B.M. in Music Education (PK-12)

Learning Outcomes

• The teacher candidate will demonstrate skills of a competent conductor and create accurate and musically expressive performances with various types of performing groups and in a classroom environment.
• The teacher candidate will develop skills to arrange and adapt music from a variety of sources to meet the needs and ability levels of individuals, school-performing groups and student classes.
• The teacher candidate will develop functional performance abilities in keyboard, voice and instruments appropriate to the student's teaching specialization.
• The teacher candidate will apply analytical and historical knowledge to curriculum development, lesson planning, and daily classroom and performance activities and will identify music styles, literature, multiple cultural sources and historical development, both in general and as related to their area(s) of specialization.
• The teacher candidate will develop necessary competencies in musicianship; vocal, keyboard and pedagogical skill; knowledge of content; methodologies; philosophies; materials; technologies; and curriculum development.
• The teacher candidate will translate their skills and knowledge to teach music at various levels to different age groups and in classroom and ensemble settings in ways that develop knowledge of how music works syntactically as a communication medium and developmentally as an agent of civilization. This set of abilities includes effective classroom and rehearsal management.
• The teacher candidate will measure child growth and development and principles of learning as they relate to music.
• The teacher candidate will assess aptitudes, experiential backgrounds, orientations of individuals and groups of students, and students will prepare educational programs to meet assessed needs.
• The teacher candidate will analyze and evaluate current methods, materials and repertories available in various fields of music education appropriate to the teaching specialization.
• The teacher candidate will develop the ability to accept, amend or reject methods and materials based on personal assessment of specific teaching situations.
• The teacher candidate will recognize and apply evaluative techniques in assessing both the musical progress of students and the objectives and procedures of the curriculum.

Specialization Competencies

Vocal/Choral Music

• The vocal/choral teacher candidate will develop sufficient vocal and pedagogical skills to teach the effective use of the voice individually and in groups.
• The vocal/choral teacher candidate will learn content, methodologies, philosophies, materials, technologies and curriculum development for vocal/choral music.
• The vocal/choral teacher candidate will develop sufficient performance abilities on at least one instrument as a teaching tool to provide, transpose and improvise accompaniments.
• The vocal/choral teacher candidate will learn appropriate repertoire through participation in large and small choral ensembles.

Instrumental Music

• The instrumental teacher candidate will perform on wind, string and percussion instruments to teach beginning students effectively in groups or individually.
• The instrumental teacher candidate will learn content, methodologies, philosophies, materials, technologies and curriculum development for instrumental music.
• The instrumental teacher candidate will learn appropriate repertoire through participation in large and small instrumental ensembles.

• Bachelor of Music in Music Education - Instrumental - 132 credit hours
• Bachelor of Music in Music Education - Choral/Vocal - 135 credit hours
• Bachelor of Music in Music Education - Choral/Keyboard - 134 credit hours

120 credit hours are required for Bachelor of Music degree. Students select a Bachelor of Music program in performance with an emphasis in voice, piano, band instruments, or an instrumentalist/jazz emphasis. A sample Instrumental Jazz plan is below. Detailed program information and course options can be found in the academic catalog. Students should use Academic Planning on the mySXU portal to schedule courses and track degree progress.

Suggested four year academic plan for the major (courses required in the major are in bold)

Please consult with your academic advisor prior to course selection.

Career Outlook

The Secondary Education Program prepares individuals to teach students in the secondary grades, which may include grades nine through twelve, depending on the school system or state regulations. Courses may include preparation to teach a comprehensive curriculum or specific subject matter.

To find out more about your major including potential areas and employers, required skills, job outlook, and median pay, please access the Occupational Outlook Handbook or the O*Net websites.

Explore the subsections below to learn more about the potential skills a student with a secondary education major can develop as well as the potential positions, areas, and employers that hire students with this degree. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.

Skills

As a secondary education major, you will develop an in-depth understanding of your content area. Additionally, students may develop advance skills including communication, patience, creativity, enthusiasm, confidence, dedication, conflict resolution, organization, classroom management, time management, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork.

Positions

Graduates with a degree in secondary education can work as teachers, ELL specialists, textbook salespersons, instructional technologists, direct service and grant writers.

Areas

Graduates with a degree in secondary education can work in teaching, research, sales, administration, literacy development, adult and continuing education and fundraising/development.

Employers

Graduates with a degree in secondary education can work for public, private, magnet, or charter schools, professional associations, test preparation companies, international schools, publishers, museums, zoos, religious organizations, correctional institutions, higher education, nonprofit and park districts.

Use the employment opportunity resources listed below to kickstart your preprofessional or professional experience search. You may also identify a professional or student organization to join in order to network with individuals within your major and field.

Employment Opportunities

• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Chicago Park District
• Chicago Public Schools
• iHireSecondaryTeachers
• Illinois Education Job Bank
• Illinois State Board of Education
• Joliet Diocese
• Lake County School Districts
• North Suburban Cook County School Districts
• Oak Lawn Park District
• K12JobSpot
• U.S. Department of Education
• Will County School Districts

Professional and Student Organizations

• American Association for Employment in Education
• American Association of School Administrators
• American Educational Research Association
• American Federation of Teachers
• American Library Association
• American School Counselor Association
• Association of American Educators
• Association of Teacher Educators
• Council for Exceptional Children
• International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
• National Education Association
• Education Club at SXU