Research Project
A Descriptive Study of Liberal Studies Courses for Non-Music Majors
Faculty Mentor
Matthew Baumer
What is your research?
We are looking to gain an overview of the current state of music courses for non-music majors in colleges and universities in the United States. Our research is based on 120 randomly selected colleges and universities accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. We are investigating music requirements and music offerings for non-music majors published in the catalogs available on their websites. The information we look for includes if there is a liberal studies requirement for non-majors, if a music course is offered to fufill this requirement, and the primary content of the offered courses. We are also developing a survey regarding music courses for non-majors that would collect similar data but from instructors and administrators. I am currently focusing in on some specific schools that I have found to offer two or more culture related music courses for non-majors. I am interested in seeing if the location of the school (city or rural), the population of the school (large or small), and the school demographics have any correlation to the higher number of culture related courses offered.
Why is it important?
As a future music educator, I find it very important to understand how I should be preparing my students for their future success. Completing this research will inform what content I teach my students in elementary or high school to either prepare them for the courses they could end up taking when continuing their education or ensure that their education, while under my instruction, is as complete as possible if the research shows that they may not receive more music instruction post-high school.
