Bachelor of Arts in Music Education

Music Education Program Highlights

Customizable

You will choose from a choral or instrumental track.

Broad

You will graduate equipped to effectively teach music at the elementary, middle school, or high school level by selecting appropriate methods, materials, and music; planning course outcomes and activities; presenting course content; and evaluating course outcomes.

Certification

You will receive the skills, knowledge, and competencies required for state certification and employment as a music teacher.

Selective ( audition required)

 You will be accepted into the music program — and be eligible for a department scholarship — based on a successful  audition with music faculty.

What Can You Do With a Music Education Degree?

• Our teacher-candidates are known for their quality of education, commitment to the field of education, and their diversified experiences to prepare them for teaching in the classroom. Cedarville education graduates are teaching all around the world in public, private, Christian, urban, international, and mission schools! Our music education majors have found great success in finding employment after graduation — last year 100% of our graduates who have wanted to find full-time teaching positions have found them. Public school districts, private academies, and charter schools across the country have found our music education students to be well prepared and imminently capable.
• Testing Success! Every teacher candidate is required to complete  licensure exams in order to be a licensed teacher in the state of Ohio. The teacher-candidates at Cedarville University are well prepared for these exams, as evidenced by our 97% success pass rate on the licensure exams (data from the 2016-2017 Ohio Assessment for Educators Pass rate Test Summary Results Analyzer). The average pass rate for teacher-candidates in the state of Ohio is 91% success.
• As a graduate of the Teacher Education Program at Cedarville University, you are eligible to receive two  teaching certifications. Our accreditation status enables you to receive a state of Ohio teaching license in your field of study that is transferable to any state in the U.S. You will also qualify to apply for an Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) certificate, which allows you to teach internationally and in Christian schools. The ACSI certificate is nationally recognized and does not require state-to-state transfer.
• Because our curriculum is so effective in training active musicians — and not only music teachers, some music education majors have entered graduate school directly and some even have pursued full-time professional performance positions.

Opportunities to Learn Outside Classroom

You coursework will be complemented by the following opportunities as you complete your music education degree.

Performance Opportunities

Musically, you will have many opportunities to use and develop your gifts within the Department of Music and Worship. You can choose from choral, instrumental, chamber, and worship ensembles with performance opportunities both on and off campus.

• Solo recitals
• General recitals
• Instrumental and chamber ensembles
• Accompanying ensembles, singers, and instrumentalists
• Masterclasses with guest artists
• Instrumental and chamber  ensembles
  • Concert Chorale
  • Wind Symphony
  • Jazz Band
  • Men’s Glee Club
  • University Orchestra
  • Jubilate
  • Women’s Choir
  • Pep Band

Field experiences early and often!

The School of Education believes that it is important that our teacher-candidates have many hands-on experiences in schools. That is why you will engage in local school settings during your first year as a teacher-candidate at Cedarville University and will continue to experience teaching within a school setting each year of your teacher training at Cedarville. By the time you graduate, you will have completed more than 600 hours in classroom experiences!

Student Education Association (SEA)

Cedarville's education student organization is a Christ-centered community built on equipping teachers to serve each other and those around them. Throughout the year, you will participate in professional growth events, ministry opportunities, and fun activities. You’ll also have ministry opportunities through the adopt-a-senior program, the birthday ministry, breakfast for teachers, and other ministries. Any education major is welcome!

Partnership Programs

These programs allow you to be part of field experience and classroom learning within one of the schools in nearby participating school districts. You will learn teaching strategies and practices from Cedarville University professors while engaging those practices and theories in real classrooms with real students and teachers.

Cross-cultural experiences/classes in Ireland

This year, our faculty will be lead a group of teacher- candidates to Ireland to complete several of the core teaching courses in another culture. As part of this three-week adventure, you will earn credit for your courses, observe classrooms and the education system in another country, and have one-on-one opportunities to minister to the people of Ireland.

Overseas student teaching program

You may choose to complete your student-teaching experience overseas. This experience occurs as the final semester of your study as a teacher-candidate at Cedarville University. You will spend approximately 16 weeks overseas in an English-speaking school. The School of Education of Cedarville University works with CCTEC to coordinate an overseas experience for teacher-candidates who wish to complete their student teaching internship abroad. You may choose to go to almost any country in the world and will receive specialized training for this experience. Recent teacher-candidates have completed their Overseas Student Teaching Program in the following countries:

• Africa
• Australia
• China
• Columbia
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Nepal
• New Zealand
• Niger
• Portugal
• Spain
• South Africa