Music Education

Thank you for visiting the UW-River Falls Music Education page. Take a look around to learn about our MUED program, including exciting new events and initiatives for the 2020-2021 academic year and beyond. We'd love to connect and collaborate with you as we look toward a bright future in music education.

Interested in pursuing a Music Education degree at UWRF? Check out our newly-revised Music Major Entrance Expo procedures on our Prospective Students page. There is a place for YOU at UW-River Falls!

Please contact me for more information about Music Education at UWRF. I look forward to visiting with you!

Paul J. Budde, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Music
UWRF Music Education Coordinator
Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) President

UWRF Student Receives National & State Honors

Altendorfer Award 2020

Congratulations to Marissa Altendorfer, a Music Education student at UW-River Falls who has been named as the recipient of serveral prestigious honors and awards. As part of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) National Assembly, Altendorfer was named as one of eight recipients from across the country for the 2020 NAfME Collegiate Professional Achievement Award. As stated on the NAfME website, the purpose of this award is to "recognize individual Collegiate members for their commitment and dedication to NAfME and music education. This recognition is given to Collegiate members who have served their chapters in an exemplary manner." From this group of eight, Altendorfer was selected as one of two recipients of the NAfME 2020 Shannon Kelly Kane Scholarship.

In addition, Altendorfer was recently named as recepeint of the 2020 Wiconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) Richard G. Gaarder Award. As stated on the WMEA website: "This award is presented to an undergraduate music education student who has shown exceptional leadership, musical excellence and service to campus and community. The award is a credit to the student and also recognizes the college or university for helping to foster the growth of our future music education leaders."

Congratulations, Marissa!

Music Education Degree Changes - Fall 2021

2021 MUED Course List

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) recently enacted changes that will apply to future music education degrees across the state. At UWRF, we have been working hard to put together a forward-thinking and holistic degree plan for our future students. We hope to share our plans in the coming months - and initiate this new degree plan for students entering the Music Department starting Fall 2021. Check back on this site for more details!

NAfME Collegiate Meetings

MUED Fall Picnic 2020
Please see our NAfME Collegiate page for information about meetings and events. We have a terrific lineup of guests for the 2020-2021 academic year - please come to learn and grow with us!

Please note that all NAfME Collegiate events will be held online for the 2020-2021 academic year. Contact Dr. Paul Budde if you would like to attend our meetings.

Follow Us On Social Media

MUED Facebook 2019

Be sure to follow us on Facebook (@UWRFMusicEd) and Twitter (@UWRFMusicEd) to keep up with the action! #BrightFuture

SongWorks Summer Certification Courses

SongWorks Group 2019

UW-River Falls is honored to once again serve as host for SongWorks Summer Certification Courses, which will take place July 12-16, 2021. Please visit the SongWorks website for more information about this holistic approach to elementary music education. All are welcome - please join us if you can!

Music Education at UW-River Falls

Music Education Motto
At the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, teacher education is a primary focus of the Music Department. The courses included within our Music Education degree plans are purposefully designed to ensure that students develop the professional skills and personal attributes needed to be outstanding elementary, middle-school, and high-school music educators, as well as top-notch musicians.

Respect the Past
Music Education faculty at UWRF celebrate the achievements that occur every day in music programs around the world. We recognize that these accomplishments have been made possible by the outstanding work of music educators who have laid the groundwork for each of us today. We are honored to have the opportunity to help our future educators build upon these rich traditions in Music Education, so that the children of tomorrow are afforded life-changing musical experiences that parallel what we experienced in our own lives.

Embrace the Future
At the same time, we continually seek better ways to help our future educators meet the needs of students through the art of music, as we recognize that the world is ever-changing. Driven by the relentless pursuit of excellence, we question, we re-examine, and we explore new strategies for teaching and learning in an effort to ensure that our current Music Education students are well-equipped to meet the needs of their future students for decades to come.

Make the Most of Today
The future of Music Education is bright. We look forward to the adventures ahead, including opportunities to collaborate with K-12 music educators, explore research trajectories that inform teaching and learning, and continually revise our curriculum to better meet the needs of our students.