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School of Music Undergraduate Professional Standards PDFDownload to print

  1. Ensemble Requirements
    Ensemble participation is an integral part of every music major’s program. All music majors must enroll for credit and participate in a major ensemble appropriate to their major performance area each semester the students are registered full time. (Music education majors are exempt during the semester in which student teaching is elected.)

    Major Instrumental Ensembles: MUS 45212 Orchestra, MUS 45221 Concert Band and MUS 45223 Wind Ensemble.

    Major Vocal Ensembles: MUS 45111 University Choir, MUS 45121 Kent Chorus, MUS 45141 Kent State University Chorale, MUS 45142 Men’s Chorus and MUS 45143 Women’s Chorus.

    The above applies to all majors except students enrolled in either the B.M. in piano performance. Piano performance majors satisfy the eight-semester ensemble requirement as follows: 4 credit hours of MUS 45321 Accompanying, 2 credit hours of MUS 45311 Chamber Music and minimum 2 credit hours selected from chamber music or a major vocal or instrumental ensemble. B.S. in music technology majors satisfy the eight-semester ensemble requirement as follows: 2 credit hours selected from a major vocal or instrumental ensemble; 6 credit hours of MUS 35213 Studio Ensemble or 4 credit hours of MUS 35213 Studio Ensemble and 2 credit hours of ensembles electives (e.g., MUS 45231 Jazz Ensemble, MUS 25311 Chamber Music for guitar majors only).

    Wind and percussion majors in music education must elect one semester of MUS 45222 Marching Band, normally during the freshman year, in addition to the requirements above. Students who plan to teach music at the junior/senior high school level are encouraged to elect more than one semester of marching band.

    Music minors in the College of the Arts must participate in a major ensemble for a minimum of two semesters.
  2. Recital Attendance
    Required recital attendance is intended to enhance the musical perspective of all music majors and to give them exposure to a sampling of various genres and performing media. Each undergraduate music major is required to attend a minimum four-year total of 84 concerts or recitals. Attendance at an average of 10-12 School of Music concerts per semester is recommended. Students will be notified of their status in regard to this policy once per semester. Appropriate information for all students will be sent to the college office prior to graduation. Further information is available in the School of Music Office. Transfer students must attend a minimum of 10 recitals per semester.
     
  3. Applied Music Requirement
    1. 36000-Level Requirements: All freshmen enter at the 36000 level of applied study. Four semesters of enrollment are required in the number of applied credit hours as prescribed by the declared major. A jury is performed at the end of each semester. At entrance all students are informed of the performance standards necessary to advance to the 46000 level as determined by the faculty of each applied area. Transfer students with a minimum of four semesters of applied study (or equivalent) may enter at the 46000 level as determined by the entrance audition.
    2. 46000-Level Evaluation: At the end of the fourth semester of applied music study at the 36000 level, students in the Bachelor of Music degree program will be evaluated during juries to determine if they meet the 46000-level entrance standard. The results of the 46000-level entry evaluation are:
      1. Pass to the 46000 level.
      2. Probation for one semester: The students will register at the 46000 level and retake the upper-level entrance jury at the end of the probationary semester. If the 46000 entrance standard is not achieved, the students return to the 36000 level, repeating as needed.
      3. Failure to pass the entry-level evaluation: The students remain at the 36000 level of applied study until the 46000 entry standard is met.
    4. Required Accumulation of 46000-Level Applied Credits
      1. Performance Majors: four semesters (16 credit hours)
      2. Education Majors: three semesters (6 credit hours)
      3. All other music majors must pass the 46000-level entry evaluation prior to graduation. All students must play a jury every semester except the semester of the senior recital and any other major solo performance deemed appropriate by the area.
    6. 46000-Level Outcome Assessment/Recital
      1. Performance Requirement: All Bachelor of Music performance degree candidates (piano, voice, instrumental) must perform both a one-half junior and a full senior recital; all other Bachelor of Music majors (composition, music education) must perform a half recital. Students who do not pass the recital must repeat 46000-level lessons until the recital is acceptable. Composition students may fulfill the one-half recital requirement in several ways, Bachelor of Arts-Music degree candidates may perform a half or full senior recital based on the recommendation of the prehearing panel. Specific procedures and requirements are available in the School of Music Office.
    8. Applied Music Requirements for the B.S. in Music Technology
      1. Music technology majors are required to complete a total of six semesters (12 credit hours) of applied music. A jury is performed at the end of each semester of study. For the first two semesters (4 credit hours) students are required to register for the 36000-level of applied music on the major instrument or voice. The faculty of each applied area will inform the students of the performance standards expected as an outcome of the first two semesters of study. Having completed these 4 credit hours of 36000-level applied music with a grade of C- or above, and having met the performance standards through successfully performed juries at the end of both semesters, music technology majors may take MUS 36913Applied Studio Musicianship to complete the remaining 4 semesters (8 credit hours) of applied study. At the end of the last required semester of applied study, performance level will be evaluated through jury performance. Although not required, Bachelor of Science in music technology degree candidates may perform a half or full recital, or performance of original compositions, on the recommendation of a prehearing panel. Students who choose to complete all required six semesters of applied music through the 36000/46000 Applied Music series in place of MUS 36913 will be required to follow the performance standards guidelines and requirements for applied music established for the Bachelor of Arts-Music degree.
  5. Advanced Standing Admission Requirements
    All music majors must fulfill certain requirements to enter appropriate advanced standing (upper-division coursework) in the School of Music. These requirements are as follows:
    1. Performance Concentration: All students must meet the requirements for admission to 46000-level applied study as stated above.
    2. Composition Concentration: Students interested in the concentration are initially enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts degree program after passing an audition on their main instrument. The composition faculty will evaluate each student’s work during the semester in which MUS 21122 Music Theory is taken to determine if the student should continue to pursue the concentration. A 3.00 GPA is required in music theory classes. A skills test and composition portfolio are required. Specific information may be obtained from the coordinator of theory and composition. Composition majors fulfill general requirements in music during the first two years of study.
    3. Music Education Concentration: Music education majors must apply for admission into the education minor program in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services during the first year. Music education majors must also pass the sophomore achievement examination in the music education division. Specific information may be obtained from the coordinator of music education.
    4. Music Technology Majors: Acceptance into music technology courses at the 30000 level and above is based on the evaluation of the student's personal portfolio containing their projects from MUS 21113, 21114, 21221 and 21222. The portfolio will be evaluated by the music technology faculty.
  7. Grade Standard
    Music majors and minors must earn the grade of C- minus (1.700) or better in all music courses in order to count them toward graduation and to meet prerequisites for subsequent courses. Music courses required to meet the Writing Intensive Course requirement or within the education minor must be passed with a C (2.000) or better.
  8. Outcomes Assessment
    To graduate from Kent State University with the degree B.M. in music, it is required that students take a major field achievement test in music history and music theory during the spring semester of their senior year. Specific score level achievement is not required. Music minors are not required to take this music exam. Specific information regarding test dates may be obtained from the Music Office, E101 Music and Speech Center. The Praxis II exam is required of all music education students.

    To graduate from Kent State University with the B.S. in music technology, students must have successfully completed a music technology internship through an evaluation by the supervisor and music technology faculty advisor, and students must have completed a senior portfolio for music production and audio production at the completion of all required music technology courses. The portfolio must pass an evaluation by the music technology faculty, and by external experts.