Music Education / Teacher Training
About The CSUF Music Education Area - Becoming A Titan of Music Education!
Music Education at Cal State Fullerton is an energetic, enthusiastic, and dynamic degree program for aspiring music educators interested in teaching at any educational level and in any musical interest (Band, Choral, Orchestral). Blending in-depth study in music pedagogy, music education philosophy, and the professional aspects of music education – Titan Music Educators leave Cal State Fullerton fully prepared to lead the 21st Century Music Classroom. The CSUF Music Education Program emphasizes a course of study that is both “of our time”, and forward thinking, combined with the principles and study of artistry and musicianship. CSUF Music Education majors are charged to teach people, not simply teach music. The music education program at Cal State Fullerton has been designated “innovative and exemplary” by the Commission on Teacher Education of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
The CSUF Music Education Program is based on our peaceful, park-like campus in Fullerton, CA. However, The CSUF Music Education Program has expanded our classroom to offer Titan Music Educators experiences teaching and observing throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County, and Riverside County with community partners and local school districts. The CSUF Music Education classroom is an artistic and dynamic space, with CSUF Music Education Majors learning from and collaborating with leading K-12 Music Educators from across the Southern California Region, as well as interacting with leading music education pedagogues from innovative Music Education Programs at leading universities from across the United States.
Music Education Area Ethos.
The Music Education Faculty at California State University Fullerton believe that the teaching of, and preparation of future music educators is a serious venture. We believe that the teaching profession is a profession rooted in human possibility. As such, we see our role as faculty in our student’s curricular experience at CSUF as an academic and moral responsibility - training students to leave CSUF fully prepared to be the best teacher and pedagogue for the young lives they will inspire and positively change as a teacher of children in music. The Music Education Faculty also believe that we have an ethical responsibility to collaborate with our students along their academic journey while at CSUF to make their music education experience as artistic, rigorous, impactful, practical, and expeditious as possible – so students are fully prepared to enter the music classroom as a Titan of Music Education. We are fiercely proud of our Titan Music Educator Alumni who now lead music programs throughout our region, state, and country. We are dually proud of the reputation that those alumni have brought upon our Music Education Program, due to the degree of preparation and immediate impact that Titan Music Educators are having in the lives of school music students. To quote former Irvine Unified School District Visual and Performing Arts Administrator Brad Van Patten, “CSUF Music Educators arrive to the classroom with the warranty of a strong music education experience.”
CSUF Titan Music Educators – Music Educators “Leading the Way”.
CSUF Music Education majors are student musicians who blend artistry, pedagogy, and the desire to positively inspire students into an impactful career as music educators. CSUF Music Educators come from every area and region of Southern California, as well as from The Bay Area, Northern California, and from out-of-state. CSUF Music Education Majors bring a wealth and depth of personal and cultural experience with them to our campus, which adds to the breadth and depth of the CSUF Music Education Experience. Titan Music Educators are artistic, engaged, inclusively minded, inquisitive, scholarly, committed, hard-working students within the CSUF School of Music. The CSUF Music Education Program is a community, offering participating students a bevy of opportunities to develop a professional network of colleagues while in the degree program.
“I had an amazing experience at CSUF, both as an undergraduate and graduate student. From the incredible teachers and mentors to passionate fellow students, I always felt supported and challenged to reach my own potential. As a graduate student, I remember feeling like my education was far less about figuring out the answer, but instead learning to ask the right questions. This has turned into a lifelong desire to learn and grow.”
-Ben Case
CSUF Music Education Alumnus
2023 California Teacher of The Year
FAQ's
Q. I am interested in becoming a Music Education Major at CSUF. How do I begin that process?
A. Wonderful! We have a place for you in Music Education at CSUF!
Music Education Majors are students in the CSUF School of Music. As such, you will need to successfully audition into one of the Applied Studios (Instrumental or Vocal) to secure a seat in our program. Auditions are held yearly (typically in the January/February). Interested students are encouraged to reach out to our Music Education faculty as soon as possible, as we are interested in assisting you throughout the entirety of the audition process.
Q. What is the academic experience like within CSUF Music Education?
A. Students will find the intellectual environment at CSUF to be academically and artistically rigorous, deeply musical, and personally rewarding. Your academic experience will combine the best of traditional artistic training fused with academic and scholarly inquiry (both in and out of the School of Music). Music Education majors follow a set course of study in applied lessons, music theory and history, as well as a bevy of music education courses aimed at deepening and improving your pedagogy.
Q. Will I have someone to guide me through my academic journey at CSUF as a Music Education Major?
A. Yes! Seeing you through your academic to Commencement is our goal!
All Music Education majors are assigned to an academic advisor within the School of Music, whom you will meet with for formal advising once per semester. Additionally, you are always able to schedule advising meetings at any time throughout the semester to get any questions you have answered. CSUF has extensive additional resources to assist students in General Education Course Advisement, and Academic Support Services.
