March 23-24, 2000

ITEM 106-2008-R0300: Authorization to Offer a Bachelor of Arts in Music; Montana State University-Bozeman

THAT: The Board of Regents for Higher Education authorizes the College of Arts Architecture to establish the degree Bachelor of Arts in Music at Montana State University-Bozeman. Students currently in the Department's Studio Teaching Option will move to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, and the Department will delete the Studio Teaching Option.

 

 EXPLANATION: Currently, all majors in the Department of Music enroll in the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) degree, in either the School Music (K-12 Broadfield) Option or the Studio Teaching Option. The majority (77%) pursue teacher certification in the School Music (K-12 Broadfield) Option, while the remaining students (23%) enroll in the Studio Teaching Option, a non-certification program. Although the thrust of the Department's curriculum remains music teacher certification, the number of MSU-Bozeman students seeking a curriculum that emphasizes music within a broad program of general study is increasing. This growth parallels national trends where graduation rates in bachelor of arts degrees in music have increased 33% over the past five years.

The Department intends to convert the Studio Teaching Option to the degree Bachelor of Arts in Music. A curriculum that emphasizes music within a broad program of general study is inappropriate to the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) degree. Converting the Studio Teaching Option to the degree Bachelor of Arts in Music is apropos. Furthermore, to meet National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) standards for the BME, the Studio Teaching Option contains several professional education courses that are vocationally valueless for these students. We will replace these professional education classes with general studies credits.

The designation >Studio Teaching Option has been, and continues to be, problematic. The profession does not recognize the options' name. Students transferring to other institutions are sometimes challenged, and applications to graduate study are questioned not because of content or quality of the program, but because of the confusion caused by the name. Finally, NASM twice cited the Department of Music for the inappropriateness of placing the Studio Teaching Option under the BME. In the 1992 Accreditation Review Visitors' Report, NASM recommends " . . . using the Bachelor of Arts degree as home for the Studio Teaching Option.@ A conversion to the degree Bachelor of Arts in Music meets the expectations of the Departments accreditation association.

The benefits of the conversion are many. Besides the potential to increase enrollment, the conversion to the Bachelor of Arts in Music allows MSU-Bozeman students to earn a degree recognized and accepted by the profession of music. Moreover, students enroll in a degree program that is in demand, is appropriate for their undergraduate education, and is a thorough preparation for graduate study.

Montana State University-Bozeman provides high quality instructional programs in the liberal and creative arts, and, as part of the institutional mission, is committed to emphasizing the centrality of the liberal arts and sciences to undergraduate education. As such, the degree Bachelor of Arts in Music provides a broad coverage of music within the framework of the liberal arts. This degree conforms to the mission of Montana State University-Bozeman, shows promise for enrollment enhancement in the Department of Music and College of Arts and Architecture, and best serves the needs of the University's students.

 

Proposed start date: Fall 2000

 

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