Oral Comprehensive Examination
Students are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination at the completion of their coursework. In this one-hour examination, students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of philosophical, historical, psychological, and pedagogical foundations and contexts of music education and important issues in the field. Students are expected to synthesize ideas and information and apply this knowledge and understanding to classroom practice. Optimally, the examination is scheduled prior to beginning coursework in GMUS 875 Introduction to Thesis Writing. Students who do not pass the comprehensive examination are required to retake the exam after a period of at least six months. Study Guide for the Oral Comprehensive Examination.
Scheduling the Oral Comprehensive Examination
Scheduling the Oral Comprehensive Examination must take place at least two months in advance of the examination date. When planning dates for the Oral Comprehensive Examinations, students must begin making arrangements by first contacting the program director to select the exam committee and identify possible dates and times (at least two). Examination scheduling is conducted via e-mail. When the examination date and time are set, contact the program coordinator by phone, (651) 962-5870 or (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5870 or by email, gradmusic@stthomas.edu to record your committee member and examination date information. It is the student's responsibility to inform all parties of any changes.
In order to assist in planning your oral examination date, a calendar of specific dates during the 2008-2009 years on which examinations will not be held is provided below. In general, oral comprehensive examinations are not held between semesters, on holidays or weekends, or during Spring Break.
Oral comprehensive examinations are scheduled Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. (Note: Dr. Gleason is not available to serve on these committees from Oct. 1-Jan. 1; Dr. Gonzo is not available Feb. 1-May 1.) Plan ahead.
Please note: Examinations scheduled during the summer for a fall examination time are subject to change, depending upon final changes to professors' calendars.
| 2008 | 2009 | |
| Jan. 1-27 | Jan. 1-Feb. 1 | |
| March 15-24 | March 23-27 | |
| May 17-June 15 | April 10-13 | |
| July 4 | May 23-June 14 | |
| Aug. 18-Sept. 3 | July 4 | |
| Nov. 26-30 | Aug. 15-Sept. 8 | |
| Dec. 20-Jan. 30, 2009 | Nov. 25-29 | |
| Dec. 19-Jan. 31, 2010 |
Oral Comprehensive Examination Study Guide
Graduate students are expected to be familiar with current thinking in the field of music education, in general, and their field of concentration, in particular. Specifically, students are responsible for information in their field of concentration relating to:
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philosophical foundations;
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historical foundation and contexts;
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psychological foundations and contexts;
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current issues in music education;
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famous figures in music educationand their contributions, and
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pedagogical foundations and contexts.
This guide serves to assist students in preparing for the oral comprehensive examination by providing direction for the six major areas of the examination.
Some of the required readings identified in this study guide will have been discussed in the student's coursework; other books will be new to the student. By encountering new reading material, students demonstrate their ability to process, comprehend, and articulate ideas encountered outside the realm of coursework specific to the MA degree and show how these ideas interface with and inform concepts advanced by authors studied in degree coursework. The ultimate goal of this step in the completion of the Master of Arts in Music Education degree at the University of St. Thomas is to graduate students who make sustained contributions to the music education profession as cogent thinkers and artistic master teachers.
The books on this reading list are available at the O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library at the University of St. Thomas and can be checked out for a period of up to seven days.
A. Philosophical Foundations of Music Education in the Schools
Elliott, David J. Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education. New York: Oxford University, 1995.
Reimer, Bennett. A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Pretice-Hall, 2002.
B. Historical Foundations and Contexts of Music Education in the Schools
Students are expected to demonstrate familiarity with historical contexts of music education as discussed in GMUS 608, Foundations of Music Education. This includes an understanding of important issues as examined in the textbook(s) used in the course. Select the text used.
Mark, Michael and Charles Gary. A History of American Music Education. Reston, Virginia: MENC-The National Association for Music Education, 1999.
Mark, Michael L. Contemporary Music Education. 3rd ed. New York: Schirmer, 1996.
