Music Education

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in Music Education offers students the opportunity to prepare for careers as innovative and socially responsible music educators and leaders in arts education. Students gain the musical knowledge and pedagogical skills necessary to provide musical instruction in classroom (or general) music, instrumental music (band, orchestra and jazz ensembles), and choral/vocal music. They also learn to develop instructional programs in community settings and privately sponsored music programs. The major cultivates future teachers who capably navigate diverse school settings and who can construct instructional approaches that incorporate multiple traditional and innovative teaching methodologies to address the unique needs of their students. Students can elect to earn a California Teaching Credential as part of the Music Education major and can complete both the bachelor’s degree and the credential in just four years. In recent years, 100 percent of students who earned the credential found employment upon graduation, and typically most students find jobs in the field.

Explore Other Degrees

Conducting
Graduate study and training in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting
Ethnomusicology
The study of global musical traditions through performance training, research, and field work
Global Jazz Studies
Jazz performance and musicianship courses are paired with African American Studies
BA
Music Composition
Mentorship in the creation and realization of music for concerts, opera, and visual media
Music Education
Preparation for music educators leading to a B.A. and teaching credential in just four years
BA
Music History & Industry
Combining Musicology and the Music Industry minor for practical hands-on training with the study of music within the context of different societies, cultures, and theories
BA
Music Industry
Industry professionals and UCLA faculty prepare students for music-related careers
Musicology
The scholarly study of the histories, cultures, and critical interpretations of music and music-making
Music Performance
Study and training towards professional performance careers in Western classical music