Music Education

Our curriculum emphasizes musicianship across PreK–12 public and private schools, both in classroom and rehearsal settings, enabling you to teach anywhere in the United States.

View the 2024—2025 Curriculum

 

Program Type

Major

Degree

Bachelor's

Academic Department

Music Education and Music Therapy

Duration

4-year

Required Credit Hours

137

 

Our Music Education Graduates Succeed

These Music Education graduates have gone on to become successful teachers, administrators, and performers both the local and international stage.

Michael Warren leans on a post.

Michael Warren

Dr. Michael Warren (2017) was host of the 2019 gala for The Pittsburgh Promise, which featured headliner Leslie Odom, Jr. of the Broadway smash-hit musical "Hamilton."

Hannah Roux poses on a bed of pink spring flowers.

Hannah Roux

Hannah Roux (2020) teaches elementary general and vocal music in the Fox Chapel Area School District, and she also leads Tunes for Tots music class for children and their loved ones at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church.

Kendra Whitlock Ingram poses for a headshot.

Kendra Whitlock Ingram

Kendra Whitlock Ingram (1997) is the current President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. She previously served as President and CEO of the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee, WI.

Meet the Music Education Faculty

Our Music Education faculty are nationally- and internationally-known educators, scholars, conductors, and clinicians active within the profession.

Rachel Whitcomb

Program Director of Music Education; Associate Professor of Music Education; Associate Dean

Rachel Whitcomb headshot.

Stephen Benham

Professor of Music Education; Chair of Performance Department

Steve Benham headshot

Paul Doerksen

Professor of Music Education

Paul Doerksen headshot

Music Education Adjunct Faculty

Shawn Funk

Shawn Funk

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

PJ Gatch

PJ Gatch

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Todd Kuczawa

Todd Kuczawa

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Kayla Kurtz

Kayla Kurtz

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Jeffrey Leonhardt

Jeffrey Leonhardt

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Jayne McDonald

Jayne McDonald

Adjunct Professor of Eurhythmics

Marlo Rankin

Marlo Rankin

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Laura Reynolds

Laura Reynolds

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Lee Rickard

Lee Rickard

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Steven Schmidt

Steven Schmidt

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Rachel Skilone

Rachel Skilone

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Chad Thompson

Chad Thompson

Adjunct Professor of Music Education

Music Education Facilities

Music Education Students have access to several resource centers and storage areas.

The Music Education Instrument Storage Room, along with a variety of cabinets throughout the building, features an extensive collection of percussion, woodwind, string, brass, general music, and Modern Band instruments for use in methods and techniques courses. The collection also includes acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, a full Orff instrumentarium, sheet music, methods books, movement materials, early childhood manipulatives, and sound equipment, all housed on shelves from the Wenger Corporation. The collection is updated regularly to reflect the most up-to-date innovations in PreK-12 music classrooms.

The Mary Jane Schultz Music Center provides you with an ever-expanding resource of music and music-related research materials. Located on the fifth floor of Duquesne University's Gumberg Library, this collection of music resources comprises an extensive collection of musical scores and DVD/CDs, online research databases, and a wealth of archival materials, such as our unique collection of the papers and personal belongings of the composer Paul Hindemith.

The late William Schultz, former Duquesne student and Fender Guitar executive, and his wife Mary Jane Schultz made significant financial contributions to the Mary Pappert School of Music, funding noteworthy improvements to the music school's building and helping us establish the Mary Jane Schultz Music Center.

For more information about the Mary Jane Schultz Music Center, visit its page on the Gumberg Library's website.

The Curriculum Center is a collection of PreK-12 educational resources designed to support Duquesne students in education-focused degree programs. Resources include PreK-12 textbooks for all subject areas, children’s and young adult literature, big books, storytelling kits, curriculum and lesson planning resources, puppets, manipulatives, and games. Additional resources and services include an Ellison die cut press system, a touch-screen flat panel technology system, and computers.

The materials within the Curriculum Center are particularly helpful to Music Education students as they plan teaching demonstrations for methods classes, field experiences in public school music classrooms, and student teaching. The collection of music-related books, manipulatives, and supplementary materials is consistently updated, and Music Education students can request materials to be purchased for the collection. Additional services and materials available for a small fee within the Curriculum Center include laminating, binding, bulletin board paper, glue sticks, and markers.

Upon verification of alumni status and registration in the library’s user database, alumni are welcome to use the Curriculum Center materials and services. This is particularly helpful to practicing public school music teachers in the Pittsburgh region and beyond.

For more information about the Maureen P. Sullivan Curriculum Center, visit its page on the Gumberg Library’s website.

Visit the Curriculum Center

Hone Your Performing Skills

Regardless of degree path, each student benefits from one-on-one instruction with our world-class faculty.

Duquesne's ensembles will provide you with the finest university-level performing experiences available, preparing you for your career as a professional musician. As a member, you will perform on campus, as well as at some of the best venues for music in the city. Our students have performed at Heinz Hall, Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, the August Wilson Center, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, and many more. 

LEARN ABOUT ENSEMBLES

In today's competitive commercial and studio music environment, versatility is of the utmost importance. Our unique jazz curriculum integrates foundational training in the classical tradition with private instruction and coursework in jazz idioms.

Find Out More About Studying Jazz at Duquesne

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate personal commitment to the art of music, to teaching music as an element of civilization, and to encouraging the artistic and intellectual development of students—while fulfilling these commitments as independent professionals.
  2. Lead their own students to an understanding of music as an art form, as a means of communication, and as a part of their intellectual and cultural heritage.
  3. Inspire others and excite the imagination of their students, engendering a respect for music and a desire for musical knowledge and experiences.
  4. Articulate logical rationales for music as a basic component of general education, and present the goals and objectives of a school music program effectively to parents, professional colleagues, and administrators.
  5. Work productively within specific education systems, promote scheduling patterns that optimize music instruction, maintain positive relationships with individuals of various social and ethnic groups, and be empathetic with students and colleagues of differing backgrounds.
  6. Evaluate ideas, methods, and policies in the arts, the humanities, and in arts education for their influence on the musical and cultural development of students in school music programs.
  7. Remain current with developments in the art of music and in teaching; make independent, in-depth evaluations of their relevance; and to use the results to improve musicianship and teaching skills.