Biology - Major in Biology Program

Required courses:

Education Core (3 credits)
EDU 804 Research Methods in Education

This course is designed to develop the understanding of the methods employed in planning and developing research in education; students will gain experience in generating ideas for research, critically evaluating literature, synthesizing and presenting results of research, and writing in a clear and organized way. Students will explore research-based rationale for reform in education and address the use of statistics in analyzing educational research as well as local, state, and national assessments. 3 credits.

Plus one from the following (may not be a course from the concentration/certificate courses):
EDU 830 Characteristics and Etiology of ASD

This course will prepare students to understand the characteristics and etiology of autism spectrum disorder. It will include foundational frameworks for understanding autism including historical perspectives, diagnostic criteria and practices, and assessment and intervention contexts ranging from applied behavior analysis (ABA) to neurodiversity affirming practices. 3 credits.

EDU 832 Instructional Interventions and Methods Across Settings and Grade Levels

This course will prepare students to evaluate, select, and implement individualized comprehensive behavioral and educational intervention programs for students with autism spectrum disorders across grade levels and settings. Sensory friendly classroom design, visual supports, structured routines, and other accommodations that promote supportive and inclusive learning environments will be explored. Students will complete a comprehensive field-based project. 3 credits.

EDU 840 Introduction to Designing Online Environment

This project-based course will introduce participants to various aspects of online learning environments with a focus on asynchronous learning. Learners will investigate standards, instructional best practices and online design techniques to build an environment that creates a sense of community and encourages collaboration and engagement. The course will include a focus on how to differentiate instruction to meet all learners' needs in an asynchronous manner of delivery. Participants will convey how instructional practices, relevant skills and competencies inform their online program design and be able to communicate where and when online learning techniques can enhance traditional instructional models. 3 credits.

EDU 841 Delivering Effective Online Instruction

This course will examine methods for delivering online instruction in various environments with a focus on synchronous learning. Participants will review the Teacher Effectiveness Model of Supervision and evaluate the model about aspects of online delivery. The course will focus on planning live instruction that encourages learners' active participation, application, interaction and collaboration. Participants will explore setting clear expectations, professionally delivering instruction and providing meaningful feedback. The course will include components on how to differentiate synchronous instruction to meet all learners' needs. Participants will be able to articulate when and why synchronous learning is the most effective delivery of the content. 3 credits.

EDU 845 AI Foundations and Society

This course introduces students to the foundations of artificial intelligence (AI) and explores its applications across education, work, and daily life. Students will gain a clear understanding of fundamental AI concepts, how AI systems are designed, and the strengths and limitations of these tools in practice. Building on this technical grounding, the course examines AI's broader role in human and societal thriving, considering ethical, cultural, and long-term impacts. Through critical discussion, case studies, and applied projects, participants will learn not only how AI functions but also how it is shaping the future of learning, equity, and global society. 3 credits.

EDU 850 Curriculum Principles and Processes

This course builds the capacity of educators and administrators as instructional leaders by equipping them with a deep understanding of how high-quality curriculum is designed, developed, and adopted for implementation in elementary and secondary programs. Principles, key concepts, and historical perspectives will be introduced to serve as a foundation for curriculum development. In order to gain experience and competency, students will engage in a full curriculum cycle including: Conducting a needs assessment, standards alignment, creating a framework, writing a scope and sequence, designing curriculum guides, planning units, and selecting instructional materials. Further, current issues and trends in curriculum will be explored and considered for application in a variety of learning environments. 3 credits.

EDU 852 Social and Cultural Diversity in Education

Students will learn about cultural and social diversity and their impact on the educational setting. To prepare students to work with diverse populations, this course will explore a variety of topics including race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status in the educational setting. Students will obtain strategies to best support and deliver culturally responsive education practices. 3 credits.

EDU 861 Family, Community, and Agency Collaborations

This course will prepare students to further collaborate with families, agencies, and the community to support the social, emotional, and behavioral wellness of students Pre K-12. This includes culturally responsive approaches that will authentically engage all stakeholders in the support of students' social, emotional, and behavioral wellness. 3 credits.

Music Education Core (12 credits)
MME 801 Philosophy of Music Education

A consideration of philosophical and historical issues in music education and their implications for developing curricular and instructional approaches to the field as well as greater advocacy in the field of music education as a whole. This course meets a music education core requirement. 3 credits.

MME 850 Ethnomusicology

This course is designed to explore musical dimensions across a variety of the world's musical cultures. This course meets a music education core requirement. 3 credits.

MME 870 Music for All: Teaching Music to Students with Exceptionalities

This course will cover a range of topics pertaining to the teaching of music to K-12 learners with exceptionalities (special needs). Topics include the study of the exceptionalities currently recognized by law for special services, IDEA, Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Section 504, assistive technology, inclusion, self-determination, universal design, least restrictive environment (LRE), accommodations and curriculum modifications, Response to Intervention (RTI), and the history of special education. This course meets a music education core requirement. 3 credits.

MME 872 Contemporary Musicianship Pedagogies

This course is designed to aid music educators in preparing, implementing, and effectively running music theory and ear training programs. In addition to creating the overall structure for these courses, emphasis will be placed on theory and ear training pedagogy, with particular emphasis on assembling resources and creating activities geared for meaningful learning outcomes. This course meets a music education core requirement. 3 credits.

