<p>Is this useless in terms of teaching or what, I mean is there any point in minoring in music education?</p>
<p>I don’t know many programs that offer a minor in music ed, nor do I know what direction you wish to head.</p>
<p>The degree programs tend to be audition based (all though standards tend to be lighter than those seeking performance admissions) and an interview is normally part of the process. While your grades, stats as I recall should not be an issue, many programs place more emphasis on academics for a music ed admit than a straight performance admit.</p>
<p>The programs are usually geared to achieve state licensure for public school teaching, and requirements for teaching certificates do vary a bit from state to state.</p>
<p>The programs are also highly structured and sequenced, and have sequential prerequisites, often available only as part A, one semester, part B the next. Some mandatory courses are offered only one semester an academic year. If you have scheduling conflicts, you might have to scramble so as not to have to wait a year to fulfill requirements. Many courses are limited to majors only.</p>
<p>Larger schools may have more options in terms of multiple offerings of the same course, but many of the programs are fairly small in the overall scheme. </p>
<p>Courses include some general education theory and pyschology, music theory and history, elementary conducting skills, and basic instrumental skills across a number of instruments. There are also instrumental performance organization and various ensemble requirements, along with lessons on your instrument. The meat of the program involves music teaching observation and practicums, and the student teaching semester.</p>
<p>Geared to different disciplines (band,general music, choral/vocal, or instument type specific disciplines), the upper level courses focus varies by concentration.</p>
<p>Depending on what you plan to do with it, I see little value in a music ed minor. If you want to teach in a public system, a program that will result in initial certification is your best bet. It may or may not be beneficial if applying for a grad MMusEd.</p>
<p>If you want to teach privately, or in a music school type setting, look into pedagogy rather than education. Coursework is geared to the methodologies for teaching a specific instrument, involves less ed theory and broad spectrum practicums.</p>
<p>Son was a double major (performance/mus ed) in a five year program. He decided at the eleventh hour to drop the ed, attaining virtually all degree requirements except student teaching. He has a performance degree and a very heavy credit music ed minor. He could very well be hired in a public system that would allow him to gain certification WHILE teaching on a probationary basis.</p>
<p>Look deeply at the schools you’re considering, and look into the undergrad general handbook or school/department specific supplements, usually available online. These are the operative documents, and will give school specific policies on coursework and availability/openings for specific courses if a nonmajor. You can also compare degree outlines and requirements for pedagogy versus music ed and variations in the required courses.</p>
<p>Feel free to ask specific questions. I’ll help if I can.</p>
<p>We originally started our D’s search thinking it would be the “smart money” move to have her double major in vocal performance and music ed. After talking to faculty at a few different schools, we are rethinking that approach. It would be the rare school where you could get a double-bachelor’s in 4 years. Some programs are 4 1/2 years, most 5, some 6. By that time, one may have been smarter to major in performance as an undergrad, then go back for a master’s in ed – the master’s being a much more marketable degree, anyway.</p>
<p>Wait, so you can major in performance, and then go and get your masters in ed without having taken ed as an undergrad, cuz that would be great.</p>
<p>The BM performance, Masters in Music Ed is a very common route. </p>
<p>In addition, I believe there are a few BM/MMusEd specific five or six year programs out there, but I can’t recall any at the moment.</p>
<p>Sure thing. Check out [Oberlin</a> College | New Master of Music Teaching Program Overview](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/musiced/mmt/]Oberlin”>http://www.oberlin.edu/musiced/mmt/) for one such program.</p>
<p>Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University also has a five-year program of this type. Students end up with B.Mus. and M.Ed.</p>
<p>What schools offer a music education “minor”? I’ve never heard of such a thing.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine a mus. ed. “minor”. The major is a very intense and challenging program leading to a license to teach music in public schools. At Indiana U they have a terrific program and, evidently, all graduates get jobs teaching. It’s the only way you can be sure of getting a music job.</p>
<p>I am not aware of any school that does any education degree as a minor. It is too intense and structured with too many requirements to be a minor… Just a double major or the follow-on masters as others have mentioned.</p>
<p>As I said in my initial response, virtually all the programs that I’ve seen are majors, and will qualify a student for initial licensure.</p>
<p>The observation/methods/music teaching classes and practicums are often closed to non majors in many programs.</p>
<p>Hartt does offer a music ed minor, not only to Hartt students, but to U/Hartford general population students as well. Both programs require advisor/departmental head approvals, and the Hartt specific music ed audition/interview. Non Hartt students are also subject to theory/aural/piano placement tests. </p>
