Students who choose to major in Music Education become prepared to teach and supervise vocal, instrumental, and general music from kindergarten through grade 12. This program is certified at both the state and national level by the New Hampshire Department of Education and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Graduates who complete this major are eligible for K-12 teacher certification in the state of New Hampshire. Because of New Hampshire’s membership in the Interstate Certification Contract, Plymouth graduates are eligible to earn a certificate or license in another Contract state upon application to that state’s department of education. For further information, please see the Teacher Education and Clinical Experiences section.

Students in this program are required to present a senior solo recital that must be completed prior to the semester in which they are student teaching. Music Education majors may request permission to receive private instruction on a second instrument.

To be approved for Student Teaching, students must have completed all departmental course requirements through the third year and have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average. They also must have passed the level-change jury exam allowing them to study at the 4000 level on their major instrument. Students who do not pass the examination must retake it until it is successfully completed. Student Teaching requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 and a 2.70 composite grade point average (see Student Teaching course description).

The progress and dispositions of both candidates and aspiring candidates toward teacher certification in Music Education, and an eventual career in the field, is assessed periodically by the Music faculty; see Road to Teacher Certification in the Teacher Education and Clinical Experiences section of this Catalog. Students who are withdrawn from the BS program in Music Education because of failure to meet these standards will be given the opportunity to complete the BA Music degree, Contract option.

All teacher certification candidates who interact with students in public school settings through course-related field experiences, including Student Teaching, are subject to New Hampshire law that requires all persons who come into contact with pupils on a regular basis for a period of time to undergo a full disclosure criminal records check, including fingerprinting. The processing of the criminal records check is conducted at the site school before the field experience begins. The fee for this processing is the responsibility of the teacher candidate and is paid directly to the school district. Each new site will require a separate fingerprinting and background check.

Degree Requirements

Credits