Accrediting Agencies

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of two agencies that accredit collegiate music education programs: the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Examining points of overlap and divergence, it explains that CAEP relies on NASM for recommendations about music content and that the CAEP standards go into greater depth about student teaching and field experience requirements than the NASM Handbook. While music educators must adhere to certain hard policies demanded by these agencies, they have discretion regarding how they create and adjust soft policies in order to meet those ends. The chapter offers that music educators might use accreditation processes to reflect on their values and to spur innovations while resisting standardization across universities.

The Push to 120: Reconciling Credit Hours in Undergraduate Music Education

“…Relatedly, Colwell asserted that the flexibility presented by accrediting agencies had not been realized through curriculum and, as a result, as “pseudo-standardization” of programs takes place, influenced further by “administrative convenience,” “state legislated requirements,” and the “imitation of other programs thought of as good practice” (as cited by Aguilar & Kapalka Richerme, 2019; p. 197). Without a longitudinal study to examine the curriculum from before and after policy changes were made it is difficult to know precisely how programs have revised curricula in response to the push to 120 credits.…”

“…Aguilar and Kapalka Richerme (2019) noted that programs have an opportunity, through the accreditation process, to go beyond meeting requirements and “reflect and reimagine music education practices” (p. 189). As policy goals are encountered, curriculum designers should consider the effect that specific mandates have on practices concerning credit hours and curriculum revision.…”

“…Relatedly, Colwell asserted that the flexibility presented by accrediting agencies had not been realized through curriculum and, as a result, as "pseudo-standardization" of programs takes place, influenced further by "administrative convenience," "state legislated requirements," and the "imitation of other programs thought of as good practice" (as cited by Aguilar & Kapalka Richerme, 2019;p. 197).…”

“…The discrepancies observed through this study between total courses and total credit hours by course type should be further investigated and considered as an integral point of discussion in any curriculum reform effort. Aguilar and Kapalka Richerme (2019) noted that programs have an opportunity, through the accreditation process, to go beyond meeting requirements and "reflect and reimagine music education practices" (p. 189). As policy goals are encountered, curriculum designers should consider the effect that specific mandates have on practices concerning credit hours and curriculum revision.…”