How do I become a general music teacher?

Paulagrace · 04-05-2013, 08:17 PM

I'm a senior in high school who is thinking about teaching general music to middle school students after I graduate. What exactly do I have to do? Do I just need a degree in music or what?

Burning Down · 04-05-2013, 08:31 PM

Hey! I'm on the same path. I just need to get my Masters and a teaching certificate now.

Yes, you'll need a degree in music or music education (programs vary between universities), this will take about 3 or 4 years (on average) depending on the school and the program. There are a variety of degrees available that require different courses of study (some are strictly performance based while others are education based). The most common ones are the Bachelor of Music (B. Mus) and the Bachelor of Arts in Music (B.A. Music). When you obtain your degree, the next step is to look for universities that offer graduate teaching certificates (this varies depending on the country you live in, even state to state or province to province). Most of those programs are 1 - 2 years in length, and some schools even offer the certificate as part of a broader Master of Music Education program (this looks real good on your resume but is not necessary).

04-05-2013, 08:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Paulagrace Groupie Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1	How do I become a general music teacher? I'm a senior in high school who is thinking about teaching general music to middle school students after I graduate. What exactly do I have to do? Do I just need a degree in music or what?

04-05-2013, 08:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	Hey! I'm on the same path. I just need to get my Masters and a teaching certificate now. Yes, you'll need a degree in music or music education (programs vary between universities), this will take about 3 or 4 years (on average) depending on the school and the program. There are a variety of degrees available that require different courses of study (some are strictly performance based while others are education based). The most common ones are the Bachelor of Music (B. Mus) and the Bachelor of Arts in Music (B.A. Music). When you obtain your degree, the next step is to look for universities that offer graduate teaching certificates (this varies depending on the country you live in, even state to state or province to province). Most of those programs are 1 - 2 years in length, and some schools even offer the certificate as part of a broader Master of Music Education program (this looks real good on your resume but is not necessary).