<p>I was wondering what my schedule would be like as a music ed major? I understand they will probably be different depending on the person and college. But I would just like an idea on what it might be like. What's your schedule? (please only music ed majors, or people who know what they're talking about)</p>
<p>As someone who has a music ed. degree and taught strings for 33 years and whose two daughters are presently majoring in music ed. (one also doubling in performance), I can give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. As you say there will be differences between schools, but basically you’ll have (for your first and second years):</p>
<p>Your weekly private lesson with your studio teacher, anywhere from a 1/2 hour to an hour - both my girls (who are at different schools) get an hour.</p>
<p>A weekly studio class.</p>
<p>A major ensemble (Symphony, Band, or Chorus)</p>
<p>Theory (usually 4 -5 semesters)</p>
<p>Sight-singing/Aural Skills (again, around 4 semesters)</p>
<p>Keyboard (2-4 semesters)</p>
<p>Techniques classes (learning to play and teach the other instruments within your own instrument’s family) - these can start the first or second semester. There are also the techniques classes for instruments outside your own family of instruments (e.g. band instruments and vocal technique for string majors). These are usually taught in the second and/or third years.</p>
<p>You will also have your core academic/liberal arts classes as well as specific liberal arts classes required for ed. majors, like Literacy, Teaching Special Ed., Educational Psychology, etc… You will probably be taking some of these classes right off the bat in your first semester. You may be able to get out of some of the liberal arts classes with AP exams - but every school is different in how these exams are accepted for credit.</p>
<p>After your first year, you’ll probably add:</p>
<p>Conducting (2 or 3 semesters, usually starts in the second year)</p>
<p>Music History and Literature (3 or 4 semesters, usually starts in the second year)</p>
<p>There are also requirements for some music electives</p>
<p>You will most likely have a recital in your junior or senior year.</p>
<p>In your second and third years you will have classes specifically dealing with teaching, like for example, String Practices (for string majors) and classroom music classes. These classes are usually followed by the teaching practicums, where you get a chance to teach kids instrumental and general music in either a campus school setting or in the local schools. </p>
<p>And of course, the capstone to all of this is your full semester of student teaching in your senior year.</p>
<p>If you go to the Music Education webpage of the schools you are interested in, buried somewhere in there is a schematic of the classes you’ll be taking each semester, and all the specific requirements for the degree, which will give you a better idea of what to expect for those particular schools.</p>
<p>A Music Ed. degree is a lot of work, both academically and musically (practicing your own instrument, as well as piano and all the secondary instruments). The schedules are full (both my girls have never had a semester under 17 credit hours, and many times they’ve carried more than that).</p>
<p>Anyway, I hope this helps and good luck to you!!</p>
<p>Thank you so much! Also, will I have to take things such as math, science, PE…ect…? </p>
<p>You’re very welcome! And yes, you probably will have to take at least one math, one science, freshman writing, maybe world and American histories, although again, the requirements depend on the school (and if you’re able to get out of any of these with AP test scores of 4 - sometimes 3 - or higher). You can also find the information about how APs are accepted for certain courses somewhere on the website, usually under “Academics” or in the Undergraduate Catalogue. As far as PE, one of my daughters had to take 2 classes (I think her school must be one of the few that have a PE requirement, which she wasn’t happy about lol), but my other daughter has no such requirement. I believe that Health is required for both of them as an ed. major.</p>
<p>I don’t know if your focus is instrumental (band or orchestra) or general music/choral (this is what most vocalists/pianists focus on), but just know that the general music/choral track of the music ed. degree will have more piano requirements (probably 5 or 6 semesters) and things like diction for singers, etc… They still have to take classes like band and string techniques though. </p>
<p>I forgot to mention there is usually a Foreign Language requirement in you liberal arts classes too! Are you in high school? What year? And have you checked out any specific schools online yet?</p>
<p>I want to go for vocal music ed… and I’m a junior in hs. I’ve been looking at CUNY Queens, but that’s not definently where I wanna go yet.</p>
<p>If you’re in NY State, check out SUNY Potsdam and Fredonia (the two biggest state schools for music ed.) as well as Ithaca College. There are many options in Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania as well if you want to stay in the area…
Good luck in your search - how exciting!</p>