Program Overview

Music Education

Overview

Build a career on your love of music while inspiring and mentoring the next generation of musicians. The Bachelor of Music in Music Education curriculum prepares students to become music teachers, offering K-12 certification in instrumental, vocal and general music classrooms. Graduates are certified to teach all aspects of music in any grade from kindergarten through high school and go on to secure positions in elementary, secondary and collegiate level institutions across the country and around the world. Because the program develops students' musical skills as performers and educators, the degree also provides an excellent foundation for students to continue their studies in graduate school.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate a level of musicianship requisite for artistic expression in one major performance area.
• Students will demonstrate fluency in musicianship skills and analysis through their understanding of an capability with musical forms and processes, and aural and visual analyses. Students will demonstrate this knowledge and skill in performance, scholarly, pedagogical, and compositional or improvisational applications.
• Students will demonstrate basic knowledge of music history, literature, and genres. Students will demonstrate the ability to place music in historical, cultural, stylistic, and social contexts and use that knowledge to inform pedagogical practice.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of current content, philosophies, materials, technologies and curriculum development for K-12 music; and students will demonstrate pedagogical content knowledge for teaching general, instrumental, and vocal music in small and large groups.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to use technologies current to their area of specialization and the requisite skills for professional development and entrepreneurship, and career preparation and promotion.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to function successfully in a complex and rapidly changing educational setting.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to contribute to community as an education professional, including ethical and professional responsibilities to students, parents, schools, and communities.

Program Details

Sample Courses

• MUS 397B: Leadership and Instructional Strategies for Marching Band
• MUS 450: Teaching Music in the Elementary School
• MUS 451: Methods and Techniques for Secondary Vocal Music Education

Career Fields

• Academics
• Conducting
• Education
• Performance
• Theater

Level of Math

• General Knowledge

This strand involves the general understanding and appreciation of how mathematics is used to solve problems in everyday life. The G-strand does not prepare a student for any further work grounded in mathematics and assumes the student will not proceed beyond the basic Foundations level noted above. Thus only those students whose major requires the most general knowledge of mathematics should take this strand.

Level of Second Language

• 2nd Semester Proficiency

Second-semester skill level in a second language is required. Non-B.A. degree students may fulfill this requirement with one of the following options: 1. Scoring the equivalent of second-semester skill level on an entrance or placement examination administered by The University of Arizona. 2. Completion with a C or better of a second semester course at the post-secondary level. 3. An AP (Advanced Placement), IB (International Baccalaureate) or CLEP (College Level Entrance Program) language score determined by the individual language department. 4. In the College of Engineering by a method determined within the College; however, all students in the college must also take a language placement examination on entrance to the University.

Pre-major Required?

• No

This Major's College

• College of Fine Arts

Degree

• Bachelor of Music

Sample Plans

2025, Music Education

• 4-Year Sample Plan
• Map Transfer Coursework
• Plan Ahead with a Transfer Pathway

First Year

• 1st Semester
  • ENGL 101 First-Year Composition (3)
  • MATH (3)
  • MUS 200 Large Ensemble (1)
  • MUSI 182 Individual Lessons (2)
  • Tier I General Education (3)
  • MUS 120A Musical Skills and Structure I (3)
  • Second Language (4)
• 2nd Semester
  • ENGL 102 First-Year Composition (3)
  • Tier I General Education (3)
  • MUS 200 Large Ensemble (1)
  • MUSI 182 Individual Lessons (2)
  • Tier I General Education (1)
  • MUS 120B Musical Skills and Structure I (3)
  • Techniques (1)
  • Second Language (4)

Second Year

• 3rd Semester
  • Tier I General Education (3)
  • Tier I General Education (3)
  • MUS 210A Piano Class (1)
  • MUS 220A Musical Skills and Structure II (3)
  • Techniques (2)
  • MUSI 282 Individual Lessons (2)
  • MUS 250 Introduction to Music Education (1)
  • MUS 200 Large Ensemble (1)
• 4th Semester
  • Techniques (2)
  • MUS 220B Musical Skills and Structure II (3)
  • MUS 200 Large Ensemble (1)
  • MUSI 282 Individual Lessons (2)
  • Tier I General Education (3)
  • MUS 338M Teaching Music in Secondary Schools (3)
  • MUS 210B Piano Class (1)

Third Year

• 5th Semester
  • EDP 301 Ed. Psych and Child and Adolescent Development (3)
  • TLS 350 Schooling in America (3)
  • MUS 400 Large Ensemble (1)
  • MUSI 382 Individual Lessons (2)
  • MUS 330A History of Western Music (3)
  • MUS 370 Introduction to Conducting (2)
  • MUS 450 Teaching Music in Elementary Schools (3)
  • Techniques (1)
• 6th Semester
  • TLS 435 Language, Reading and Culture (3)
  • TLS 416 Methods of Teaching English to English Language Learners (3)
  • MUS 400 Large Ensemble (1)
  • MUSI 382 Individual Lessons (1)
  • MUS 330B History of Western Music (2)
  • Techniques (2)
  • POL 210 U.S. and Arizona Constitution (3)
  • MUS 451 Methods for Sec. Vocal Music Education (3)

Fourth Year

• 7th Semester
  • Tier II General Education (3)
  • Tier II General Education (3)
  • Tier II General Education (3)
  • MUS 400 Large Ensemble (1)
  • MUSI 482 Individual Lessons (2)
  • Band or String Methods (3)
• 8th Semester
  • MUS 493M Student Teaching (12)