Music
Train to be a K-12 music educator with the Vocal/General Music Education Concentration.
Music, Vocal/General Music Education Concentration, B.M.
The Vocal/General Music Education Concentration in the Bachelor of Music degree is offered by the College of Liberal Arts at MTSU. If you aspire to be a K-12 general music teacher and/or choral director, become a you'll want to take the Vocal/General Music Education pathway major in the School of Music. Students observe and teach in public schools beginning their first year, and MTSU has close to a near a 100% placement rate for students training to be music educators entering the field as a professional music educator.
Vocal/General Music Education students perform in ensembles such as Schola Cantorum, Women's SOAL Chorale, Men's TEBA Chorale, Opera Theater, and the MTSU Singers vocal jazz group. At MTSU, you'll learn from Music Education faculty who have K-12 teaching experience in public schools. They are active in state and national professional organizations, and present their scholarly work at conferences, in workshops, and in journal publications.
Students who aspire to become K-12 general music teachers and/or choral directors choose to study Vocal/General Education in the School of Music. MTSU students observe and teach in public schools beginning their freshman year. MTSU music education faculty have K-12 experience teaching in the public schools. Faculty are active in state and national professional organizations and present their scholarly work at conferences, workshops, and in journal publications.
To be admitted into the Bachelor of Music degree program, all entering students must pass an audition before the faculty on their major instrument or voice. Students who do not pass the audition may be allowed, at the discretion of the faculty, to enroll in private music lessons or class instruction for one semester only. At the end of the semester the student must reaudition for admission into the program. In addition, all prospective new or transfer undergraduate music majors and minors are required to take the Music Theory and Aural Skills Diagnostic Exam to determine appropriate placement in the music theory program. For additional information and to schedule a time for the exam, contact the School of Music Office. Students may not enroll in any music theory course until the exam is taken.
News Briefs
MTSU alumni are leaders in the field of music education
MTSU music education alumni hold leadership positions in professional organizations. MTSU alum Alexis Derryberry (B.M., M.A.) serves as the President of the Tennessee Music Educators Association (TMEA), and Michael Chester (B.M.) is the Executive Director of TMEA. They are pictured here at the state professional development conference at Opryland Hotel. Derryberry teaches general music at Lascassas Elementary, Murfreesboro, and Chester teaches band at Stewarts Creek High School, Smyrna.
MTSU students and faculty participate in Collegiate Advocacy Summit and Hill Day
MTSU music education faculty and students regularly participate in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Collegiate Advocacy Summit and Hill Day where they gain firsthand experience in advocating music education for all. Pictured here are MTSU faculty member Dr. Chris Dye and MTSU alum Hannah Feathers (B.M.) meeting with Representative Phil Roe's staff in Washington, D.C. at Hill Day. This annual event allows our students to go behind the scenes as they meet face-to-face with U.S. legislators and their staff in Senate and Representative offices on the Hill and to meet and network with NAfME state and national leaders.
News Briefs
MTSU alumni are leaders in the field of music education
MTSU music education alumni hold leadership positions in professional organizations. MTSU alum Alexis Derryberry (B.M., M.A.) serves as the President of the Tennessee Music Educators Association (TMEA), and Michael Chester (B.M.) is the Executive Director of TMEA. They are pictured here at the state professional development conference at Opryland Hotel. Derryberry teaches general music at Lascassas Elementary, Murfreesboro, and Chester teaches band at Stewarts Creek High School, Smyrna.
MTSU students and faculty participate in Collegiate Advocacy Summit and Hill Day
MTSU music education faculty and students regularly participate in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Collegiate Advocacy Summit and Hill Day where they gain firsthand experience in advocating music education for all. Pictured here are MTSU faculty member Dr. Chris Dye and MTSU alum Hannah Feathers (B.M.) meeting with Representative Phil Roe's staff in Washington, D.C. at Hill Day. This annual event allows our students to go behind the scenes as they meet face-to-face with U.S. legislators and their staff in Senate and Representative offices on the Hill and to meet and network with NAfME state and national leaders.
Music, Vocal/General Music Education Concentration, B.M.
MTSU has close to a 100 percent placement rate for students training to be music educators. Vocal/General Education majors generally go into teaching in public schools, but they may pursue graduate studies in school administration, conducting, or other music-related fields. Some future career possibilities include
- Church/community chorus director
- Conductor
- General music teacher at elementary/middle schools
- Choral director at middle/high schools
- Musicologist
- Music theater director
- Private vocal teacher
- School administrator
- Singer/performer
- Talent agent
- University professor
- Vocalist
Employers of MTSU alumni include
- Iowa public schools
- Jackson (Tenn.) school district
- Macon County Schools, Tennessee
- Maury County Schools, Tennessee
- Memphis City Schools
- Metro-Nashville Public Schools
- Middle Tennessee State University
- Mississippi public schools
- Murfreesboro City Schools
- North Carolina public schools
- Oklahoma public schools
- Rutherford County Schools, Tennessee
- Shelby County Schools, Tennessee
- Wilson County Schools, Tennessee
- Williamson County Schools, Tennessee
MTSU’s Career Development Center
MTSU offers a comprehensive Career Development Center that serves students throughout the full student experience and beyond. They collaborate with faculty and staff to equip students with the tools to be marketable to the world of work and continuing education.
Students can schedule an appointment or check online resources and job boards at mtsu.edu/career.
Students can find current internship opportunities by talking to faculty and visiting the University job and internship board called Handshake .
Wondering what you can do with your major? Check out our What Can I Do with A Major In guides.
Students who aspire to become K-12 general music teachers and/or choral directors choose to study Vocal/General Education in the School of Music. MTSU students observe and teach in public schools beginning their freshman year. MTSU music education faculty have K-12 experience teaching in the public schools. Faculty are active in state and national professional organizations and present their scholarly work at conferences, workshops, and in journal publications. Vocal/general students perform in ensembles such as Schola Cantorum, SOAL Chorale, TEBA Chorale, Opera Theater, and the MTSU Singers jazz group.
Public Accountability Notice
Middle Tennessee State University has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since 1970. The Bachelor of Music degree programs with concentrations in Instrumental Music Education and Vocal/General Music Education K-12 are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
To see data about the program, please visit this webpage: https://planeffectiveness.mtsu.edu/musicbachelor/.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
MTSU discloses that the Bachelor of Music (BM) in Music, Vocal/General Music Education is a teacher licensure preparation program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. Admission to an undergraduate teacher licensure preparation program does not guarantee that students will obtain a teacher license. Successful program completion meets the educational requirements to apply for a practitioner teacher licensure in Tennessee.
The BM Music, Music, Vocal/General Music Education disclosure provided on MTSU’s professional licensure disclosure website indicates the states and territories where MTSU has determined, through reasonable and good faith effort, that the program does or does not meet the educational requirements for other US states and territories. Licensing authorities for each state set and enforce their own requirements and standards, which are subject to change. Current and prospective students not located in Tennessee or who plan to seek licensure or certification outside the state of Tennessee should contact the appropriate state licensing agency or board and discuss their plans with an advisor and the MTSU Office of Teacher Licensure before enrolling in the program to ensure they have the most up-to-date information and guidance regarding licensure requirements.
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