Music Education

Undergraduate Program

The goal of Music Education in the PK-12 setting is to develop the musicality of each child. This ability to perceive, process, and manipulate music on a personal level is a fundamental element in the education of every child. Sequential reasoning skills, temporal/spatial differentiations, creative problem-solving applications, aesthetic and trans-cultural awareness as well as positive socialization development are just some of the results which make an appropriate Music Education a vital aspect in the life of each child. Music Education is at the core of what it means to be educated. At Virginia Commonwealth University, Music Education students are a part of an exciting and innovative program designed to provide them with the skills, knowledge, and methods needed to guide that musical growth in each child.

As students in the Department of Music, part of the internationally recognized School of the Arts at VCU, Music Education majors thrive in an atmosphere of creativity, exceptional musical achievement, and hands-on Music Education methodology and directed field-experiences. Music Education majors at VCU are challenged to demonstrate both excellence through their own personal musicianship as well as superior skills as a pre-professional Music Educator: understanding how music is learned in order to understand how to teach.

The VCU Music Education faculty is committed to providing a model of individualized, focused attention to each Music Education major resulting in lasting, positive relationships which continue as each student moves into this stimulating and vital profession.

Music Education majors will find that the Department maintains a close partnership with Virginia school districts and has consistently maintained a 100% placement rate for students pursuing public school teaching positions.

VCU Music also has the largest collegiate chapter of MENC (the National Association for Music Educators) in the state. VCU’s C-MENC chapter provides a forum for future music educators, sponsors numerous service and outreach opportunities, and is a significant part of the total pre-professional music education program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The Music Education program at VCU Music has a reputation of producing outstanding practitioners and leaders in the profession. Graduates include Dr. Daryl Kinney (Music Education faculty at Ohio State University), Sherri Matthews (president-elect of the Virginia Choral Directors Association and Henrico County Music Educator of the Year - 2006), Paul Bakeman (nationally recognized as a leader in Orff-Schulwerk ), and Tiffany Hudson (recently appointed to VMEA’s Future Leaders program).

Selection and preparation in music education at Virginia Commonwealth University is based upon an important yet extremely simple premise that every person involved as a learner should have the best instruction possible. This premise implies that every prospective teacher should be committed to the subject of music and its use with people.

Virginia Commonwealth University is dedicated to developing the most effective teacher for tomorrow’s music classroom. The curriculum is structured to develop personal competencies in music performance, improvisation, conducting, composing, arranging, analysis, history, repertoire and other musical skills. Additionally, students are exposed to teaching techniques and current structures, systems and practices through field experiences of various grade levels (pre-school through secondary levels) and student teaching internships.

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Music
Minor