<p>Pianoman: Initially you might be only offered a general/choral job. However, once you are in a school district seniority plays a big role in what positions you will be allowed. At our district due to budget cuts a middle school choral teacher is covering one elementary strings program because he had string experience so once you are out teaching you might get to try different areas. Son’s high school music theory teacher, a vocal performance major, who went back for music ed certification after grad school told son that her first teaching jobs was as an orchestra teacher. In NY, you are certified to teach music not a certain track even though the NY schools prepare you for a certain track, so the districts will put you where they need you. As for music ed PHD programs, they like to see that you have classroom teaching experience, too. Son’s school is advertising for a music ed prof now and besides the phd, they are requiring classroom teaching experience.<br>
Also, some schools such as Hartt in CT and Baldwin- Wallace in Oh have very comprehensive music ed programs so you could major in instrumental as well as vocal music ed.</p>
<p>I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to add my thoughts here for anyone considering music ed. First of all, I don’t recommend going straight from a BME to a MME without teaching first. Having some teaching experience really helps one to know what to focus on when getting a masters. I know of someone who got a BME, then a MME and wanted to start working on a doctorate in music ed, but no university would admit him because he had never taught. So, teach first, THEN go back to school.</p>
<p>Also, and this is so sad, it is getting harder to get hired with a masters, as more school districts are looking for students fresh out of college, as they are cheaper than someone with a masters.</p>
<p>As for getting an ed degree in two subjects…DON’T DO IT!!! Unless you really love both subjects, it is not a good idea. Yes, in the beginning it might make you more marketable, but I have seen WAY too many teachers that have been forced to teach in that 2nd subject area 30 years after graduating. In fact, a friend of mine this year (who is a wonderful high school band director) was forced to combine several of his band classes so they could make him teach 2 sections of biology…after getting that degree MANY years ago and having never taught it. He is, quite understandably, extremely upset. But this is becoming the norm. Administrators don’t care if you might not have the knowledge anymore in that subject area because it’s been too long since you took any classes in a specific subject area - they just look to see what you’re certified to teach. This practice has happened time and again to so many of my colleagues and it makes me SO thankful that I am only certified to teach music!!</p>
<p>@saxlady- There is one area where getting dual certification is a plus, and that is French AND Spanish. Many school districts, especially due to budget cuts, look to hire teachers who can teach both of those languages. It’s a sad state of affairs, but in the US, the introduction of languages is usually delayed until long after the age when acquisition is easiest and far less time is allotted to their teaching then students in other countries spend on learning English.
Majoring in both instrumental and vocal music ed might seem, on the surface, to make one more marketable, but seems to end up as “Jack of all trades, master of none”. In K-5 schools, teachers may well deal with both, but beyond that stage, something always gets shortchanged.</p>
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<p>That probably varies by region. I know that a lot of school systems are pinched for money right now so I am sure that there are plenty of areas where what you say hold true, maybe even most places.</p>
<p>In my areas it’s somewhat of a status symbol to the schools to have a high percent of teachers with graduate degrees, and it’s a small factor in the school rating system, so they don’t mind paying the extra $5k/yr for a masters or $9k/yr for a PhD.</p>