Music Education degree option

The Department of Music offers a five-year Master of Arts in Education with teacher certification in music. This curriculum is designed for thos students who are interested in becoming music educators in public or private elementary and secondary schools. It leads to the Bachelor of Arts in Music followed by a one-year graduate program for professional certification in music and the Master of Arts in Education. This program is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Virginia Department of Education. It combines a comprehensive preparation in music with extensive field and laboratory experiences in music education. Contemporary educational thought and the best of music education practice are provided for each level of K-12 music education.

Program Features

Acceptance Standards

An important feature of the music education program is its emphasis on quality above quantity. It is the Department of Music1s philosophy that only the best and most dedicated musicians should become music educators. Therefore, only the best musicians and students are accepted. This standard keeps enrollment small and instruction personal. Successful students are admitted to the graduate school during their senior year of study.

Laboratory Ensembles

Throughout their careers at Virginia Tech, students meet in a laboratory ensemble where they perform on secondary instruments and as a chorus. Faculty from public school music programs, nationally acclaimed artist teachers, and composers are often guest conductors of this ensemble. Music education students gain many valuable experiences through performing in, teaching, and conducting this group.

Musical Accomplishment

The music education curriculum requires the demonstration of musical excellence through the performance of degree recitals. These must provide evidence of the development of exemplary expressive and technical skills with the highest musical standards.

Field Studies and Student Teaching

After a screening process that includes interviews, auditions, and performance exams, students begin their field teaching experience during the junior year. Two semesters of laboratory teaching are then followed by two semesters of field experience at the graduate level. These extensive field studies and laboratory experiences give Virginia Tech music education students more teaching experience than any other university in the region, and it makes them very attractive candidates for teaching positions throughout the music education profession.