<p>In our search for a college for our viola D, we are coming across BM in Music Ed, BS in Music ED and BA in Music Ed. one of the music dpt chairs told us to stay away from schools with the BS or BA b/c they would go to the bottom of a pile of resumes! </p>
<p>This impacts our school choices. Duquesne seems to have a strong program and offers a BS. Comments and thoughts welcome!!!</p>
<p>viola mom</p>
<p>Whether it’s a BA or BS is a degree determination by the college or university. The COURSE REQUIRMENTS are more important and also whether the school requirements satisfy the music education certification requirements for the state in which the school is located. Truthfully…BS or BA…I’m not sure it matters. </p>
<p>I have a BS, and a MA…both in the same field. Different schools…one offered a “science” degree and the other the “arts” (not music, but you see what I mean). Course requirements were the SAME in programs I looked into regardless of whether they offered the MA or MS.</p>
<p>I’ll stand by my answer in your similar, earlier thread here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/693563-music-education-degrees-searching-college.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/693563-music-education-degrees-searching-college.html</a> when it comes to the BA vs BS vs BM. The realities lie in the strength of the department, the pedagogical opportunities and support afforded the students, and the accomplishments of the graduates, not the degree designation.</p>
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<p>I would take the above statement as simply a marketing ploy by the administrator that made it. As a blanket statement it is bunk and balderdash. </p>
<p>What can be a factor in making a decision on school choice is the placement rate of the grads. Most schools are more than happy to share the details, and a number of noted music ed programs cite placement rates at or near 100%. You’ll also find that certain programs serve as feeder sources for filling music ed openings in specific states, regions, or districts. If your d is interested in teaching in a specific geographic area after graduation, she might want to investigate the programs that tend to serve a the feeder(s).</p>
<p>If you use the “search this forum” feature, and use Duquesne as the search criteria, there are numerous threads with Duquesne references. There’s far too many for me to post representative thread links as I’ve done in the past.</p>
<p>You might want to pm ZappaMom, whose son will be attending Duquesne as a jazz major for impressions.</p>
<p>For potential string educators, I’m a firm proponent of The National String Project and the associated institutions that are affiliated. The list of schools is here [NSPC:</a> Organization](<a href=“http://www.stringprojects.org/leveltwo/AbouttheNationalStringProjectConsortium-5.asp]NSPC:”>http://www.stringprojects.org/leveltwo/AbouttheNationalStringProjectConsortium-5.asp), and you might want to investigate if any of the schools meet the specific criteria you’re looking for.</p>
<p>For those interested in education degrees which are meant to prepare you to teach in K-12, there is one more question to ask regarding placements after graduation. See if they keep track of their alums and know how many are still teaching at 5 years. That can tell you a lot about how well prepared their students are to take on the challenges of actually making teaching a career.</p>