Q. What is the “Credential Process”?
A. The Credential Process is the set of steps you will need to complete to earn your Teaching License. The first step in this process is be accepted into the CSUF School of Music as a Music Education Major and completing all of your coursework successfully. As you approach your final year as an undergraduate student, you will begin the formal process of applying to the Credential Program (through the CSUF College of Education, in partnership with the School of Music). Every CSUF Music Education Major completes the Credential Interview and Assessment. The CSUF Credential Assessment & Interview will ask you to demonstrate all of those requisite skills that K-12 School Districts expect of any music teacher candidate (e.g., The ability to play brass, woodwind, percussion, and string secondary instruments, conducting, leading a choral warmup, sight singing, choral pedagogy demonstration, instrument pedagogical transposition on a secondary instrument, piano skills, and a clear statement about your philosophy of music, including an demonstrated understanding of music pedagogy). All of this occurs in the Spring. You will be fully prepared for this process by the CSUF Music Education Faculty. Once you have successfully completed the Credential Assessment and Interview, and you successfully complete all your pre-credential coursework, you will graduate, and be cleared to begin Student Teaching.
The Credential/Student Teaching Year is a post-baccalaureate program throughout all of California (meaning after you graduate with your degree, you return for student teaching). At CSUF, student teaching consists of a one school-year placement in public school sites in the immediate Orange County area as a student teacher. CSUF Student Teachers follow the academic year of the school sites where they are placed and spend this year in an intensive teaching externship partnered with Mentor Teachers who are K-12 professionals in their music programs. Student Teachers are observed throughout the year by Cal State Fullerton University Mentors, as well as take courses on campus. Students will also complete the requisite teacher credential statewide assessments. Upon successful completion of all the aforementioned, students will earn their K-12 Single Subject Teaching Credential, allowing you to teach in California as a professional music educator.
Q. Will my CSUF Teaching Credential be accepted in other states?
A. Pertaining to teaching licensure acceptance, California has reciprocity with many other states across the country, so your teaching credential will be accepted to secure a teaching position in other states. Note: this will differ state by state.
Q. I have a music education or music degree from another college/university, can I come to CSUF to earn my teaching credential?
A. Yes. As a reminder, the credential process is a post-baccalaureate program throughout all of California. The only difference between colleges/universities is the length of time you spend student teaching (at CSUF, you will student teach for one academic year). Those who are interested in earning their credential at CSUF will need to initiate the process by reaching out to the CSUF Music Education faculty. Typically, the first step in this process is to meet with the interested candidate and study the candidate’s academic transcripts to ensure all pre-credential courses required by CSUF Music Education are completed successfully. It if is deemed that pre-credential courses are missing, these courses will need to be completed prior to student teaching. Additionally, all interested candidates will need to successfully complete the Credential Interview and Assessment (see requirements above in question four). While other academic areas at CSUF who offer a credential in education accept students twice per year (Fall/Spring), CSUF Music Education only accepts students for a Fall start. In order to enter the program for a Fall start, interested candidates MUST contact the CSUF Music Education faculty in order to ascertain and complete all of the requisite steps in order to successfully enter the program (these steps are typically completed in February – March). If an interested candidate misses this window, they will need to wait until the next opportunity to apply for the program the following year.
Q. I have completed and earned a non-music degree from another college/university, can I come to CSUF to earn my teaching credential?
A. Yes. Please see the response to question six in order to better understand this process.
Q. How are student teaching placements decided?
A. Student teaching placements (i.e., The school sites where you will undertake your student teaching), are decided collaboratively between you and the Music Education Faculty in the months leading up to the Credential Year. The CSUF College of Education formally secures the student teaching placement.
Q. Are there other avenues to enter the Credential Program?
A. Yes. The State of California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 130 “TK – 12 Education Trailer Bill” (AB 130)
", aimed at allowing new options for Teacher Candidates to demonstrate basic competency in their areas of study. The intent of this legislation was to shorten the pipeline of teacher candidates to the classroom.
While the bill does create a “pipeline” to the classroom, entering the classroom successfully as a music educator calls for a series of requisite skills that all teachers who enter the classroom must possess (these skills are being vetted extensively by school districts in the hiring process of any interested teaching candidate). While this may allow for a faster route to the classroom, interested candidates will still need to meet with CSUF Music Education Faculty to determine the best path forward academically and pedagogically in order for the interested teacher candidate to be fully prepared to be successful upon entering the classroom.
Q. What are the costs for the CSUF Credential Program?
A. Please visit the following links to get more information about Credential Program Tuition & Costs
and the CSUF Credential Program
Why Become a Titan of Music Education at Cal State Fullerton?
The CSUF Music Education Program is artistic and intellectual environment that is designed to inspire, guide and collaborate with participating students. Blending the best of the traditional school of music performance environment with the academic study of the best of music education pedagogy – The CSUF Music Education Program is about collaboration, community, academic scholarship, and artistry. The Cal State Fullerton School of Music provides a thorough preparation for your future success as a music teacher.
We invite you to become a “Titan” of Music Education!
Sincerely,
Dr. Gregory Xavier Whitmore
Area Coordinator – CSUF Music Education Area
Associate Director of Bands
Music Director – Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble
gwhitmore@fullerton.edu
