Piano Pedagogy
Undergraduate Certificate
Allendale • Face to face • 12 Credits
This certificate is for piano majors, current teachers, and all those who are passionate about and interested in teaching the piano. It prepares students for national certification and enhances their ability to motivate and encourage effective practice habits.
Overview
Grand Valley's Piano Pedagogy Undergraduate Certificate program is designed for piano majors, current teachers, and anyone interested in teaching piano. The program is face-to-face and consists of 12 credits, focusing on pedagogy and related electives.
The coursework covers topics such as:
- Piano lessons.
- Collaborative piano.
- Piano literature.
- Child development.
- Chamber music ensembles.
Studying piano pedagogy at Grand Valley equips participants with the skills necessary for successful teaching, including hands-on guided teaching experiences. The program is taught by Dr. Helen Marlais, a prolific author in the field of educational piano books who is published by The FJH Music Company Inc. Her critically acclaimed and award-winning piano series' are designed to guide students from the beginner through advanced levels. Her books are used throughout the English-speaking world and have been translated into Korean, Taiwanese, and Chinese. She performs and gives workshops and masterclasses throughout the country, internationally, and at all of the national music teachers' conventions.
Admission Information
For new students, visit the Admissions website for undergraduate requirements. Upon acceptance and for current students:
- Declare your certificate via myBanner (Login to Banner Self-Service, click on Student, Student Records, Add a Certificate or Badge to your Program, Select the appropriate certificate from the drop down list, and click Submit)
- Departmental approval is required. If denied, an email will be sent to your GVSU student email.
- Speak with the appropriate certificate coordinator to ensure criteria are being met (you will be able to track your progress toward the certificate in myPath as well!)
- Once you are done with the requirements, apply to receive the certificate via myBanner.
- Once the completion of your certificate has been verified, the certificate will be posted to your student record and will be viewable on your transcript.
Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance
gvsu.edu/music
1300
Performing Arts Center
Dr. Helen Marlais
[email protected]
(616) 331-3234
Admissions and Recruitment Office
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Scholarships
Grand Valley State University offers a wide variety of merit-based
scholarships. For information on all of the scholarships that are
available to students, please visit Scholarships at GVSU.
Grand Valley offers myScholarships
(a scholarship matching tool) to help admitted students match
with GVSU scholarships, as well as external scholarship opportunities.
myScholarships will prompt you to answer questions to help match you
to scholarships for which you might qualify.
Hands-On Experience
Students receive direct, supervised teaching practice, including:
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Teaching beginner students
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Practicing lesson structure
-
Learning to diagnose technique issues
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Applying different learning styles
This experiential component is built into the pedagogy sequence and
is a major differentiator.
Career Advising
Whether you are a first-year student, a transfer student, or a current student thinking about your career options, advising is an important part of your academic journey.
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