Music and Music Education EdD

Doctor of Education


The Ed.D prepares students for positions in the Teaching and Supervision of Music in Elementary and Secondary Schools, the Teaching and Administration of Music in Early Childhood Settings, the Teaching of Music in Private Schools and Private Studios, the Teaching and Administration of Music in Colleges and Universities, and careers in Music and Interdisciplinary Areas, such as the Arts and Humanities, Special and Adult Education.

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Admission Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Doctor of Education

  • Points/Credits: 75
  • Entry Terms: Fall
  • Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Campus-Based, Part-Time Campus-Based

Application Deadlines

Entry Term AvailablePriority DeadlinesFinal DeadlinesExtended Deadlines
SpringN/AN/AN/A
SummerN/AN/AN/A
FallDecember 1, 2024December 1, 2024N/A

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

 Requirement
 Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume
 Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed
 Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable)
 $75 Application Fee
 Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
 Academic Writing Sample
 Optional digital portfolio (included in online application)

For admission-related inquiries, please contact AHadmission@tc.columbia.edu.

Additional Notes

  • Applicants for the Doctor of Education normally have previously received a Master of Arts or Master of Music degree. Applicants for the Doctor of Education and the Doctor of Education in College Teaching are expected to have several years of professional experience as an educator or performing musician prior to beginning the doctoral program. Both doctoral programs are very selective and admit only a few students each year.

Additional Degree Information

In addition to Teachers College's policies for student progress and degree completion, students within the Program of Music and Music Education enrolled in a degree program in the department as of Fall Term 2021 or admitted later must meet the following requirements:

  1. All master's and doctoral students must enroll for a minimum of six (6) points per academic year. Students in summer MA intensive or summer doctoral cohort degrees must register for at least six (6) points during summer sessions. However, once a doctoral student is obligated for continuous doctoral dissertation advisement, students must satisfy the requirements for continuous registration as outlined in the College requirements.
  2. All masters and doctoral students must maintain a minimum of a "B" grade (exclusive of Pass/Fail courses) for each course registered through Teachers College.
  3. Students must remain in good academic standing by doing the following:
    • Maintain a minimum of "B" grades
    • Receive grades of "P" (progress) in research credits.
    • Maintain continuous enrollment
    • Doctoral students must pass all written and performance certification exams required for completion of the degree. Teacher College limits the number of retakes students have to pass a required exam part to one. (Please see the policy here:

    [https://www.tc.columbia.edu/policylibrary/policies/doctoral-certification-examination-retakes-9068741/]

    • Make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward completion of the degree during each academic year.

    Failure to remain in good standing will result in students being placed on program academic probation for a period of one semester. If placed on academic probation students will be notified by their Advisor and the Registrar's office. Students will be restricted to part-time registration until their grades are above the minimum level. The intent of Academic Probation is to provide students the opportunity to raise their grades to minimum levels so that they may continue to pursue their academic goals. Once placed on academic probation, a student’s grades will be reviewed regularly based on academic level; master's students will be reviewed after completion of 6 credit hours and doctoral students after completion of 3 credit hours.

    Master's students can be placed on academic probation no more than twice during their academic program. Placement on academic probation beyond the first time will be based on completing the previous academic probation period with grades above a B.

    Doctoral students can be placed on academic probation only once during their academic program.

  4. Any requests for retroactive registration must receive the approval of the faculty advisor, Program Coordinator, and Department Chair before submission to the Office of Registrar.
  5. Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T. students must complete all requirements for the Ed.D. within eight (8) years from their term of matriculation.
  6. Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T. students must take the certification exam once they have completed 70 points of coursework (both Teachers College credits and those transferred in), or within two (2) years of term matriculation, whichever comes first. Students must complete the remaining minimum of 20 points toward their Ed.D. requirements within the initial period of certification (four to six years).
  7. Whether a student sits for the certification examination will be at the discretion of the student’s advisor. If the student has more than three (3) points of "Incomplete" grades, but the advisor does not believe this poses a problem, then the student may still sit for the certification exam. However, under Teachers College policy, any doctoral student who has six (6) or more points of "Incomplete" grades as part of the program of study may not sit for the certification examination.
  8. An Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T.  student will be recommended for certification, for the purpose of determining when the obligation for continuous enrollment in doctoral dissertation advisement begins when they have passed all parts of the certification examination, has submitted a program plan, and has been formally recommended for certification by the program.
  9. After having passed part one of the certification examination, the student has a year to take the remaining steps to secure full certification, including completing the other parts of the certification examination and submitting a program plan.
  10. All Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T. candidates must complete their degree requirements by the expiration date of their period of certification. Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T.  candidates who have not completed their degree during this time, but have registered and completed a course during the last five years, may petition for an extension if they are in good academic standing (see 3. above) and have satisfied the College requirements for continuous enrollment for doctoral dissertation advisement, if applicable. Petitions for extensions may be obtained in the Office of Doctoral Studies.
  11. Students filling for an extension must:
    • Have adequate and acceptable reasons.
    • Have been registered and completed a course within the last five (5) years.
    • Provide a feasible plan for degree completion.
    • Obtain the approval of their faculty advisor, Program Director, and Department Chair. Any petitions not accompanied with appropriate approvals will be invalid.
    • Students filing petitions for extensions may be required to retake courses, or to undertake additional coursework, as specified by faculty advisor, Program Coordinator, and/or Department Chair.
    • Petitions for extensions must be filed within six (6) months of expiration of the certification period.
    • Students are limited to a maximum of two (2) petitions for extensions, which will not exceed more than two (2) years total.

