Undergraduate study in Music Education

You can study a BMus (Music Education) in the following areas:

• Music education (school/studio/community/online)
• Music psychology and development
• Ensemble direction/conducting
• Studio pedagogy (instrumental and vocal teaching)
• Community music engagement
• Music technology education
• Popular and contemporary music education
• Research skills in music education
• Musicianship training and experience
• Music history
• Music in Aotearoa
• Music theory
• Experience in different music ensembles
• Cultural musics

You may also audition for courses in performance alongside your main music education studies. Alternatively, you could study composition, songcraft and production, or musicology.

You will graduate with an internationally accepted BMus qualification, broad music education knowledge and skills for a portfolio career – along with specific music courses tailored to your individual musical interests.

Entry to the Bachelor of Music in Music Education is open, as long as you have acquired your general entry into the University of Auckland.

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Science

What can you study in Music Education?

In the Music Education specialisation, you will study how musical knowledge is conveyed through practical and theoretical work on music teaching and learning. This specialisation aims to prepare you for a portfolio career as a music teacher in a mix of studio, ensemble, classroom, and community spaces. You will take a suite of music education courses that cover a broad range of music learning contexts: ensemble direction and conducting; music psychology and development; instrumental and vocal teaching and learning; different music learning approaches (e.g. Orff/Kodály); popular music education; and community music workshops and applications.

In addition to your music education work, you will study core music history, music in Aotearoa, music theory, and music phenomenology. You will also engage in practical musicianship and ensemble activities. All these learning opportunities have applications in the different music teaching contexts you may encounter following graduation. You can also audition for courses in jazz or classical performance, songcraft and production, or composition as options to complement your main study.

You will take the common BMus core:

• MUS 125: Music in Aotearoa
  MUS 130: Music Phenomena
  MUS 162: Introduction to Music Teaching and Learning
  MUS 199: Ensembles
  MUS 225: Music in Society
  MUS 325: Music as History
• Two studio courses, either MUS 110 and 111 or MUS 180 or 181
• Three music theory courses, either MUS 203, 204, 301 (classical theory); 274, 275, 375 (jazz theory); or 284, 287, 384 (popular music theory)
• MUS 149, 206, 262, 299, 356, 362, 363, 364
• WTR 100 and one General Education course
• 45 points (three courses) electives from the BMus or other schedules

You can also find degree structure information in the University Calendar.

• Teaching in schools (primary or secondary, following a one-year Graduate Diploma in Teaching)
• Leading community musicking in music workshops, bands, orchestras, choirs, and more
• Teaching instrumental and vocal students in studio settings (school and community)
• Early childhood education with a special interest in music
• Designing and delivering online music education opportunities
• Music and arts civic employment in community arts education
• Postgraduate study and research in music teaching and learning

For queries about how to apply, admission, and enrolment, please visit a Student Hub or contact us online.