Music Education (K-12)

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Bradley’s Music Education program prepares you for the State of Illinois Professional Educator’s License in Music Education, qualifying you to teach band, choir, orchestra, or general music in K-12 classrooms. From your first year, you’ll step into real classrooms for field experiences that continue through your sophomore and junior years, giving you hands-on practice and confidence.

By your senior year, you’ll be fully prepared for a comprehensive student teaching experience. Throughout the program, you’ll receive personalized mentorship from Bradley’s dedicated music education faculty and experienced supervising teachers—ensuring you’re ready to inspire the next generation of musicians.

The Department of Education is accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Experiential Learning

By the time you graduate, your experiences include:

Professional development and licensure in K-12 education
500+ hours of real classroom experience
Research opportunities with faculty
Hands-on training with Smart Boards, virtual reality, and 3D printing

Program Details

Bradley Core Curriculum – 30 hrs. (Choose 2 from different areas)

COM 103 (OC): The Oral Communication Process (3 hrs.)
ENG 101 (W1): English Composition (3 hrs.)
ENG 300-306 (W2): Advanced Writing (3 hrs.)
ETE 115 (MI): Multi-discipline Integration
ETE 280 (GP): Global Systems or World Cultures
MTH 111 or 101 (QR): Quantitative Reasoning (3 hrs.)
Humanities (HU): (3 hrs.)
Social & Behavioral Sciences (SB): (3 hrs.)
Science Reasoning (NS): (3 hrs.)

Bradley Core Practice

MUS 335: Music in Its Historical Perspective III (3 hrs.)

Music and Music Education

Taken By All Music Education Students

MUS 001: Recital Laboratory EACH SEMESTER (0 hrs.)
MUS 002: Senior Recital (0 hrs.)
MUS 141: Orchestra (1 hr.)
MUS 142: University Bands (1 hr.)
MUS 143: Bradley Community Chorus (0.5 hr.)
MUS 144: Bradley Chorale OR MUS 145: Cantus (1 hr.)
MUS 341: Orchestra (1 hr.)
MUS 342: University Bands (1 hr.)
MUS 343: Bradley Community Chorus (0.5 hr.)
MUS 344: Bradley Chorale OR MUS 345: Cantus (1 hr.)
MUS 115: Voice Class (1 hr.)
MUS 125: Diction (2 hrs.)
MUS 161: Music Theory I (2 hrs.)
MUS 162: Music Theory II (2 hrs.)
MUS 163: Elementary Ear-Training and Sight Singing (1 hr.)
MUS 164: Elementary Ear-Training and Sight Singing (1 hr.)
MUS 165: Keyboard Skills-Class Piano (2 hrs.)
MUS 166: Keyboard Skills-Class Piano (2 hrs.)
MUS 380: Western Music to 1750 (2 hrs.)
MUS 381: Western Music 1750-Present (2 hrs.)
MUS 235: Music in Its Historical Perspective I (WI) (3 hrs.)
MUS 236: Music in Its Historical Perspective II (3 hrs.)
MUS 261: Music Theory III (2 hrs.)
MUS 262: Music Theory IV (2 hrs.)
MUS 263: Advanced Ear-Training and Sight Singing (1 hr.)
MUS 264: Advanced Ear-Training and Sight Singing (1 hr.)
MUS 265: Advanced Keyboard Skills-Class Piano (2 hrs.)
MUS 266: Advanced Keyboard Skills-Class Piano (2 hrs.)
MUS 305: Counterpoint (2 hrs.) OR
MUS 319: Composition (3 hrs.) OR
MUS 405: Theories of Atonal Music (3 hrs.)
MED 101: Intro to Music Education (1 hr.)
MUS 405: Theories of Atonal Music (3 hrs.)
MUS 323: Marching Band Techniques (1 hr.)
MUS 382: Music and World Cultures (3 hrs.)
MUS 383: History of American Music (3 hrs.)
MUS 375: Opera Workshop (1 hr.)
MUS 401: Orchestration (2 hrs.)
MUS 470: Vocal Pedagogy (2 hrs.)
MUS 480: Vocal Literature (2 hrs.)

Music Education Coursework

MED 101: Introduction to Music Education (1 hr.)
MED 155: Brass Technique, Materials and Methods (2 hrs.)
MED 251: String Technique, Materials and Methods (2 hrs.)
MED 252: Advanced String Technique, Materials and Methods (1 hr.)
MED 257: Percussion Technique (2 hrs.)
MED 321: Conducting I (2 hrs.)
MED 322: Conducting II (2 hrs.)
MED 331: Piano Pedagogy (2 hrs.)
MED 354: Woodwind Technique (2 hrs.)
MED 355: Advanced Woodwind Technique (1 hr.)
MED 433: Piano Literature (2 hrs.)

Courses Before Advancement – 11 hrs.

ETE 115: Schools and Schooling in American Society (3 hrs.)
ETE 116: Field Experience – Introductory Field Experience (1 hr.)
ETE 210: Human Development from Birth to Young Adulthood (3 hrs.)
ETE 219: Human Development and Effective Field Experience (1 hr.)
ETE 280: Exploring diversity: Learners, Families & Communities (3 hrs.)

Courses Taken Before Student Teaching – 4 hrs.

ETE 100: (MED101 counts for this requirement) (1 hr.)
ETE 232: Meeting the Needs of All Students within the Disciplines (2 hrs.)
ETE 270: Physical Development and Health (1 hr.)

Courses Required For Candidacy – 26 hrs.

ETE 301: Novice Teaching Experience in Music K-8 (1 hr.)
ETE 302: Novice Teaching Experience in Secondary Music (1 hr.)
ETE 310: Teacher Performance Assessment W1 (1 hr.)
ETE 345: Guiding Learners: Creating Safe Learning Environments (3 hrs.)
ETE 351: Elementary School Music Methods for Music Majors (3 hrs.)
ETE 352: Secondary School Music (3 hrs.)
ETE 368: Content Area Reading for All Students (2 hrs.)
ETE 493: Student Teaching For Music K-12 EL (12 hrs.)

Career Opportunities

Every music education graduate from Bradley has achieved a 100% pass rate on Illinois licensure tests, including the national edTPA portfolio evaluation. That means you’ll graduate fully prepared to step into the classroom or continue your education in graduate school. Whether you’re looking to launch your teaching career right away or explore advanced studies in curriculum and instruction or other fields, you’ll have the skills, credentials, and confidence to take the next step.

Minor

This minor includes opportunities to step into campus leadership positions to practice what you learn. The program gives you flexibility to explore topics in ethics, government, human relations, organizational management and race and power.

The minor is directed by leaders in the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service and the Lewis J. Burger Center for Student Leadership and Public Service.