Immerse yourself in the study of music teaching and learning with the Ph.D. in Music Education. As doctoral candidate, you'll be interested in preparing future music teacher educators, engaging in arts education activities and exploring emerging practices in curriculum, artistic instruction and educational thought. Join our community of scholars and explore the cutting-edge of music education research.
Music Education - Ph.D.
Contact Us
College of the Arts
School of Music
www.kent.edu/music/
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Graduate Studies Coordinator:
Ben Lorenzo
blorenz1@kent.edu
330-672-2172 -
Connect with an Admissions Counselor:
U.S. Student | International Student
Program Information
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Program Description
Full Description
The Ph.D. degree in Music Education integrates teaching, theory and research in inquiry about music teaching and learning. Through a collaboration with Kent State's College of Education, Health and Human Services, the degree program allows for emerging scholars to engage in coursework and research in areas connecting musical and educational pedagogies. Students pursuing the Ph.D. degree are interested in preparing music teacher educators at institutions of higher learning; engaging in arts education activities; and exploring emerging practices in curriculum, artistic instruction and educational thought.
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Admissions
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Master's degree from an accredited college or university
- Bachelor's or master's degree in music education
- Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Current and valid state teaching license earned from an accredited U.S. university program
- Minimum three years of successful teaching experience at elementary and/or secondary levels
- Video/DVD sample of school music teaching
- Résumé or curriculum vitae of professional musical and teaching work
- Goal statement
- Scholarly writing sample of related discipline
- Three letters of reference (professional and pedagogical)
- Interview with music education faculty (via voice, video or personal campus visit)
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 525 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
- Minimum 71 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
- Minimum 74 MELAB score
- Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 50 PTE score
- Minimum 100 Duolingo test score
For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies admission website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education’s admission website.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Rolling admissions
- Spring Semester
- Rolling admissions
- Summer Term
- Rolling admissions
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Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of music education research and practice relative to primary, secondary, undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels through writing and oral communication.
- Engage in research activities appropriate to doctoral and professional level practice in music education.
- Demonstrate active involvement at local, national and global levels through diverse professional activities, including but not limited to scholarly publications and presentations, collaborative research and engagement with other scholars in order to share knowledge in music and related fields.
- Communicate a comprehensive and sophisticated knowledge of music education through the lens of history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, research methodologies, advanced pedagogy, learning theories and methods of curricular structure.
- Demonstrate reading, research, writing and critical-thinking skills related to contemporary music education contexts.
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Coursework
On This Page
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements CI 77001 FUNDAMENTALS OF CURRICULUM 3 CI 87000 THEORY AND RESEARCH IN TEACHING 3 MUS 73261 ADVANCED STUDIES IN SECONDARY CHORAL AND GENERAL MUSIC 3 or MUS 73262 ADVANCED STUDIES IN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC or MUS 73263 ADVANCED STUDIES IN GENERAL MUSIC FOR CHILDREN MUS 73283 RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION 3 MUS 86001 SEMINAR IN MUSIC EDUCATION I 3 MUS 86002 SEMINAR IN MUSIC EDUCATION II 3 RMS 75510 STATISTICS I FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES 3 RMS 85515 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS 3 or RMS 85516 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN Musical Literacy Electives 1 6 Music Education Electives, choose from the following: 9 MUS 73272LEARNING THEORIES IN MUSIC MUS 73273PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC MUS 73274FOUNDATIONS OF MUSIC EDUCATION MUS 73284HISTORY OF MUSIC EDUCATION MUS 73285PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC EDUCATION MUS 73286SOCIOLOGY OF MUSIC EDUCATION MUS 73295SPECIAL TOPICS IN MUSIC EDUCATION Curriculum and Instruction Electives, choose from the following: 6 CI 71130MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: STRATEGIES CI 77002CURRICULUM LEADERSHIP CI 77003TEACHER EDUCATION CI 77004PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING CI 77010CURRICULUM EVALUATION CI 87001THEORY AND RESEARCH IN CURRICULUM CI 87002FORMS OF INQUIRY IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION Culminating Requirement MUS 88199 DISSERTATION I 2 30 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 75 - 1
Students may be required to take courses in music theory, which will be applied toward the Musical Literacy requirement of the degree. Requirements will be determined based on the results of a diagnostic exam as stated in the Music Graduate Handbook. Remaining Musical Literacy credit hours are fulfilled by taking courses in music theory, music history, ethnomusicology, composition, conducting, music performance or other related topics of student interest as approved by the academic advisor.
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Upon successful completion of the candidacy examination, students take a dissertation topic from the proposal stage through approval, writing, submission and an oral defense process with a faculty committee comprised of the music education advisor, one additional music education faculty member, one representative from music education or education, a member from another music discipline area or education and an appointed graduate faculty representative. Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for MUS 88199 for a total of 30 credit hours. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter MUS 88299, each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.
Graduation Requirements
Residency Requirements
Student must complete a residency requirement of minimum 9 credit hours each year until qualifying exams.
Candidacy Requirements
For the Ph.D. a comprehensive, qualifying, candidacy examination is taken when the student has substantially completed his/her coursework and has received the consent of the advisor committee to attempt the examination. The examination includes an extensive written section consisting of proctored and non-proctored questions, and an oral section taken before a faculty committee. Material for both written and oral sections is drawn from the coursework taken during the degree program, current professional research literature, and current topics in music education. Students who fail the candidacy examination two times will be dismissed from the doctoral program.
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Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Delivery:
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Accreditation
National Association of Schools of Music; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries
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Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
5.6%
faster than the average
116,300
number of jobs
$69,690
potential earnings
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Education teachers, postsecondary
4.8%
about as fast as the average
77,300
number of jobs
$65,440
potential earnings
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Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
3.6%
about as fast as the average
627,100
number of jobs
$60,810
potential earnings
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Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
3.8%
about as fast as the average
1,050,800
number of jobs
$62,870
potential earnings
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Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.