The Kodály Institute of Texas is an integral part of the Center for Contemporary Studies in Music Education in the College of Music at the University of North Texas. The Institute is one of the nationally select certificate programs of study endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE), and offers a complete, rigorous program of Kodály studies for in-service music educators; pre-service music students may begin Kodály studies during their final year of undergraduate studies. The faculty of the Kodály Institute of Texas are nationally and internationally recognized musician educators who have extensive experience teaching in Kodály-based programs from pre-school through collegiate in-service teacher education. Some faculty members have engaged in intensive studies at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary, with professors who were educated by Zoltán Kodály.

The Kodály Institute of Texas is committed to providing superior instruction based upon the philosophy and teachings of Zoltan Kodály (1882-1967), a Hungarian composer, educator, and ethnomusicologist who, with his students, created an internationally acclaimed system of teaching music applicable to studies from infancy through adulthood.

Central to the Kodály philosophy is that the goal of music education is to transform culture-to provide for the individual the humanizing emphasis that, for many students, may not be experienced elsewhere. Music is viewed as a core curriculum subject. When instructional practice follows Kodály-inspired philosophical, musical, and pedagogical principles, music advantageously influences students' physical and intellectual abilities and develops a higher ability to judge, discriminate, and value.

Using high quality traditional folk music as the initial core musical material, Kodály-inspired musician educators engage their students in joyful, sequential, developmentally-appropriate, child-centered, interactive, sound-based instruction in which students are exposed to systematically graded, properly paced presentation to assimilate ideas organized according to their inner logic of music. Students are guided to discover, articulate, write, read, and improvise and create with the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and form in unison singing, part work, improvisation, composition, and instrumental work while developing skills in movement, listening, memory, inner hearing, and conducting. Instruction is directed toward providing students with skills requisite to writing what they hear and sing (dictation) and hearing and singing what they read (sight reading).

LEVEL I: Intensive study of Kodály philosophy, principles, pedagogy, techniques with particular emphasis on readiness curriculum, repertoire, skills, and strategies. Introduction to American folk music; materials and repertoire for singing, moving, and listening; setting up a personal retrieval system. Pentatony; basic conducting. Degree in music or strong music background required.

LEVEL II: Continued intensive study of materials, techniques, and pedagogy for sequential skill and curriculum development in beginning level concepts and elements for developing dictation and sight-reading skills; repertoire for singing, moving, and listening. Folk music materials and analysis; continuation of personal retrieval system. Modes, diatony, simple functional harmony; Conducting. Prerequisite: Kodály Level I.

LEVEL III: Continued intensive study of materials, techniques, pedagogy, and curriculum development for intermediate level dictation and sight-reading skills; practicum; repertoire for singing, moving, and listening. Folk music transcription, retrieval and indexing systems. Advanced performance skills, functional harmony. Conducting. Prerequisite: Kodály Level II.