Music Education

Home / Academics / Programs / Major / Music Education

If you’re passionate about music and love the idea of teaching, �ۿ۴�ý’s Music Education program will set you up for success as both a musician and an educator. This dynamic, four-year degree prepares you to earn your K-12 teaching license in Illinois while building your skills in performance, musicianship, and teaching techniques.

What makes this program stand out:

Hands-On Classroom Experience – Gain real-world teaching practice through fieldwork in local schools.
Comprehensive Curriculum – Develop your skills as a musician, performer, and educator with well-rounded coursework.
Proven Success – With a 100% passing rate on the state certification test and a 100% job placement rate, you’ll graduate fully prepared to step into the classroom with confidence.

Experiential Learning

Gain real-world teaching practice through fieldwork in local schools.

More than 600 hours of field experience and student teaching in local classrooms
Experiences teaching in rural, urban, and suburban communities
Field Experiences working with adults with exceptionalities

Additional program resources include:

Opportunities to lead and teach in private studios
Opportunities to run Broadway-style productions
Instruction and mentorship from faculty who have taught on six continents, published 30 books on education and served in educational leadership at state and national levels
Opportunities to perform and travel with exceptional ensembles in your area of expertise (instrumental and/or vocal)

Program Concentrations

Career Opportunities

K-12 Music teacher
Collegiate professor
Private studio teacher

Minors

The 21-credit Jazz Studies Minor is open to all students, without audition. It will strengthen your understanding and performance of jazz through ensemble participation, music theory, jazz improvisation, jazz composition and arranging, and American music history.

This minor is easily paired with majors across campus.

The music minor, open to all students by audition, strengthens your understanding and performance of music through individual vocal or instrumental lessons in the area you select and courses in theory, history, keyboard skills, and ear-training.

You’ll also participate in one of the music department’s 15 ensembles. Designed for personal growth or career preparation, the minor can easily be paired with majors from across the university.

The 18-credit hour music industry minor is open to any student, regardless of major, with no audition requirement. You’ll be immersed in courses representing all facets of the music industry.

Electives allow you to focus on specific disciplines or you may complete the minor as part of the Hollywood Semester program.

This 20-hour minor, open to all students, includes courses in Acting, Piano, Music Theory, and Ear Training/Sight Singing. Acting the Song and History of American Musical Theatre. You’ll be involved in Theatre Arts productions through our Practicum program, and you’ll work closely with a Theatre Arts advisor, to keep you on track.

This minor pairs well with majors in Music, Theatre Arts, communication, TV arts, creative writing, and other majors within the fine arts, or the liberal arts and sciences.