A Content Analysis of Graduate Degrees in Music Education in NASM Accredited Institutions

The purpose of this study was to examine graduate degree programs in music education in NASM accredited institutions with the specific areas of degree and institution information, admissions, and curricula. For this content analysis, I collected data through the websites of NASM accredited institutions that offered graduate degrees in music education, including master’s degrees (N = 203) and doctoral degrees (n = 53). The institution and degree information for these graduate degree programs included types of degrees offered, format of degrees (e.g., summers only, distance learning), location where the programs were located, and Carnegie Classifications (American Council on Education, 2023). The admissions category included degrees and materials required for admittance (e.g., teaching videos, writing samples). For the third category, curricula, I established the frequency of coursework that was required and optional for graduate programs. The results from this study indicate that graduate programs in music education were predominately in public institutions, in a fall/spring semester format, and required students to complete coursework to develop research skills. Additionally, the Master of Music (MM) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) were the primary graduate degrees offered for advanced degrees in music education. The results from this study provide a platform for music teacher educators to examine current practices and curricula of graduate programs throughout the United States.