students may not elect to take courses on a Pass/No Pass basis to fulfill degree requirements in the major. Departments may allow up to 6 hours of Pass/No Pass to be taken in the minor offered by the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts.
  • Departments may specify that certain courses can be taken only on a Pass/No Pass basis.
  • The College will permit no more than a total of 24 semester hours of Pass/No Pass grades to be applied toward degree requirements. This total includes all “pass” grades earned at Nebraska and other schools.

Individual departments vary in their policies regarding Pass/No Pass hours as applied to the major and minor. Consult the individual departmental listings for these policies.

GPA Requirements

Students are expected to maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average each semester. Some programs within the College may have higher GPA requirements to keep in good academic standing.

Transfer Credit Rules

Ordinarily, hours earned at an accredited college are accepted by the University. The College, however, will evaluate all hours submitted on an application for transfer and reserves the right to accept or reject any of them. The maximum number of hours the University will accept on transfer from a two-year college is 60.

Students wishing to include credits transferred from another institution in their program of study must submit a transcript to the Office of Admissions. Students who have previously had transfer credits evaluated in another University of Nebraska–Lincoln college must have the credits reevaluated upon entering the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts.

All transfer students must complete the Residency Requirement (see “Residency Requirement”), and at least 9 hours in the major field must be completed at the University regardless of the number of hours transferred.

The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts will accept no more than 15 semester hours of D grades from schools other than UNO or UNK. All grades may be transferred from UNO or UNK. However, transfer courses within a student’s major or minor will be evaluated by that unit and held to the same minimum grade standards as courses taken at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The applicability of transfer credits toward major requirements is determined by the school offering the major. Requests for waiver or substitution involving courses not offered by the student’s home school must have the approval of the appropriate University of Nebraska–Lincoln department.

Transfer Credit from Foreign Institutions

Credit for courses taken at foreign universities and colleges will be transferred only after validation by the appropriate department. This evaluation may include examination of the student over subject matter studied at the foreign institution.

International Baccalaureate Credit

Students who have studied art, music, or theatre within the International Baccalaureate Program will be given credit for courses at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln according to the guidelines established by each academic unit. Contact the department office for specific course information.

Course Level Requirements

Upper-Level Requirement: Thirty of the 120 semester hours of credit must be in courses numbered above 299.

Residency

Students must meet either of the following residency qualifications:

  • At least 30 of the last 36 hours of credit must be registered for and completed while enrolled at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
  • A total of 90 credits must be registered for and completed while enrolled at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Credit earned during education abroad may be used toward degree requirements if students participate in prior approved programs and register through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Credit awarded from an institution other than Nebraska will be subject to transfer credit and residency rules.

Experiential Learning Requirement

All undergraduates in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts must complete an Experiential Learning (EL) designated course.

ACE Requirements

All students must fulfill the Achievement Centered Education (ACE) requirements. Information about the ACE program may be viewed at ace.unl.edu.

Catalog Rule

Students who first enroll at Nebraska under the 2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog must fulfill the requirements stated in this catalog or in any other catalog which is published while they are enrolled in the College, provided the catalog they follow is no more than ten years old at the time of graduation. A student must, however, meet the requirements from one catalog only rather than choosing a portion from one catalog and the remainder from another.

Exception: Students pursuing any degree in the Glenn Korff School of Music who fail to take at least one course that will fulfill their major requirements during a 12-month period must re-audition. They will then move to the catalog in effect at that time.

Students who have transferred from a community college may be eligible to fulfill the requirements as stated in the catalog for an academic year in which they were enrolled at the community college prior to attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  The decision to utilize a previous catalog should be made in consultation with academic advisors and must be requested within the first two semesters of enrollment after transferring. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year and within the time frame allowable for that catalog year.

Eligibility to use a prior catalog is dependent upon:

  • Admission to the university as a transfer student
  • Enrollment at a community college during the catalog year being used
  • Continuous enrollment at the previous institution for one academic year or more
  • Proceeding to enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln within one calendar year from the last enrollment at the previous institution
  • Maintaining the same major after the admission process

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of music education (BME) will be able to:

  1. Understand the role of music in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children and adolescents.
  2. Integrate into instruction a variety of musical styles including classical, jazz, popular, and world music.
  3. Acquire effective teacher characteristics in terms of rapport with students, verbal instruction, and nonverbal communication.
  4. Detect errors in musical performance and devise effective strategies to correct them.
  5. Build a repertoire of classroom management techniques to use in any music teaching situation.
  6. Teach with engaging classroom activities and sound rehearsal techniques.
  7. Develop curricula and plan for instruction in P-12 settings.
  8. Use assessment appropriately in various educational settings.