The input and feedback provided by Cheryl Bullock of the Center for Teaching Excellence was invaluable in creating and revising this document.

The School of Music offers the following degree programs representing diverse curricular areas emphasizing academic and performance skill preparation:

Bachelor of Music (B.M.): applied performance (instrumental & voice), composition theory, history

Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) leading to K-12 Music Teacher certification by the State of Illinois

Open Studies: comprehensive coursework in the history of western and non-western music

Master of Music of Music (M.M.)

Choral music, composition, instrumental conducting, musicology performance, piano pedagogy, theory, vocal accompanying and coaching

Master of Music Education (M.M.E.)

Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)

choral music, composition, performance and literature, vocal

accompanying and coaching

Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology (Ph.D.)

Doctor of Education in Music Education (Ed.D.)

Doctor of Philosophy with Emphasis in Music Education (Ph.D.)

Identification of Key Outcomes

Key outcomes for the B.M. program were identified by the Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee and the Undergraduate Student Advisory Committee. Outcomes for the B.M.E. program were identified by the Undergraduate Policy Committee and the Music Education Committee.

Outcomes for the M.M. program were identified by the Graduate Policy Committee and the Graduate Committee, Research and Professional Curricula. A Faculty/Alumni Advisory Board will be formed during the Spring 1999 semester and will assist both graduate and undergraduate committees in the assessment process. This Board will operate as an expansion of the present Alumni Advisory Board.

Outcomes for the D.M.A. program were identified by faculty in the divisions offering this degree.

Outcomes for the Ph.D. in Musicology program were identified by faculty in the Division of Musicology.

Outcomes for the M.M.E., Ed.D., and the Ph.D. with emphasis in Music Education programs were identified by the Music Education Committee.

Section II: Student Learning Outcomes

The B.M. program is intended to:

Performance: prepare students for careers in performance studio teaching, as well as for graduate level study in performance. The major offers comprehensive course work in solo and ensemble literature emphasizing public performance in all orchestral and band instruments, piano, organ, and voice.

Theory/Composition: prepare students for careers in composition and university teaching, as well as for graduate study in composition or music theory. This major offers comprehensive course work in these fields, with specialized courses including instrumentation, jazz arranging, and experimental and computer music.

History: prepare students to engage in graduate study in research and teaching of musicology or ethnomusicology. The program offers students a broad cultural education which unites academic and musical training, including comprehensive course work in the history of western and non-western music.

Open Studies: permits qualified students to explore areas of specialization according to their unique experience and musical interests. This major is available by petition to a faculty/administrative committee only to students who have been admitted previously to an undergraduate music major in the School of Music.

The B.A. program is offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for those students seeking a more comprehensive education while focusing on music composition, music theory, music history/ethnomusicology.

The B.M.E. program is intended to prepare students for Illinois teacher certification and employment as a K-12 general, choral, and/or instrumental (band and orchestra) music teacher. The following have been identified by division faculty members as areas of desired competency:

knowledge of subject matter appropriate for success as a K-12 music instructor, including keyboard, conducting, organizational, communication, and pedagogical skills leadership, interpersonal, and cooperation skills development of problem solving skills

Policy statements regarding this degree are found in the Undergraduate Music Education Handbook (separate handbooks are published for the Choral, Instrumental, and General music specializations.)

The M.M. program is intended to provide graduate students with a broad subject matter knowledge in the field of music. The primary means of accomplishing this outcome will be the completion of the core courses in the curriculum (Policy statements regarding this degree are found in the Handbook for Graduate Students in Music, a document distributed to all students upon matriculation.). These courses include (according to the area of specialization):

Music 426/427 (Literature)

Music 430/438 (Literature/Conducting)

Music 480/485 (Applied Music)

Development of information gathering and critical thinking skills will be accomplished through Music 428 (Problems and Methods), a course students are advised to take as early in their studies as possible so that skills can be used and developed in subsequent course work.

The M.M.E. program is intended to meet the needs and interests of individuals possessing an undergraduate degree in music education who plan to seek careers as public school music educators, as teachers of music, or music administration. The skills needed to accomplish these purposes are provided through appropriate courses in the individual's area of specialization, selected through consultation with the academic advisor. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have previously taught one to three years in the public schools. (Policy statements regarding this

degree are found in the Graduate Studies in Music Education handbook, distributed to M.M.E. students at the beginning of their program.). All students, regardless of specialization, are required to take two "comprehensive" courses:

Music 353 (Introduction to Research in Music Education)

Music 409 (Principles of Curriculum in Music Education)

While no thesis is required for the M.M.E. degree, the Music Education Division has recently initiated a "research project" option by which students interested in eventually pursuing the doctoral degree can complete a research-based document as part of their program. Upon completion of the document students selecting this option undergo a one-hour oral examination with the research advisor and a second faculty member.

