The B.Mus. program in Music Education prepares graduates to be innovative musicians, effective and engaging educators, and advocates of the arts in the schools and communities they serve.
A career in music education demands that you excel as both a musician and teacher. Students are enrolled in both the School of Education and The College of Visual and Performing Arts, providing you with opportunities to nurture and develop optimal teaching competencies; artistry and musicianship; and philosophical, theoretical, and historical perspectives of music and music education. Graduates of this program possess a heightened awareness of individual needs and social justice such that they enter the field as music educators of excellence who are capable of creating learning environments that ensure successful outcomes for all students. This program meets the academic requirements for New York State initial teacher certification in Music (all grades).
Because you will be a student in two different schools within Syracuse University, you will receive faculty support and expertise from both the School of Education and the Setnor School of Music, including academic advising support, teacher certification, and job search assistance.
You’ll work closely with our faculty of nationally recognized scholars and researchers in music as you develop your professional identity and portfolio—with cutting-edge artistic skills, innovative music education pedagogies, and inclusive and socially responsible practices.
The program’s legacy is the work of a long list of innovative performers and educators. Our graduates are in K-12 schools, preschool, and community settings including:
As a student in the Music Education program, you will combine studies in performance, music theory and history, education methods, classroom practicums, and academic requirements from the liberal arts core. While you engage in your comprehensive preparation as a music teacher, you also elect one of five specialty emphases: brass, choral/general, woodwind, percussion, or strings. This additional combination of knowledge and skills provides you with a level of flexibility in teaching that increases your marketability as a teaching professional. Sample courses in your program may include:
Student often use their flexible courses to complete a minor in Music Industry, Jazz Performance, Management, or other areas of academic interest. Your first semester will include performance area instruction, music theory, keyboard skills, writing, and participation in the Professional Development School. More information on academic requirements available in the Syracuse University Course Catalog.
Note: An audition is required for admissions to the Music Education B.Mus. program.
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