<p>The course options comprising the minor vary somewhat between Hartt and non Hartt students. The minor does not result in intial state certification, whereas the major does (with successful completion). The student teaching semester/seminar and some upper division mus ed courses are not “on the lists”, and therefore closed to all non majors.</p>
<p>Some of you might have forgotten, but s actually has a MusEd minor, in addition to his BM in performance by virtue of completing all requirements for the mus ed and deciding at the last hour his first love is performance. Effectively, he is missing the student teaching semester and the state mandated general health course, if I recall.</p>
<p>At many schools, they only way to find this level of info is by digging VERY deeply into the undergrad and in this case the school specific supplemental handbook. Don’t expect an answer by calling the school’s admission number.</p>
<p>Ah, but I was assuming he wanted a minor that would certify him to teach. I am not aware that that is possible. I believe you have to finish the curriculum for the major. I am, however, not familiar with what Hartt qualifies you for when you complete their minor.</p>
<p>I suppose it might be a small plus on a resume for someone applying to be a music teacher at a private school that does not require a license or certificate.</p>
<p>Singersmom07 wrote:</p>
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<p>Actually, it doesn’t qualify you for anything. From the Hartt academic handbook (I can’t seem to cut and paste copy text from the pdf file) the wording is “The Minor in Music Education is open to all … students who wish to broaden their experience in music education.” It specifically states it does NOT result in state certification.</p>
<p>What is important to note is that there are different lists for Hartt versus non-Hartt students from which to select coursework for the minimum credit requirements.</p>
<p>Non-Hartt students have more mandatory credit requirements, including theory, aural skills, mus history, ipo requirements, and LESS options in instrumental, vocal course choices. As I said, the student teaching practicum and seminars are closed to non-majors; the general ed and psychology mus ed requirements for the major are available as open courses to the U/Hartford student population, but these do not constitute part of a music ed minor.</p>
<p>The minor makes sense in a situation like my son’s, where it took him virtually his entire undergrad tenure to actually opt out of the ed portion of the dual major perf/ed program. I’d imagine he’s not the first, nor the last to do so. Makes sense to at least have the minor identified as such on a transcript. In his case, he is so close that he might well secure a teaching job in a public school system that will allow him to achieve certification while teaching probationally. It’s possible, but one would be competing against fully degreed candidates, but it can happen.</p>
<p>And, as BassDad said, it can be a resume builder insofar as a potential leg up for a performer wanting to teach in a private or community musical school where state licensure is not required.</p>
<p>More practical might well be instrumental specific pedagogy methods courses, geared to individual, small venue studio type teaching, which are available in many curriculums if a student was heading that route instead of public school teaching.</p>
<p>I do agree it’s a half approach, and quite honestly not worth a tremendous amount other than the knowledge gained. No knowledge or learning is every wasted, IMO.</p>
<p>I’d be happy to direct anyone to the actual links if interested.</p>
<p>In hindsight, I’d wager that if you wanted to exam other music school’s handbooks deeply, there might well be more mus ed minor options than any of us realized.</p>
<p>violadad wrote:
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<p>Quite simply, violadad does not make a living as a copy editor or proofreader. :o This should read: </p>
<p>“Some of you might have forgotten, but s actually has a MusEd minor, in addition to his BM in performance by virtue of completing ALMOST all requirements for the mus ed and deciding at the last hour his first love is performance. Effectively, he is missing the student teaching semester and the state mandated general health course, if I recall.”</p>
<p>not to be the one who posts a “dumb question”…But for one who wants to minor in music…what are the prerequisites? say for instance, piano or vocals?</p>
<p>As for the “why”, the same reasons that drive any to consider a minor in any course of study. Initial degree pursuit plan changes with a resulting heavy credit courseload in a field, intellectual curiosity, expanding a personal interest, or enjoying a longterm avocation. In the case of music, a student can be offered a scholarship just to play in an ensemble, or fill a need. Amounts are small, from a few hundred to a few thousand, and in many cases one need not be a music major, or minor. Not a perk offered for most other pursuits.</p>
<p>Music incorporates more than performance, and there are many courses in theory, music history, composition, and ensemble opportunities.</p>
<p>The prereqs, if any, are very school specific (as are scholarships for non-majors). Often there are none, or may require an audition or minor required courses in theory, aural skills and basic piano keyboard skills. Also it’s school specific as to whether they will allow a declared minor in any discipline, or music specifically.</p>