Colorado State University Expands Online Master of Music Offerings with Two New Degrees

Colorado State University OnlinePlus announces two new music master’s degrees designed for teachers – a Conducting specialization and a Kodaly emphasis. Both programs combine an online curriculum with exclusive on-campus summer sessions taught by CSU faculty and some of the most prestigious pedagogues from around the country to give students a well-rounded, practically applicable education.

Especially valuable for secondary teachers, the new Conducting Specialization Master of Music covers band, orchestra, and choir and allows students to use their own school programs as a conducting laboratory throughout the degree’s coursework. As part of the Conducting degree program, the annual summer conducting seminar focuses on score preparation, baton technique, rehearsal strategies, and suggested repertoire.

The Conducting specialization prepares graduates for more competitive, combined teaching positions (band/orchestra or orchestra/choir) because the program offers instruction in all three areas as well as additional employment opportunities including church choir/orchestra positions or conducting community musical theater productions.

The Kodály emphasis option, targeted more toward elementary school teachers, features a variety of courses on topics such as pedagogy and folksong literature, folksong analysis and retrieval, conducting, Solfège/musicianship, and choir. The annual Colorado Kodály Institute, which serves as the on-campus portion of the program, introduces the philosophy and teachings of Hungarian music educator, Zoltán Kodály. Through these required summer sessions, students will also obtain national Kodaly teaching certification in addition to their master’s degree.

Equipped with both a Master of Music in Music Education degree as well as national Kodály teaching certification, graduates of the Kodály program have a unique edge in the job market. Completion of the program can also reveal leadership opportunities throughout regional, state, and national music teaching organizations, such as the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE), and the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME).

The online curriculum and summer sessions within these programs fit nicely into most teachers’ schedules, allowing students to earn a master’s degree while continuing to work full-time. Both programs are currently accepting applicants.

Those interested in learning more about these degree programs can visit www.online.colostate.edu/degrees/conducting/ or www.online.colostate.edu/degrees/kodaly/ for faculty bios, course descriptions, registration dates, and more. Contact Michael Macklin at CSU OnlinePlus with specific questions at (970) 491-7583.

Colorado State University OnlinePlus programs and educational opportunities, offered through the Division of Continuing Education, support the university’s land-grant mission by providing quality graduate and undergraduate degrees, professional development training, certificate programs, online credit and noncredit courses, and industry specific training online and at Learning Centers across the Front Range.

For more information about Colorado State University OnlinePlus, visit www.online.colostate.edu or call 970-491-5288.
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