Abeles, Hal F., Hoffer, Charles R., & Klotman, Robert H. Foundations of Music Education. 2nd ed. New York: Schirmer, 1995.
Some examples of relevant topics are: Ann Arbor Symposium, Manhattanville Curriculum, Contemporary Music Project, Project Zero, Goals 2000, Vision 2020. this list is not intended to be exhaustive. These examples are only suggestions that might be used as a starting point for exploring the historical foundations of music education.
C. Psychological Foundations and Contexts of Music Education in the Schools
Bruner, Jerome. The Process of Education. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1966, 1977.
Gardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic Books, 1999.
Wiggins, Jackie. Teaching for Musical Understanding. New York: McGraw Hill, 2001.
D. Current Issues in Music Education
It is expected that students will demonstrate familiarity with current issues in music education. Candidates should pay particular attention to issues in music education journals published within the previous two years of the Oral Comprehensive Examination. For example, if the Oral Comprehensive Examination is scheduled for the summer of 2008, issues addressed in publications from summer 2006 to spring 2008 should be considered. Appropriate journals include, but are not limited to:
General
Council for Research in Music Education (CRIME)
Journal of Music Teacher Education (JMTE)
Journal of Research in Music Education (JRME)
Journal of Historical Research in Music Education (JHRME)
Music Education Research (MER)
Music Educators Journal (MEJ)
Teaching Music (MENC)
Update: Applications of Research in Music Education (MENC)
General Music Today (MENC)Field of Concentration
Choral Journal (ACDA)
Dalcroze Society of America Journal (DSAS)
Instrumentalist (ABA)
Journal of Band Research (JBR)
Kodály Envoy (OAKE)
International Kodály Sumposium (IKS)
Orff Echo (AOSA)
Clavier
Music Teacher
E. Famous Figures in Music Education
For the following list of personalities, be prepared to explain who they are and what they are primarily known for in the field of music education. Students should examine ways in which various combinations of two or three persons' views are similar and dissimilar.
Richard Colwell
Elliot Eisner
David Elliott
Howard Gardner
Edwin Gordon
Emile Jacques-Dalcroze
Zoltan Kodály
Carl Orff
Frances Rauscher
Bennett Reimer
Keith Swanwick
F. Pedagogic Foundation in Fields of Concentration
Students are expected to demonstrate familiarity with historical, philosophical, pedagogical and methodological principles and foundations in their specific teaching area, as presented in the field of concentration course work and found in the materials cited below. All students should be able to discuss the teaching of sight-reading and ear-training as it relates to their respective fields, including general methods, materials, and techniques.
Choral
Phillips, Kenneth H. Teaching Kids to Sing. New York, NY: Schirmer, 1992.
Garretson, Robert L. Conducting Choral Music. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1998.
Dalcroze
Instrumental
Kohut, Daniel L. Instrumental Music Pedagogy: Teaching Techniques for School Band and Orchestra Directors. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing L.L.C., 1996.
Schleuter, Stanley L. A Sound Appproach to Teaching Instrumentalists: An Application of Content and Learning Sequences. New York, NY: Schirmer, 1997.
Kodály
Choksy, Lois. The Kodály Method I: Comprehensive Music Education. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1999.
Eisen, A. and Roberson, L. An American Methodology. Lake Charles, LA: Sneaky Snake, 2002.
Who Was Kodály? Organization of American Kodály Educators. 1992.
Orff
Frazee, Jane. Discovering Orff. New York, NY: Schott, 1997.
Steen, Arvida. Exploring Orff. New York, NY: Schott, 1992.
Herman, Regner. Carl Orff's Education Ideas: Utopia and Reality. Monograph.
Warner, Brigitte. Orff-Schulwerk Applications for the Classroom. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1991.
Piano Pedagogy
Kirby, F.E. Music for Piano: A Short History. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 2001.
Uszler, Marianne, et. al. Well-Tempered Piano Teacher. New York, NY: Schirmer, 1991.
