Hartt's Music Education Division offers you one of the nation's most comprehensive courses of study. Combining the rigors of conservatory training with a solid foundation in music education, the program prepares you for a career as an elementary and secondary school music educator. In addition to general music, choral music, wind and string instrumental pedagogy, music education majors receive training in such methodologies as Kodály, Suzuki, and Orff.
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Degree Offerings
Master of Music Education
Hartt's Master of Music Education (MMEd) programs are designed for music educators who wish to pursue advanced study within a specific area of music education, such as conducting, Kodàly, or research. With different emphasis areas from which to choose, you gain the knowledge and skills you need to become specialists in your desired field. You can choose to study during the academic year, or summers-only at Hartt’s Summerterm.
- Choral Conducting (Academic Year)
- Wind Band Conducting (Academic Year)
- Kodály (Summerterm And Academic year)
- Jazz Studies (Academic Year)
- Pedagogy (Summerterm and Academic Year)
- Research (Academic Year)
- Technology (Academic Year)
Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Music Education is designed to instruct you in methods of social scientific inquiry so you can engage in research and develop pedagogies that pave the way for new discoveries in learning. You will investigate experimental techniques, (quantitative and qualitative), and their application to the advancement of music education practice.
Master of Music Education
The Music Education-Choral Conducting emphasis is designed for graduate students who wish to further their teaching and conducting skills. Additionally, it will prepare students for entrance into a DMA or PhD program or a profession in academia.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
The Music Education-Wind Band Conducting emphasis is designed for graduate students who wish to further their teaching and conducting skills. There are two different tracks for students in this emphasis. Typically, students are public school music teachers, enrolled in the summers-only master's degree program who wish to enhance their teaching and conducting skills while still maintaining their full-time teaching jobs during the school year. The second track is for full-time students and is designed to ready students for entrance into a DMA or PhD program or a profession in academia.
Visit the Course Catalog for more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, for summers only or academic year.
Kodály pedagogy at Hartt is built upon and derived from the most recent music education and child development research. A new curriculum reflects characteristics of American folk music literature. Hartt's Kodály program is committed to the finest quality children's music literature and masterwork literature. Students transferring from other Kodály programs should receive prior approval from the program's director.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
Many current music educators work in the Jazz idiom. The Music Education Jazz Studies emphasis will allow those individuals to increase their understanding of jazz while obtaining their masters in music education and general musical pedagogy knowledge and expertise.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
The Pedagogy emphasis enables the student to design coursework that will strengthen his/her understanding and application of effective teaching methods.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
The Research emphasis prepares the student for further investigative research in music education and provides a foundation for future DMA or PhD studies. A thesis is required as part of the research emphasis.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
The Technology emphasis provides an in-depth study of current technology used in music instruction, recording, and composition in today's schools.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education
The purpose of the degree is to instruct students in methods of scientific inquiry so that they can engage in research to make new discoveries of human music behaviors. Students will learn investigative experimental techniques (quantitative and qualitative) and their application to the improvement of music education practice. To pursue this type of research, familiarity with psychology, research design and analysis, and measurement in conjunction with computer science is necessary. Upon completion of the PhD in music education, students will be able to successfully pursue a research agenda that will contribute to the growth of the music education knowledge base. A minimum of two consecutive semesters of study during the regular academic year must be completed as a full-time student. All work must be completed within eight years of the beginning of doctoral study.
Applicants must provide evidence of superior scholastic ability, a broad musical and educational background, and the capacity of profit from advanced study in music education. In addition, all applicants must have earned a master's degree in a related field of study and have completed a minimum of three years of successful music teaching at an elementary or secondary, public or private school and hold a valid teaching license.
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
Hamidreza Niknampour
PhD in Music Education, 2027
Hamidreza Niknampour D’27 is an international graduate student pursuing his PhD in music education. He expects to graduate in May of 2027. Having studied applied chemistry in his undergraduate years, he is not new to the concept of research, and that is suiting him well in his current studies. The PhD program is primarily research-focused which aligns with his ambitions to become a prolific researcher in the future.
As an international student, Hamidreza has felt supported and included in the UHart community. Some of his favorite activities on campus are performing late evening concerts at The Hartt School with his friends and professors.
When asked what advice he would give to students contemplating pursuing a PhD in Music Education he said:
“Try to start writing as soon as possible, so you can improve your skills by the time your program is done, and you're ready to start publishing.”
Faculty
Hartt Music Education faculty members are experts in the field of music education, but are also respected performers and researchers. They have extensive public school teaching experience and are leaders in early childhood, choral and instrumental music education. Faculty are nationally recognized for their research, teaching, and publications. Instructional materials written by Hartt Music Education faculty are published by Oxford University Press, Boosey and Hawkes; Holt, Rinehart and Winston; and GIA; and they are utilized nationally as teacher-training models.