Students should have a strong background in music, with performance experience on a particular instrument or designated voice type.
Auditions
All students must pass an audition and a music fundamentals exam in order to declare a music education major. To schedule an audition, students must contact the School of Music for a separate application. Visit music.ua.edu/apply-audition for an application or more information.
Auditions typically take place between January and the first week of March prior to fall enrollment. With the assistance of a Music Education advisor, students, including transfer students, will formally declare their major the first semester of enrollment after formal acceptance to the School of Music.
General Studies: 47–49 hours
Courses that are common to the teaching field and the general studies component may be applied to both. Music education majors should select PY 101 Intro To Psychology or HD 101 Life Span Human Development and MUS 250 Music In World Cultures to satisfy UA Core Curriculum behavioral science and fine arts requirements.
Area V: EDU 200 Orient to Teacher Education is required.
Vocal/Choral Music Teaching Field: 65 hours
The University of Alabama GPA — and, if transfer work, the cumulative GPA — must be at least 2.50.
NOTE: If principal applied is voice, then secondary applied must be piano, and vice versa. Acceptable piano study includes: Class Piano (MUA 121 Class Piano I–MUA 124 Class Piano IV); Secondary Piano (MUA 231 Piano (Secondary)); or a combination of these piano courses. The Class Piano series courses (MUA 121 Class Piano I-MUA 124 Class Piano IV) can be taken one time each; secondary piano (MUA 231 Piano (Secondary) can be taken two times for one credit hour per semester. A minimum of four semester hours of piano study is required in the choral music education program. In addition, MUA 299 Piano Proficiency must be passed. Piano study should begin the first semester of enrollment and continue until the requirement has been met.
See general studies requirements listed earlier in this section.
Professional Studies: 37 hours
Students must earn grades of C- or higher in each of the following professional studies courses. The University of Alabama GPA — and, if transfer work, the cumulative GPA — must be at least 2.50 in these courses.
| Code and Title | Hours |
| BEF 362 | School, Culture, and Society | 3 |
| BEP 305 | Educational Psychology 1 | 3 |
| CRD 412 | Impr Read Second Schools | 3 |
| MUS 447 | Teaching Choral Music Publ Sch | 3 |
| MUE 350 | Evaluatn Teaching Learning Mus | 3 |
| MUE 387 | Elem School Music Program | 3 |
| MUE 389 | Clinical Experience In Mue 1 | 3 |
| SPE 300 | Survey Spe Accomd Stratg | 3 |
| MUE 497 | Internship Music Educ 2 | 12 |
| EDU 400 | Internship Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 37 |
Students completing this degree program are fully prepared to teach in a K-12 setting in a public school environment.
Types of Jobs Accepted
Students completing this program are routinely employed at the high school, middle school and elementary levels.
Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center
