Music Education

Degree:	Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.)
Major:	Music Education
Department:	Dr. Grier Williams School of Music Building 82, Room 211 850-474-2147 http://uwf.edu/music
College:	Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
CIP Code:	13.1312
Semester Hours Required For Degree: 126

The Bachelor of Music Education (BME) is designed for students seeking careers in the field of music education and prepares graduates to teach music in public and private schools. The University of West Florida is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and has been accredited by NASM since 1971.

The Bachelor of Music Education degree is an FLDOE approved program that leads directly to certification in Music K-12.

Permission to major in music is required through audition and application to the Williams School of Music. In addition to successful completion of all coursework, students must pass the required Florida Teaching Certification Exams including General Knowledge, Professional Education and the Music Subject Area.

Contact the Williams School of Music for details about available scholarships at music@uwf.edu.

Program Requirements

In addition to the University’s general requirements, students seeking the BME must meet the requirements listed below.

To be admitted into the program, students must audition for the faculty at least one semester prior to enrollment into the program. Entering freshmen are advised to contact the Williams School of Music in the fall semester of their senior year in high school in order to secure information regarding scholarship auditions and general information about the degree plan and desired specialization. Scholarship auditions are generally scheduled on specific days in December, February, and May during each academic year. Contact the Williams School of Music for details and to schedule an audition at music@uwf.edu.

Transfer students are advised to contact the Williams School of Music at least one semester prior to their anticipated date of enrollment in order to ensure a smooth transition into the music curriculum at UWF. Transcripts will be evaluated by the Director prior to enrollment into the program. A skills-based theory diagnostic exam will be administered at the time of audition. Transfer students are encouraged to request guidelines in advance to better prepare for this exam. Failure to pass this exam may result in remedial course requirements. Transfer students must have passed the FLDOE General Knowledge Exam prior to admittance into the program.

In addition to the course requirements, the Williams School of Music requires the following of its majors:

• Within the first year, students will be required to select at least one area of specialization based on career goals. Specialization Tracks include:
  • BME Choral Music
  • BME General Music
  • BME Instrumental - Band
  • BME Instrumental - Piano
  • BME Instrumental - Strings
• All students must be enrolled in applied lessons in every semester (excluding Summer) until graduation. Exception: when enrolled in a teaching internship.
• Every student enrolled in applied lessons must participate each semester in a major ensemble sponsored by the Williams School of Music (Symphonic Band, UWF Singers, or Runge Strings). Exceptions will be made only when students are completing a teaching internship.
• All students must complete a total of 135 observation hours in the public schools during the time of study.
• All majors must attend the weekly Student Recital Hour and perform as recommended by the applied professor. Students are required to perform at least once during the semester. Student Recital Hour is a component of applied lessons (not a separate class.
• All majors must attend a weekly BME Studio (teaching lab) and prepare for instructional experiences. BME Studio is a component of upper-level methods classes (not a separate class).
• All majors must attend a minimum number of concerts or recitals each semester in residence; the minimum number is determined by the number of concerts or recitals presented during the semester. The concerts or recitals may include faculty recitals, student recitals, symphony concerts, Music Hall Artists Series concerts, and any other program of "classical" nature approved by the faculty.
• All students using the practice facilities must be on an access list generated by the Williams School of Music Office each semester.
• In addition to successful completion of coursework, the student must pass the three Florida Teaching Certification Exams (FTCE - General Knowledge, Music Subject Matter, and Professional Area) to be eligible for a FLDOE letter of eligibility for certification in Florida. The General Knowledge exam must be completed prior to advancement to upper-level coursework. The Subject Matter and Professional Area exams must be completed before student teaching.
• All Students must earn a minimum Major GPA of 3.0 in order to remain in the program and/or graduate.
• All students must earn a minimum grade of “C-” in all major courses or the course(s) in question will need to be retaken.
• All students must pass the UWF Piano Proficiency Examination in the same semester that they complete Sophomore Theory II. If piano is the principal instrument, the student is not required to take the UWF Piano Proficiency Examination.
• All students must pass MUT 2117 Sophomore Theory II or the UWF Music Theory Placement Examination, and the UWF Piano Proficiency prior to enrolling in upper-division music theory courses-Structure and Style, Instrumentation, or Counterpoint.

General Education

ADDENDUM - 06/12/2025

In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.

General Education Curriculum:

Civic Literacy Requirement

The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy by passing an assessment or taking AMH 2020 United States Since 1877 or POS 2041 American Politics.

The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and an exam. In 2024, the Board of Governors made an additional revision, recognizing two new courses meeting the Civic Literacy requirement, AMH 2010 United States to 1877 and AMS 2010 Civil Discourse and the American Political Order. As a result, there are four cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions that are subject to varying requirements.

As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.

Simply Text

Column 1	Column 2
Students Included in Cohort	Civic Literacy Competency Requirement
Cohort 1: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS before fall 2018	None
Cohort 2: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2018 through Academic Year 2020	Complete a course or Assessment.
Cohort 3: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2021 through Academic Year 2023	Course and Assessment.
Cohort 4: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in fall 2024 and thereafter	Course and Assessment.

