For current students: Fall 2024 Ensembles Audition Information
A wide variety of performance opportunities await our students each year, with orchestras, bands, choirs and opera, jazz nonets and combos, small ensembles, and more.
A variety of programs and initiatives operate continuously or annually to enhance learning experiences and help students prepare for their future in music.
The MSU College of Music supports and challenges students, values innovation and creativity, and helps every community member achieve professional excellence.
Designed for graduate students seeking careers in post-secondary education.
The College of Music’s Certificate in College Teaching (CCT) is designed to help prepare graduate students in the College of Music for careers in post-secondary education while enhancing the quality of their teaching at Michigan State. The program will include course work, workshops, seminars and observations of teaching to provide basic information on the music teaching/learning enterprise, and will be tailored to meet the needs and goals of each participant. In addition, the program will require a mentored teaching experience and the development of a teaching portfolio (the portfolio will demonstrate the candidate’s accomplishments, documenting teaching philosophy, curricular development materials, faculty observations, student evaluations, and other supporting activities from the core components). These experiences and the materials developed in the teaching portfolio will assist graduates seeking employment in an increasingly competitive job market in higher education. Once completed and approved, the CCT is designated on a student’s official transcript at the direction of the Graduate School.
Eligibility: students must be in an M.A., M.M., D.M.A., or Ph.D. program in the College of Music and have a commitment to developing their teaching competence.
Interested students should consult with the College CCT coordinator (contact information below) about certification requirements. Applicants must:
Submit these materials electronically to:
Dr. Mitchell Robinson
Associate Professor of Music Education
College of Music
208 Music Practice Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
Certificate in College Teaching Course Work
CCT participants must complete MUS 964: College Music Teaching Seminar (2 credits, fall of even years/spring of even years) with a grade of 3.0 or higher. The course is described below:
Course: | MUS 964: College Music Teaching Seminar |
Instructor: | Mitchell Robinson |
Semester: | Fall of even years/Spring of even years |
Credits: | Total Credits: 2 Lecture/Recitation/Discussion hours |
Description: | Applications of pedagogical techniques to music teaching and learning through discussions, presentations and activities. |
Certificate in College Teaching Core Areas of Competency
While working on the Five Core Competencies, students should:
The CCT program was assembled around the following five core competency areas:
Core Areas | Knowledge about… |
1. Adult Students as Learners/Creating Learning Environments |
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2. Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies |
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3. Assessment of Learning |
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4. Technology in the Classroom |
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5. Professional Development/ Understanding the University |
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Competency in these five core areas is a requirement of the CCT. Participation in workshops, seminars, specific courses, course-specific training programs and professional meetings may count toward completion of the core areas. Each of these competencies can be satisfied through the course work, assignments and activities required in MUS 964. However, participation in additional activities is strongly encouraged
Certificate in College Teaching Mentored Teaching Experience
The Mentored Teaching Experience is a requirement for all students enrolled in MUS 964, and is meant to be an opportunity for students to work closely with a faculty mentor(s) to broaden their teaching experiences and develop their teaching skills. The Mentored Teaching Experience MUST go beyond simple laboratory or grading assignments. It should culminate in a Teaching Project developed by the graduate student in conjunction with a faculty member and focused on one aspect of teaching (i.e. testing, curriculum development, etc.). The project should include:
Certificate in College Teaching Portfolio
The teaching portfolio that is required of all students enrolled in MUS 964 will demonstrate and document the participant’s accomplishments and growth during the CCT. The CCT program coordinator will review and evaluate the portfolio, initiating discussions of the contents with the program participant where appropriate. The completed portfolio should be a high quality, professional document that may be used by the participant as evidence of teaching experience during future interviews for academic positions.
Each student will prepare and submit the following items, which will be included in the Teaching Portfolio (click here to link to the CCT Requirements webpage where you can download the portfolio checklist):
Completing your Certificate in College Teaching
The CCT participant must complete and illustrate competency in the above requirements to earn the Certification in College Teaching. The CCT program coordinator, along with the faculty mentor, will consult with the participant to develop a program appropriate for the student. The CCT program coordinator will determine when the participant has met all the CCT requirements. Upon completion of the program, the participant will receive a certificate from the College of Music and Michigan State University indicating the participant’s knowledge about and experience in teaching at the college level. Note: the participant will not receive a degree or state certification in teaching. Participation in the CCT program will also result in a notation on the participant’s transcript.
After completing all requirements, students should: