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Music Education
If you’re passionate about music and love the idea of teaching, Bradley’s Music Education program will set you up for success as both a musician and an educator. This dynamic, four-year degree prepares you to earn your K-12 teaching license in Illinois while building your skills in performance, musicianship, and teaching techniques.
What makes this program stand out:
- Hands-On Classroom Experience – Gain real-world teaching practice through fieldwork in local schools.
- Comprehensive Curriculum – Develop your skills as a musician, performer, and educator with well-rounded coursework.
- Proven Success – With a 100% passing rate on the state certification test and a 100% job placement rate, you’ll graduate fully prepared to step into the classroom with confidence.
Experiential Learning
Gain real-world teaching practice through fieldwork in local schools.
- More than 600 hours of field experience and student teaching in local classrooms
- Experiences teaching in rural, urban, and suburban communities
- Field Experiences working with adults with exceptionalities
Additional program resources include:
- Opportunities to lead and teach in private studios
- Opportunities to run Broadway-style productions
- Instruction and mentorship from faculty who have taught on six continents, published 30 books on education and served in educational leadership at state and national levels
- Opportunities to perform and travel with exceptional ensembles in your area of expertise (instrumental and/or vocal)
Program Details
Bradley Core Curriculum – 36 hrs. (Choose 2 from different areas)
- COM 103 (OC): The Oral Communication Process (COM 103 is required for Advancement) (3 hrs.)
- ENG 101 (W1): English Composition (ENG 101 is required for Advancement) (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 (MTH 111 or MTH 101 is required for Advancement) (3 hrs.)
- Humanities (HU): (3 hrs.)
- Social & Behavioral Sciences (SB): (3 hrs.)
- Science Reasoning (NS): (3 hrs.)
- Elective 1 from GP, QR, HU, SB, NS (Choice 1 and 2 from different areas) (3 hrs.)
- Elective 2 from GP, QR, HU, SB, NS (Choice 1 and 2 from different areas) (3 hrs.)
Bradley Core Practice
- ETE 310:Teacher Performance Assessment (1 hr.)
- MUS 380, 381, 382, 383 (3 hrs.)
- ETE 301:Novice Teaching Experiences in Music Classrooms K-8
- ETE 493: Student Teaching For Music K-12
Music and Music Education
- APL: Applied Lessons (Must take each semester) – 14 hrs.
- MUS 001: Recital Laboratory (0 hrs.)
- MUS 002: Senior Recital (0 hrs.)
- MUS 141: Orchestra (1 hr.)
- MUS 142: University Bands (1 hr.)
- MUS 143: Bradley Community Chorus (1 hr.)
- MUS 144: Bradley Chorale
- MUS 341: Orchestra (1 hr.)
- MUS 342: University Bands (1 hr.)
- MUS 343: Bradley Community Chorus (1 hr.)
- MUS 344: Bradley Chorale
- 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 (3 hrs.)
- MUS 381: Western Music 1750-Present (3 hrs.)
- Choose one:
- MUS 382: Music and World Cultures (3 hrs.)
- MUS 383: History of American Music (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 323: Marching Band Techniques (1 hr.)
- MUS 375: Opera Workshop (1 hr.)
- MUS 401: Orchestration (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 257: Percussion Technique (2 hrs.)
- MED 301: Alternative Ensemble Techniques (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 433: Piano Literature (2 hrs.)
Courses Taken 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 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.)
Candidacy Courses – 26 hrs.
- ETE 301: Novice Teaching Experience in Music K-8 (Taken with ETE 310, ETE 351) (1 hr.)
- ETE 302: Novice Teaching Experience in Secondary Music (Taken with ETE 310, ETE 352) (1 hr.)
- ETE 351: Elementary School Music Methods for Music Majors (Taken with ETE 301) (3 hrs.)
- ETE 352: Secondary School Music (Taken with ETE 302) (3 hrs.)
- ETE 368: Content Area Reading for All Students (2 hrs.)
- ETE 493: Student Teaching For Music K-12 EL (Taken after all other required ETE courses are completed) (12 hrs.)
Career Opportunities
- K-12 Music teacher
- Collegiate professor
- Private studio teacher
Minors
The 21-credit Jazz Studies Minor is open to all students, without audition. It will strengthen your understanding and performance of jazz through ensemble participation, music theory, jazz improvisation, jazz composition and arranging, and American music history.
This minor is easily paired with majors across campus.
The music minor, open to all students by audition, strengthens your understanding and performance of music through individual vocal or instrumental lessons in the area you select and courses in theory, history, keyboard skills, and ear-training.
You’ll also participate in one of the music department’s 15 ensembles. Designed for personal growth or career preparation, the minor can easily be paired with majors from across the university.
The 18-credit hour music industry minor is open to any student, regardless of major, with no audition requirement. You’ll be immersed in courses representing all facets of the music industry.
Electives allow you to focus on specific disciplines or you may complete the minor as part of the Hollywood Semester program.
This 20-hour minor, open to all students, includes courses in Acting, Piano, Music Theory, and Ear Training/Sight Singing. Acting the Song and History of American Musical Theatre. You’ll be involved in Theatre Arts productions through our Practicum program, and you’ll work closely with a Theatre Arts advisor, to keep you on track.
This minor pairs well with majors in Music, Theatre Arts, communication, TV arts, creative writing, and other majors within the fine arts, or the liberal arts and sciences.