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

The Ed.D. prepares students for positions in the teaching and supervision of music in elementary and secondary schools, the teaching and administration of music in early childhood settings, the teaching of music in schools and studios, the teaching and administration of music in colleges and universities, and careers in music and interdisciplinary areas, such as the arts and humanities, special and adult education. 

 

Requirements include:

1) Satisfactory completion of a program of 75 graduate points beyond the baccalaureate degree,

2) Successful performance on a departmental certification examination, and

3) Preparation and defense of a dissertation. 

At least 54 points of work must be completed at Teachers College. A maximum of 36 graduate points may be accepted from other accredited graduate schools. Transfer credits are evaluated and allocated by the Registrar's Office for consideration by the Music and Music Education Program. Final determinations are made by Program faculty.

Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 15 points of coursework in areas other than those in the Music and Music Education Program.

To ensure breadth in professional background, coursework should result in competency in the following four broad areas: (1) Pedagogy, (2) Research, (3) Musicianship, and (4) Music Performance.

The preparation and the defense of a dissertation is required for the doctoral degree. When writing the dissertation, each candidate has a sponsor and an additional committee member. Most often the sponsor is a faculty member of the Program in Music and Music Education. Committee members may be chosen from among the professorial faculty elsewhere at Teachers College or Columbia University. Topics are selected from a variety of areas to meet professional needs and interests. 

Pedagogy (minimum 28 points, including transferrable credits) 

Suggested courses:

  • A&HM 5020 Foundations of Music Education, 3 points

  • A&HM 5022 Children’s Musical Development, 3 points

  • A&HM 5025 Creativity and Problem Solving in Music Education, 3 points

  • A&HM 5027 Philosophical Perspectives of  Music Education, 3 points

Additional courses:

  • A&HM 4021 Designing Musical Experiences for Young Children, 3 points

  • A&HM 4023 Choral Pedagogy, 2-3 points

  • A&HM 4029 Intro to New Technologies in Music Education, 2 points

  • A&HM 4033 Approaches to Teaching Musical Instruments, 3 points

  • A&HM 4050 Strategies for Ensemble Rehearsal, 3 points

  • A&HM 5021 Instrumental Experiences for Children, 2-3 points

  • A&HM 5023 Voice Pedagogy, 2-3 points

  • A&HM 5029 Int/Adv Applications of New Technology in Music Education, 2 points

  • A&HM 6001 Teaching and Administration of Music in College, 3 points

  • A&HM 6023 Teaching Applied Music in College, 2-3 points

 

Musicianship and Music Performance (minimum 15 points, including transferrable credits)

At least 1 of the following:

  • A&HM 5032 Comprehensive Musicianship I, 3 points

  • A&HM 5026 Composing Collaboratively Across Diverse Styles, 3 points

Certification requirement:

  • A&HM 6058 Music Performance, 1 point

Additional courses:

  • Applied Conducting, 2 points

  • Applied Composition, 2 points

  • Applied Instrumental / Voice, 2 points

  • Applied Voice, 2 points

  • A&HM 5052 Vocal Literature & Interpretation, 2-3 points

 

Research in Music Education (minimum 18 points, including transferrable credits) 

Emphasized courses:

  • A&H 5001 Research Methods in Arts Education (online), 3 points

  • A&H 5002 Assessment Strategies for the Arts (online), 3 points

  • A&HM 5031 Synthesizing Research in Music Education (online), 3 points

  • A&HM 6041 Interview Data & Analysis, 3 points

Seminars: (Required)

  • A&HM 6501 Doctoral Seminar in Music Education, 2 or 3 points  (Preliminary Proposal)

  • A&HM 7501 Dissertation Seminar: Music Education, 2 or 3 points (Advanced Proposal)

Seminars: (Continuing Research Study)

  • A&HM 6510 Advanced Seminar in Art Education Research, 3 points (Continuing Dissertation Research)

  • A&HM 6971 Research and Independent Study in Music Education, 1 to 3 points

Out of Program (minimum 15 points)

Suggested research courses (2 courses minimum): :

  • A&HH 6041 Historical Method

  • C&T 5502 Introduction to Qualitative Research in Curriculum & Teaching

  • HUD 4120 Methods of Empirical Research

  • HUDF 5020 Methods of Social Research: Survey Methods

  • HUDM 4122 Probability and Statistical Inference

  • HUDM 5122 Applied Regression Analysis

  • HUDM 5123 Experimental Design

  • ITSF 4092 Qualitative Research and Evaluation in International Education

  • ITSF 5000 Methods of Inquiry: Ethnography and Participant Observation

  • ITSF 5001 Ethnography and Participant Observation: Structural and Interpretive Analysis

  • MSTC 5001 Qualitative Methods in Science Education Research

  • ORL 5522 Evaluation Methods 1

  • ORL 5523 Evaluation Methods 2

  • ORL 5524 Instrument Design and Validation

  • ORL 6500 Qualitative Research Methods on Organizations: Design and Data Collection

  • ORL 6501 Qualitative Research Methods in Organizations: Data Analysis and Reporting

  • ORLJ 5040 Research Methods in Social Psychology

Sample Elective Courses:

  • A&HF 5590 Voices in Philosophy and Education

  • A&HH4076 History of Urban Education

  • C&T 4029 Creativity: Its Nature and Nurture

  • C&T 4032 Gender, Difference, and Curriculum

  • C&T 4078 Curriculum and Teaching in Urban Areas

  • C&T 4161 The Teacher: Socio-Historical, Cultural Contexts of Teaching

  • ORLD 4827 Fostering Transformative Learning

  • ORLH 5011 College Teaching and Learning

  • MTSU 4083 Instructional Design of Educational Technology

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