Additionally, for Cohorts 3 and 4, approved accelerated mechanisms may meet the course and/or assessment requirement, and students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) in high school are exempt from the postsecondary exam requirement.

There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan. 

Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website, SUS regulation BOG 8.006, and Florida Statute s.1007.25(4,a-b).

Mathematics Pathway

Students are advised to complete the following courses to fulfill the mathematics pathway that aligns with the mathematics skills needed for success in their program and their career goals. Students should refer to their academic advisor for questions about the math pathway for their program. For information about this requirement, refer to the catalog page for Mathematics Pathways. These courses may also fulfill requirements for General Education and Common Prerequisites. 

Mathematical Thinking in Context
MGF 1130	Mathematical Thinking	3
MGF 1131	Mathematics in Context	3

Common Prerequisites

ADDENDUM - 06/12/2025

In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.

Secondary Piano Proficiency is satisfied by examination; the B.M.E. requires 4 semester hours (sh). The remaining 2-4 sh are subtracted from Upper Division Requirements.

MUT 1111	Freshman Theory	3
MUT 1112	Freshman Theory II	3
MUT 1271L	Freshman Theory Lab	1
MUT 1272L	Freshman Theory II Lab	1
MUT 2116	Sophomore Theory	3
MUT 2117	Sophomore Theory II	3
MUT 2276L	Sophomore Theory I Lab	1
MUT 2277L	Sophomore Theory II Lab	1
MUN XXXX	Ensemble *	4
MVX 131X	Freshman Applied Music **	2-4
MVX 232X	Sophomore Applied Music **	2-4
A passing grade of the FLDOE General Knowledge Exam is required prior to advancement.
Total Hours		24-28

*

 1 sh for 4 semesters.

**

 Only 2 sh required by statewide common prerequisites.

Major 

Music Performance Core:
MUH 2513	Music in World Cultures +	2
MUH 3211	History of Western Music I: End of Ancient World Through 17th Century +	3
MUH 3212	History of Western Music II: 18th through 20th Centuries +	3
MUG 3104	Conducting 1 +	2
MUG 3108	Conducting 2 +	2
Choose one of the following (appropriate to primary area of interest): +		2
MUT 3401	Techniques of Counterpoint
or MUT 3611	Musical Structure and Style
or MUT 4311	Instrumentation
Music Teaching Core:
MUE 2040	Introduction to Music Teaching +	2
MUS 2360	Music Technology +	2
MUE 3413	Chamber Music Coaching +	1
Choose two of the following:		4
MUE 4475	Percussion Methods and Materials +
MUE 4451	Woodwind Instrument Methods and Materials +
MUE 4343	String Methods and Materials +
MUE 4465	Brass Instrument Methods and Materials +
MVV 4640	Vocal Pedagogy +	2
MUE 3311	Methods for the Elementary School Music Teacher +	2
MUE 4411	Special Methods/Choral Techniques +	3
MUE 4493	Special Methods/Instrumental Techniques +	3
MUN xxxx Ensemble ** +		3
MVx 3xxx Junior Applied Music * +		4
MVx 4xxx Senior Applied Music +		2
MVx 4971 Senior Recital +		1
Choose one of the following (appropriate to primary instrument): +
MUL 3551	Band and Wind Literature	2
or MUL 3643	Choral Literature
or MUL 3503	Symphonic and String Literature
A passing grade of the FLDOE Subject Area and Professional Exams are required prior to MUE 4940 Music Education Internship (student teaching).
MUE 4940	Music Education Internship +	9
Education Core:
EDG 4323	Methods of K-12 Literacy Instruction +	3
TSL 4080	ESOL Principles and Practices +	3
Total Hours		60

*

1 sh for 4 semesters.

**

Only 2 sh required by statewide common prerequisites.

+

Courses included in the major GPA.

Specialization Tracks 

Students will choose one of the following tracks for specialization:

Choral Track:
MUS 2241	Diction I: English and Italian Lyric Diction +	1
MUS 3253	Diction II: French and German Lyric Diction +	1
General Music:
MUE 3355	Instrumental General Music +	2
Instrumental Track - Band:
Choose one of the following Methods and Materials courses not completed as part of the major:		2
MUE 4475	Percussion Methods and Materials
or MUE 4451	Woodwind Instrument Methods and Materials
or MUE 4343	String Methods and Materials
or MUE 4465	Brass Instrument Methods and Materials
MUN 3100	UWF Argo Athletic Band ***	0
Instrumental Track - Piano:
MVK 4641	Piano Pedagogy +	2
Instrumental Track - Strings:
MUE 4447	Advanced String Pedagogy +	2
Total Hours for Each Specialization = 2 sh. At least 1 completed specialization is required.

***

Instrumental Track -  Band students are required to take 2 fall semesters of MUN 3100 UWF Argo Athletic Band.

+

Courses included in the major GPA.