This degree prepares you for a secondary education certificate, with a K-12 endorsement in music.
This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) This program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
The mission of the School of Music is to provide an experience-based education, balanced between performance and academics, that leads to successful careers and lifelong involvement in music; to enrich the cultural life of the surrounding community through high-quality outreach programs, professional-caliber performances, and other collaborative opportunities; to cultivate an environment where discovery, creativity, and personal and professional development can flourish; and to value tradition yet seek innovation.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 125 - 131 |
| Major GPA | 3.0 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching | Required |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
| Emphasis Required | An emphasis is required for this major. |
Purpose Statement
The purpose of the Bachelor of Music Education program at Northern Arizona University is to prepare the next generation of music educators with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for success in the teaching profession. Students develop a strong background in music and musicianship through the development of technical and musical skills and emotional dispositions including aspects of performance, the ability to play a variety of musical instruments, critical analysis of music, and an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of Western and non-Western Music. Upon that foundation, students develop proficiency in aspects of teaching, such as planning instruction, applying different instructional strategies, and evaluating learner progress and practice these skills through their work with elementary and secondary school students. Northern Arizona University students who complete this program become teacher candidates in Music Education which prepares them for a wide range of further educational and vocational activities that include music as a component. Students are prepared for further study at the graduate and/or professional level.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students receiving an undergraduate degree in music will demonstrate:
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
To receive Professional Education Programs (PEP) approval, candidates must:
Additional requirements:
This major requires 99 - 105 units distributed as follows:
Take at least the following 99 units. A minimum NAU cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required and a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for all MUP and MUS coursework. For all major requirements, a passing grade is required and a Grade of "C" or better is required for courses evaluated on an A-F scale.
Core Requirements (69 units)
Instrumental Emphasis (36 units)
Teacher Preparation Courses
Teacher education programs require a student teaching or internship experience. A minimum number of practicum units are also required, which involves supervised field experience with a practicing teacher. These required experiences are embedded in the major requirements courses.
Before being accepted to student teaching, the following criteria must be met:
Arizona Teacher Certification
In order to obtain an Arizona teaching certificate you must pass the National Evaluation Series Secondary Assessment Professional Knowledge Exam.
Additional coursework is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 125 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they were not used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)
Arizona state teacher certification requirements leading to an Institutional Recommendation may change at any time, and may impact program of study requirements.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information see course information contained in the catalog or your advisor.
Please note that this plan takes five years (nine terms) to complete.