Undergraduate Admissions Timeline
2024-2025 Session:
- Thursday, August 15, 2024: Online Application Opens for 2025-2026 Applicants
- Tuesday, December 31, 2024: VanderCook Scholars Program Priority Deadline
- Saturday, February 15, 2025: VanderCook Scholars Program Final Application and Audition Submission Deadline (Applications, auditions and interviews must be completed in full and all paperwork submitted)
- Saturday, March 1, 2025: VanderCook Scholars announced
- Sunday, March 22, 2025: VanderCook Scholars Program Decision Day
- Thursday, May 1, 2025: Decision Day (Prospective students must commit to VCM – scholarships reduced or rescinded after this date)
Bachelor of Music Education (BMEd)
The BMEd degree program is a comprehensive course of study designed to prepare candidates to become thoroughly trained school music teachers. Although candidates declare an instrumental or choral track, all students are trained in instrumental, choral and general music education.
A minimum of 136.5 credit hours is distributed between general education, fundamentals and theory, professional education, music education, and applied music. Upon completion, graduates will have fulfilled all academic requirements necessary to earn the Illinois Professional Educator (ISBE) license with a Special preK-12 Endorsement in Music. Candidates must also pass all ISBE teacher certification requirements before completing their degrees and becoming licensed to teach.
Bachelor of Music in Performance and Pedagogy (BMped)
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Music in Performance and Pedagogy Degree are interested in becoming uniquely skilled instructors within the music industry, while pursuing a high level of performance. Graduates with this degree will broaden their career choice by studying pedagogy and repertoire specific to their instrument, along with the entrepreneurial, marketing and networking skills needed to build a successful private lesson studio.
Bachelor of Music Pre-Certification (BMpc)
The BMpc degree program is available to students interested in completing their degree through VanderCook’s comprehensive curriculum. The pre-certification degree option retains all the curricular requirements of the BMEd degree, with the exception of four six-week senior seminar courses and the student teaching experience. All institutional assessments, pre-clinical experiences and internal benchmarks are identical to those required for the BMEd degree. The minimum credit hours necessary for completion is 121.
Candidates who earn this degree may, at a later time, complete the necessary coursework and student teaching requirements to earn entitlement for teaching licensure. Although program advisement occurs between the candidate and undergraduate dean, it is ultimately the candidate’s responsibility to keep an accurate record of his or her progress toward completion. A tracking form is available to aid candidates in planning their courses of study.
Performer’s Certificate
The Performer’s Certificate recognizes outstanding achievement in solo and chamber music performance. The certificate is not a degree program, but rather a means to acknowledge the most accomplished performers at the undergraduate level. Candidates may apply for the Performer’s Certificate by completing an application and audition adjudicated by a faculty panel.
If accepted, candidates must complete the following requirements to be awarded the Performer’s Certificate:
- A minimum of 12 credit hours per semester taken in the major applied area throughout the entire BMEd degree program
- A junior solo recital with 30 to 45 minutes of music in the major applied area
- A senior solo recital with 50 to 65 minutes of music in the major applied area
- At least two semesters in an honors ensemble after acceptance into the Performer’s Certificate program
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