History
The New Mexico State University Department of Music was founded January 21, 1890. New Mexico State University is the state's land-grant university, serving the educational needs of New Mexico's diverse population through comprehensive programs of education, research, extension education, and public service.
The unique elements of the original land-grant concept included providing access to a practical and liberal education for people of average means; conducting applied as well as fundamental research; and serving the people of the state through the delivery of knowledge relevant to the solution of society's problems. Land-grant universities continue to emphasize the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and its application to the solution of real-life problems, as well as the extension of the campus throughout the state to bring, on a timely basis, the latest research results to the people who need it to solve their problems and to improve their lives.
Today
The Music Department offers three undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Arts. The Bachelor of Music Education prepares the student to work in a school setting and provides the necessary coursework for licensure by the State of New Mexico. Students may choose a vocal or instrumental concentration. The Bachelor of Music degree is designed to allow students to pursue one of the following concentrations; Vocal Performance, Instrumental Performance, Piano Performance. The Bachelor of Arts degrees offer student the ability to shape their musical path in different directions. In addition to a general track, there are tracks in musical theater, pre-music therapy, and pre- speech language pathology. The Master of Music degree allows graduate students to pursue studies in Conducting, Performance or Music Education.
The Music Department has been an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1966. Students in the Music Education program are also under the supervision of the NMSU School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, and Leadership (TPAL), and must meet requirements established by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the New Mexico State Board of Education.