Students who have obtained an undergraduate degree in music and wish to become certified in order to teach music in the public schools may enroll in the M.M.E. with Certification program. This program is designed to meet two goals:

certification as a K-12 music teacher in the State of Illinois (the outcomes of this program are identical to those for the B.M.E. degree) a master's degree in music education

This program is intended to provide advanced subject matter knowledge the fields of composition and performance. This outcome is accomplished through completion of the core curriculum and carefully selected related courses. Student work is evaluated annually during the assistantship-granting process. The Preliminary Examination is, of course, central to this process. Plans are currently underway to develop a standard end-of-year review for all doctoral students. (Policy statements regarding this degree are found in the Handbook for Graduate Students in Music.)

Information gathering and critical thinking skills assessment are based on work completed in the M.M. and further developed at the doctoral level through research and reporting in a seminar setting.

This program is intended to provide advanced subject matter knowledge in the field of musicology/ethnomusicology. This outcome is accomplished through completion of core courses and carefully selected related courses. Student work is evaluated annually during the assistantship-granting process and through results on the Preliminary Examination.

The doctoral programs in music education are flexibly designed to meet the varying needs and interests of individuals seeking a terminal degree in higher music education. The Ed.D. is planned primarily for the individual whose professional interests include teaching, either in the public schools or at the university level with a primary interest in teacher education and related fields, administration and supervision, or careers in education-related fields. The Ph.D. is primarily designed for individuals who are interested in research, either at the university level or in education-related fields.

Student work is evaluated annually during the assistantship-granting +process and through Comprehensive Examinations (covering knowledge acquired through doctoral coursework) and the Preliminary Examination. Other student work, particularly publications and presentations, are also considered in this procedure (Policy statements regarding these degrees are found in the Graduate Studies in Music Education handbook.)

Information gathering and critical thinking skills assessment are based on the work completed in the M.M.E. and further developed via research and presentations in the Music Education Doctoral Seminar and at state, regional, and national music education conferences.

Degree programs in the School of Music are monitored by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). This accrediting organization re-certifies the School on a 10©year cycle. The next NASM assessment will occur during the 2000©2001 academic year. Graduates from all degree programs are monitored informally through contact with alumni and faculty and through methods such as receptions for alumni at state and national conferences (for example, those held annually at the meetings of the Illinois Music Educators Association, the Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Music Educators National Conference In-Service Workshop). Additionally, an in-house publication,

"Sonorities", is published during the Fall and Spring semesters by the School of Music and distributed to alumni and friends of the School in an attempt to report student, faculty, and alumni accomplishments and to narrate position attainment and movement of alumni from undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Students are admitted to the B.M. program through a performance audition. A theory placement exam was developed during the 1998/99 academic year and is incorporated into the entrance procedure.

Students enrolled as Instrumental Music majors are required to enroll in a major (32 hours) and a minor (8 semester hours). Third- and fourth-yearstudents must present juried public junior and senior recitals as part of the degree requirements.

Students enrolled as Music Composition majors must present a satisfactory senior recital of original compositions during the senior year.

Students enrolled as Theory majors must complete an advanced project approved by the composition-theory division during the senior year.

Seniors enrolled in the History of Music major must complete a satisfactory thesis as part of the requirements for the B.M. degree.

Students enrolled as Voice majors must accrue at least 8 semester hours each in Italian, French, and German languages and diction, and are also required to study piano for 8 semester hours. Third- and fourth-year students must present juried public junior and senior recitals as part of the degree requirements.

Students are admitted to the B.M.E. program through a performance audition, results on the theory placement exam, and an interview with members of the Music Education Division faculty. Throughout the undergraduate program, students are formally assessed by faculty each semester concerning the progress made toward program completion. The Sophomore Screening procedure is accomplished at the end of the student's sophomore year to evaluate progress toward degree completion and eligibility for student teaching, and to assess overall quality of work.

Results of these assessments are sent to students, who are encouraged to speak with his or her advisor if problems have been identified.

Before student teaching placement each applicant is interviewed by Division faculty. During the student teaching semester, students are observed at least three times by faculty and/or doctoral students and complete written reports filed with the Coordinator of Music Student Teaching and the College of Education Office of Student Teaching.

