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The Mars Hill College Music Education curriculum provides a liberal arts education designed to produce well-rounded citizens and provide experiences and opportunities for professional preparation as a music education teaching professional. Students who graduate from the music education program receive the State of North Carolina teaching license with special area licensure in K-12 Music. The Department of Music has held full accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1967. The Department of Music offers the Bachelor of Music degree in music education with an emphasis in elementary music, instrumental music, and choral music. Additionally, the Department offers the Bachelor of Music degree in Performance and the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music.

For over thirty years, the music education program has prepared Teacher Professionals who are leaders in general, choral, and instrumental music programs throughout the southeastern United States. The continuity of relationships between the department and the professional music education community is reflected in our special offerings, such as: the J. Elwood Roberts Choral Festival, Marching and Concert Festivals, Instrumental Retreats, and numerous visiting and guest artist performances at the College. Additional clinics are provided in the public schools by departmental faculty. These services to the community enhance connections between the academic worlds of college classroom and the public school classroom. The academic preparation of future teachers is provided in the traditional classroom setting with practical classroom experience in the schools as a part of each student's experience. Music education students are constantly exposed to teacher professionals who provide excellent models for valuing and respecting K-12 students and their communities.

The goals and objectives for students participating in the music education program are consistent with those established with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the National Association of Schools of Music, our primary accrediting agencies.

In accordance with our Departmental Mission Statement, the Department of Music provides an environment in which professional and non-professional musicians may continue to develop the skills, knowledge, concepts, and sensitivities essential in recognizing and cultivating quality musical experiences. This development takes place within a liberal arts academic community that:
•enables the pursuit of undergraduate degrees in music
•enhances the breadth of the non-music degrees
•emphasizes the artistic and personal maturity of the individual
•encourages personal enrichment through diverse musical experiences
•embraces professional values, responsibilities, and relationships
•values highly-qualified, professionally active faculty who continue the tradition of excellence in music

The skills, sensitivities, knowledge, and concepts which serve as the framework for students and faculty in the Department of Music include:

Skills
•artistic maturity in performance medium
•theory
•aural skills
•sight-singing
•keyboard skills
•technology
•conducting
•improvisation
•analysis
•research
•programming
•pedagogy
•psychology of performance
•professional relationships (interpersonal skills)
•practical organizational skills
•transfer of learning

Knowledge
•literature
•theory
•diverse cultures/styles, heritage
•history
•pedagogy
•learning & teaching music
•analysis
• philosophies
• psychology of music behaviors
• music perception
• career planning (interview, resume)

Sensitivities
• value judgments
• professional responsibilities and relationships
• recital attendance - appreciation
• psychology of music behaviors
• cultural awareness

Concepts
• aesthetics
• quality
• style, interpretation, performance practice, historical perspective
• synthesis, application and evaluation
• problem-solving
• critical thinking
• music as communication-universal human behavior
• life-long learning
• learning transfer
• inter-relatedness of "disciplines"