Bachelor of Science in Music Education (Grades K-12)

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Sharing a Passion
The verve of the high school band surges forward at the pep rally. Brass, drums, and woodwinds exclaim the notes to your leading. You signal the young saxophonist, who rises and begins to play her solo on tenor sax.

As a music educator, you’ll share a passion in your life as you train the next generation of musicians. A handful of your students may gain prominence in professional classical, jazz, or pop realms. Others may impact their churches as choir directors, singers and musicians. Even those who may not study music beyond a basic class you teach can come to appreciate this God-given art form.

Forming Your Foundation
Southeastern’s music education program begins with our Christ-centered liberal arts (general education) core curriculum, where you develop an understanding and appreciation of God and His creation, human creativity and reason, and our place of responsibility as stewards in the world God has made. As you forge links between what you’ve learned in the core and the more specialized courses in your major, our hope is that you also begin to relate all that you learn to your life and your faith.

Within the music education major itself, you’ll first take courses that will form your foundation both as a musician and an educator and introduce you to teaching music in schools. Your introductory education classes will cover topics from psychology to classroom management. Your music courses will further develop your knowledge of theory, music history, ear training, playing, and orchestration. At Southeastern, we believe you also should be exposed to the life of a music teacher before you invest your college career in becoming one. In our introduction to music education course you will observe music teachers in local schools as well as lead a rehearsal, write a lesson plan, and teach children of different ages.

Sharpening Your Skills
After your knowledge of education and music grows and you gain a glimpse of the field of music education, you will take courses in which you’ll observe, learn and practice the crucial skills of running music programs for kindergarten through 12th-grade students. You’ll learn how to write lessons, teach children how to sing or play instruments, and instruct choirs, bands, and orchestras. You’ll also learn how to teach music theory, appreciation, and technology, and you’ll develop a philosophy for teaching and managing school ensembles.

While you’re learning theories behind teaching music, you’ll also put your studies into practice in central Florida schools. As part of each music education class at Southeastern you’ll spend six weeks observing and teaching in classrooms and band rooms. Your training will culminate with student teaching, a 14-week assignment to a school where you’ll plan and teach lessons, and direct rehearsals.

Mentorship & Ministry
The small size of our department enables us to mentor you as a new music teacher. The relative small size of our school also means you’ll have many opportunities to explore your own musical gifts through a variety of performances. As a music teacher, you’ll then be able to pour your musical life into your students.

You’ll also develop future teaching colleagues through Southeastern. You’ll learn alongside colleagues who will soon share the pedagogical and programmatic challenges you’ll face in the field. You’ll also participate in the National Association of Music Education—known as MENC—through which you’ll attend national conventions and monthly labs on campus. In the labs, you’ll write reviews of journal articles and learn techniques taught in master classes. This review of current scholarship, coupled with learning from masters of the craft, will deepen your understanding of music education and help hone your own teaching skills.

After completing Southeastern’s music education program, you’ll not only know how to conduct school bands, you’ll know how to conduct your life in the spirit of Christ. All of our music professors are committed Christians who know the impact music teachers have upon young people. As a school choir director, band leader or music teacher you’ll be able to minister to students through your high expectations, coaching and patience.

What's Next?
Your degree in music education from Southeastern will prepare you to run music programs for kindergarten through 12th grade at any school in America. Your training also would equip you to pursue graduate studies or serve on staff as a music director at a church.