In this article, we analyze a course type common to music education degree plans: the “introduction to music education” (IME) course. Known as “intro to music ed” or by a variety of other names related to “foundations” and foundational thinking, this course type is ubiquitous. However, the aims, content, and possibilities are rarely interrogated. We first situate IME courses in broader discourses around teacher preparation and then discuss historical developments around IME coursework in music teacher education. Next, we describe empirical findings related to IME courses. Then, we discuss curricular options for IME and make specific recommendations for how IME courses accommodate progressive concerns of the field related to teacher socialization, philosophy and sociology, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
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