<p>Hey guys, quick question I have from a friend of mine (he was talking to me a lot about this the other day, and this site popped up as a place that might be able to help him out).</p>
<p>Basically, he is both incredibly smart AND talented, but has no interest in a double major. Doesn't really care about being a professional performer, though really likes to compose. He is dead set on going to an ivy league school (I don't really know why, I guess it's a kind of "in the family" thing, and he has the stats to get there also, and would fit right in in the competitive academic atmosphere), but he has also expressed the interest of becoming a high school band director.</p>
<p>So, he wants to know if he can go to an ivy, get a BA (in music maybe), and then maybe do some graduate work somewhere to get certified in music ed.</p>
<p>I was kinda skeptical, and I recommended some top universities and LACs with good music departments too, but he leaned away from that.</p>
<p>Yes, you can get an undergrad degree in "something" and then get a masters and pursue music education certification later. I do not believe the Ivies offer teacher certification programs per se...and certainly not in music education. But as pointed out, many do offer BA Music courses of study.</p>
<p>I know a number of folks who entered Masters programs in music education who did not have bachelor's degrees in music. Perhaps they had more courses to take or something of that nature, but not everyone who wants to be a music teacher gets their bachelor's degree in music. You would, however, need proficiency on some performing medium, voice or instrument as all master's programs do require an audition.</p>
<p>At many schools that offer BAs in music and have an education department, you can take most of the music courses required for state teaching certification, along with many of the required courses in education/development. What's left over for post-baccalaureate study is mainly courses in "methods": like how to teach woodwinds, etc. and student teaching if you didn't do that as an undergrad.</p>
<p>It might also be good to check out the teacher certification requirements in the state in which you'd like to earn the certification. Some states have begun to move toward competency-based certification, rather than a simple checklist of required courses.</p>
<p>Above is a link to a list from the Princeton Review website with all schools that identified themselves as having a Music Ed major. Can't locate an Ivy among them but there are certainly some highly ranked schools with programs among the mix. </p>
<p>Good luck to your friend - my son is trying to make a similarl decision about undergrad music ed vs. grad.</p>