Scores of students on the Illinois Teacher Examination are monitored by the Chair of Music Education and are utilized in student advising and program restructuring efforts. (The Division is currently involved in a large-scale curriculum revision endeavor.) The Division is periodically evaluated by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for program re-certification, a process initiated by the College of Education. Data collected for this process have included survey information solicited from program graduates.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Revised Music Test and/or undergraduate transcript evaluation are required to assess music history and theory preparation as part of the entrance process. Language proficiency is evaluated on the basis of transcripts submitted for entrance. If required for the specific degree, a performance audition is also required.

M.M. students are continuously evaluated through the quality of their work in key courses and in end-of-semester examinations or juried performances. Each specialization also requires a culminating project or recital.

Students seeking admission to the M.M.E. program must possess an undergraduate degree in music education from an accredited institution (with an overall G.P.A. of at least 3.0), and must also forward three letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the applicant's musicianship, ability to undertake graduate study, and teaching potential. Students seeking financial aid must submit a score on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).

All M.M.E. students are continuously evaluated through the quality of their work in required courses. During the 1994/95 academic year, a "Masters Research Project" option was instituted for election by M.M.E. students.

Applicants to the D.M.A. program must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in composition or performance by audition or evaluation of original scores.

Students must earn a minimum of 16 units beyond the requirements for the master's degree. This program is structured in consultation with the student's graduate advisor in terms of special needs, interests, and abilities. All students must demonstrate proficiency in at least one

language other than English.

Candidates take a Preliminary Examination after completion of all course work. In the fields of composition and performance/literature 6 units are devoted to a special doctoral project. (Both fields have a research requirement that serves in lieu of a thesis.) Choral music majors prepare and present a program of comprehensive repertory, and 4 units are devoted to the completion of a thesis.

Prerequisites for admission to the Ph.D. in Musicology program include a master's degree in musicology and a minimum of 32 semester hours in appropriate liberal arts and sciences courses. While no formal outside minor is required, students are expected to take courses in fields outside music that are appropriate to the proposed area of thesis research as part of the 16 unit degree. Proficiency is required in German and at least one other language, depending on the field of specialization. A Preliminary Examination is taken after all course work is completed. Eight of the total of 16 units is generally devoted to the writing of an original doctoral thesis.

Doctoral students in music education are evaluated initially through an entrance examination consisting of stylistic analysis, test of writing ability, research practices, and audition components. Additionally, students applying for scholarship assistance are required to produce a score attained on the Miller Analogy Test (MAT).

The Music Education Committee evaluates the results of these measures before students are provisionally admitted to the degree program. Subsequently, students are monitored by the Committee and the academic advisor as they continue in the program and prepare for the Qualifying Examinations. These Examinations are taken after the completion of 10 units of graduate level course work for the purpose of assessing the student's ability to synthesize knowledge acquired in the areas of education and music education philosophy and psychology, research methodology, and music history and theory.

The School of Music currently receives information on student achievement through various informal and structured processes (for example, performance jury results, results on the State of Illinois Teacher Examination, and outcomes of Qualifying and Preliminary Examinations). Our strategy will be to:

collect and codify existing assessment information(including Senior Survey results) for utilization in program improvement, initially for undergraduate degree programs;

develop and pilot surveys to be administered to exiting undergraduate and graduate students to assist in guiding our further efforts and to provide useful information for the program improvement process;

investigate and implement further sources of pertinent data gathering mechanisms.

The outcomes assessment process in the School of Music will be monitored by the Assessment Committee, consisting of:

Assessment Coordinator

Associate Director for Academic Affairs

Chair of Graduate Studies

Chair of Graduate Studies in Music Education

These individuals will be assisted by:

Respective division chairpersons

Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee

Graduate Policy Committee.

Data will be compiled by the Assessment Committee at the end of each academic year. A report will be prepared and distributed to relevant committees and to School of Music faculty members and administrators.

1999-2000

collect and codify existing program assessment information, explore methods to more beneficially report accumulated data, modify and expand existing collection procedures develop and pilot exit surveys for undergraduate degree recipients, assess adequacy of exit surveys and modify as needed with the input of the Division chairs, the Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee, the raduate Policy Committee, and other interested faculty members, the Assessment Committee will examine other processes (such as focus groups or interviews) that could be productively added to the assessment procedure

2000-2001

develop and pilot exit surveys for graduate degree recipients investigate the inclusion of performance and/or academic portfolios in the undergraduate and graduate student assessment processes.

The outcomes assessment plan will require release time for faculty members charged with data collection and analysis as well as student assistance to support this effort. While no additional resource needs are necessary at the present time, future data collection processes may require supplemental funding resources.