Reply To: Masters in Ed vs. Music Ed

[nafmeadmin]

As someone who is a few months from finishing my Master’s in Music Education, here are my thoughts. First off, if your undergraduate degree is in music education, there will undoubtedly be significant overlap between the classes offered to graduates and undergraduates. This is a pro and a con, in that each school is different and has their particular focuses, ie. one might have a stronger Kodaly focus, but not have a lot of expertise in Gordon etc, so retaking some core classes helps to give a broader picture. This could also feel like busy work if you’ve already done everything. With my degree, I am taking at least one education course per semester, and those are often the ones that, while useful, are not always the most practical as they are geared for all the education majors and it is up to us to figure how to apply it to music, art, gym etc. With the music education degree you also will be more focused on the music life, access to the music resources easier, and access to the music faculty. If that’s something that excites you, it is a big pro.

I think if you’ve already got the mindset of getting masters for the information, then you have your answer. You’ll have access to more materials, teachers, musicians, music lessons, music classes, and even ensembles if you find extra time… somehow. Good luck!