Shape the Future of Music
The Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Music Education is for those students who have chosen a career in music education. This degree meets the requirements of the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Professional Educator Licensure, which qualifies you to teach and supervise music in grades K-12. Students complete one of two tracks: General/instrumental or General/vocal.
The track that a student is placed in depends on the applied area (voice or an instrument) that the student chooses to study privately. Students whose applied area is the vocal track are required to take two diction courses along with courses that emphasize choral literature and conducting. Students whose applied area is the instrumental track are required to take instrumental method classes along with courses that emphasize instrumental literature and conducting.
No matter which track you decide on, you will be certified to teach both band and chorus, along with general music and basic theory classes.
All music majors and minors study and pass basic piano proficiency. Those with piano experience have a definite advantage, though several beginning and intermediate piano classes are available to help those with little or no piano background.
Music students perform in student recitals each semester. Applied professors help select those pieces appropriate for performance, and coach the student. Those students who choose to major in music perform a senior recital. Music Education students also present a thirty-minute recital on their applied instrument during their senior year.
Before the student teaching experience, students complete between 100 and 130 hours of field experiences, in the classroom, and under observation of skilled musicians and teachers.
Our National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is an organization to help students do additional “educational service” activities each academic year. NAfME empowers future music educators to invest in the lives of the next generation. Through professional and social activities, students bond with other music education students, faculty, and educators who are already working in their chosen careers.
Each student teaching assignment gives added experience in taking on more responsibilities for directing the learning activities of a group of students in a “real-world” classroom. The minimum time is 60 full official school days supervised by a classroom teacher, the principal of the school, and the University supervisor who will observe each candidate on site.
