I want to pursue a career as a musician/musical artist while keeping the option open for being a music teacher(since musician isn’t a stable career).
The problem is that although having a music education major seems way easier than having a separate music and separate education major, I heard the music education major has less of what the music major had(including composition, etc).
Is this true? What does the music major have that the music education major no longer has? What would you guys recommend I do??
P.S. Yes, I’m aware that only certain universities/colleges offer a music education major
If you intend to teach in a public school, you may want to check into the majors preferred for teacher credentialing purposes (this may vary by state).
It varies, depending on the university, but here’s a couple of things that can be different:
Lessons on your instrument: sometimes lessons for music ed majors are shorter than for performance majors (they were exactly the same at my son’s university, however).
Ensemble requirements may be slightly different.
My son was a voice major and music ed majors had somewhat simpler language requirements than performance majors. But the theory classes were the same and most other major requirements for the music portion of the degree were the same.
Music ed majors have to learn to play/teach all the main categories of instruments, not just their own instrument. They also learn to conduct. These are in addition to requirements for a performance major.
There are a bunch of additional education and teaching requirements for the music ed major. Music ed is closer to a second major than some easy version of a performance major. At my son’s university, the music ed degree plan was five years, not four. This includes a semester of student teaching.
You need to carefully read the degree requirements at the colleges you are considering, and consider whether you would actually enjoy teaching.
@OceaniaCellist you might want to post on the music major forum! Go to categories, majors and music majors.
Maybe read the Double Degree Dilemma essay on the music major forum (it’s pinned) which is really about different ways to study music.
There are lots of possible paths for you. You can do a BM and immerse yourself in music, then do a master’s in music ed. You can do a double degree. You can also do a BA in music or in anything else and continue with lessons (often funded) and performance, often for credit. You can do music ed in undergrad.
Music majors have a bachelor’s just like anyone with a bachelor’s and you will have access to many career paths when you graduate, regardless of what you do, as well as grad and professional schools (med, law, business, nursing etc.) Don’t overplan too early is my view! Then again, if you feel passionate about teaching music in public schools, go for it.
Some schools offer a double degree option — my son is doing both a music ed and performance degree at Ithaca. He is even planning on going abroad for a semester. If you think there is any possibility you will teach, I highly recommend going for the music ed degree. Otherwise you will have to pursue a masters with licensure or look at alternative licensing in your state which makes it more challenging to find work.
Thank you! Yeah I originally meant to as music major(as well as education major and majors general) but as I’m lowkey kinda new here, I didn’t realize you could only put 2 tags ahaha
