Instruction and supervision of graduate students in Music Education

Abstract

This article covers curricular issues and also the supervision of graduate students in music education. Procedures for selecting and nurturing graduate students are presented covering entrance, curricular requirements, and differentiations for various levels of masters' students including teacher certification. It addresses curricular issues as well as the supervision of graduate students in music education. A plan is proposed that offers a somewhat novel approach for guiding advanced doctoral students through experiential work that culminates in being both qualified and eager to be life-long musicians, scholars, and researchers. All procedures and suggestions for improvement are nested in observations by the author covering over four decades of working with both students and faculty in higher education. These observations and suggestions include revising entrance qualifications, academic hazing, degree designations, assistantship responsibilities, power issues relating to required courses and examination procedures, political issues unique to doctoral programs, selecting a major professor and doctoral committee, qualifications of the graduate faculty, numbers of graduate students necessary for a viable program, substitutions for traditional examinations, and a specific proposal designed to increase transfer of learning.