Partnership with Longy School of Music creates an opportunity for students of music education

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Future music teachers studying at Illinois Wesleyan University now have the opportunity to earn an accelerated master’s degree after graduation thanks to a new partnership between IWU and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Longy is a private music school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, affiliated with Bard College. This partnership is the first of its kind between Longy and any undergraduate music program. Illinois Wesleyan music education faculty member Scott Whitman is the liaison for the partnership.

“Longy approached us as part of its first undergraduate partnership, which is a testament to the quality of students who graduate from IWU. Students from institutions like ours have a high success rate in their program. This partnership directs highly qualified students toward their goals while also making our students strong candidates for employment,” Whitman said. “Getting a master’s degree quickly after graduating from IWU gives students greater earning power in the teaching marketplace.”

After receiving Bachelor of Music Education with IWU students can immediately enroll in Longy online or in person Master’s Degree Program in Music Educationwhich can be completed in a one-year accelerated program or in a regular two-year program. Students must complete Teacher Education Program (TEP) in the spring semester of the sophomore year at Illinois Wesleyan after completing two core courses. Acceptance into the TEP at IWU will also be preliminary admission to the Longy program.

The application process for Longy is free, with no GRE or audition requirements. The program is accredited and asynchronous, and will not require any program changes for IWU students. Whitman said this new offering simplifies the graduate school application process for IWU students interested in furthering their education.

“If you think about the process that music education students go through at the end of their undergraduate degree, the fact that the acceptance process is largely complete is less stressful than if they had to do it all at once. Through this partnership, students can maintain contact with Longy representatives who will prepare that place for them after they graduate,” Whitman said.

The partnership will operate on a two-year contract, with the hope of extending the agreement. For more information on this program, contact Scott Whitman at [email protected].