Choose one certificate from the following (12 credits):

Ensemble Leadership Certificate (ELC):
MME 834 Orchestration and Arranging

This course introduces students to the instruments and vocal parts commonly used in public school music education settings. Topics include tuning, ranges, playing techniques, timbres, text/dramatic elements, and idiomatic utilization by composers/arrangers in relevant repertoire. This broad introduction is conveyed through readings on individual instruments and their families, listening and analysis, and arranging assignments. This then serves as the basic knowledge necessary for the student to creatively write and arrange for these voices, instruments, alone and in combination. 2 credits.

MME 835 Musician and Educator Wellness

This course normalizes psychological and physical wellness issues facing musicians and music educators and removes the stigma associated with performance pressure and injuries caused by inefficient practice. The course helps students develop clear strategies to form a positive outlook on performing, equipping students with awareness to prevent music-related injuries along with the knowledge of how to recover and promote innovative and creative problem-solving solutions safely. Students will gain an understanding in proactively addressing issues experienced by students and musicians concerning mental health and physical care associated with performing and practicing music. 2 credits.

MME 836 Ensemble Programming for the Educator

This course will be a survey of musical literature. Students will gain a broader understanding of music through its historical development. Students will also gain the ability to discern quality literature as a part of the music criticism component. Additionally, students will examine and be presented with new literature that is being written by contemporary composers who have traditionally been globally underrepresented. Students will discover new initiatives being created for these composers to create a more diverse and equitable range of works for performance ensembles. 2 credits.

MME 837 Organizational Leadership for Ensemble Directors

In this course, we will examine several categories of leadership within organizations: education, business, government, military, medicine, and even the home. Students will learn the history of leadership and how philosophies have changed over the years. The purpose is to identify a framework that may help integrate independent approaches from these various disciplines to the understanding of human behavior and management theory. The focus for the class is on the behavior within organizations and not between organizations. The concentration is on the interaction of people, motivation, and leadership. Finally, we will determine how to apply this understanding to our music classroom and ensemble rehearsals. 3 credits.

MME 838 Conducting Symposium

The conducting symposium will be the culminating, in-person course for the Leadership in Large Ensembles Certificate for the Master of Music Education program at LVC. Depending on the needs of the cohort, the course will address instrumental and choral-focused conducting, which includes score study, one-on-one lessons, conducting an ensemble, and applying leadership skills and rehearsal techniques learned in previous classes. Instructors will use literature that is both challenging and applicable to working educators. Co-Requisite or Pre-requisite: MME 837. 3 credits.

Modern Band Certificate (MBC)
MME 860 Modern Band Pedagogy

This course will introduce students to the concepts, tenets, and methodologies of popular music education and modern band. This course will cover topics such as approximation, arranging, student-centered learning, composition and improvisation, and alternative methods to teaching music to non-traditional students. Other areas of study include iconic notation, sound before sight methodologies, informal learning, and culturally responsive teaching. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. 1 credit.

MME 861 Music of Modern Band

Students will enhance their knowledge of repertoire performance from various popular styles, and learn rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic practices associated with each genre. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. 1 credit.

MME 862 Beginning Pedagogy and Methods for Guitar

Students will learn the skills necessary to teach guitar for modern band through the lens of popular music education. Students are required to meet a minimum proficiency on the guitar. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisite or Corequisite: Take MME-860. 1/2 credit.

MME 863 Beginning Pedagogy and Methods for Drums

Students will learn the skills necessary to teach drums for modern band through the lens of popular music education. Students are required to meet a minimum proficiency on each instrument. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisite or Corequisite: Take MME-860. 1/2 credit.

MME 864 Beginning Pedagogy and Methods for Electric Bass

Students will learn the skills necessary to teach electric bass for modern band through the lens of popular music education. Students are required to meet a minimum proficiency on each instrument. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisite or Corequisite: MME-860. 1/2 credit.

MME 865 Beginning Pedagogy and Methods for Keyboard

Students will learn the skills necessary to teach keyboard for modern band through the lens of popular music education. Students are required to meet a minimum proficiency on each instrument. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisite or Corequisite: MME-860. 1/2 credit.

MME 866 Beginning Pedagogy and Methods for Contemporary Vocal Styles

Students will learn the skills necessary to teach the voice techniques in modern band through the lens of popular music education. Students are required to meet a minimum proficiency singing in a contemporary genre. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisite: Take MME-860 and MME-861. 1 credit.

MME 867 Creative Experiences in Modern Band

The course is designed to give students the opportunity to analyze and create music in popular music styles and then apply appropriate strategies that will enable them to design creative experiences for students in K-12 settings. Students will be introduced to compositional strategies for creative experiences appropriate for upper-elementary and secondary aged students and design a series of creative experiences for this purpose. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisite or Corequisite: MME 862, 863, 864, 865, 866. 1 credit.

MME 887 Recording for the Music Educator

Whether you are trying to record your spring concert, grab a quick recording of a rehearsal for instant feedback, or help your students produce their own songs, we will spend lots of time exploring the various aspects of making a recording. The use of microphones, room acoustics, and equipment setup will be covered by...get this...actually recording. A lot! This course meets a music education core requirement. 3 credits.

MME 888 Modern Band: Composition and Performance Ensemble

This course serves as the capstone to the Modern Band Certificate. Students will expand upon the proficiencies and methods learned in an ensemble setting through collaborative composition and improvisation. The cumulating experience will be a live concert promoting the pedagogies for a modern band curriculum. This course meets a modern band concentration requirement. Prerequisites: MME 867. 3 credits.

Capstone (3 credits)
EDU 805 Capstone Project

Capstone project emphasizes the student's accomplishments and fulfillment of learning goals through the course of the program. Graded pass/fail. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. The capstone project course is intended for students who have completed all coursework in the Master of Education program. 3 credits.