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Bachelor in Music Education BME (KS) | Undergraduate Degree Program

Bachelor in Music Education BME (KS)

About OU's Bachelor of Music Education (Kansas)

The Bachelor of Music Education degree prepares students to be the music educators of today and tomorrow. As a music education major, you’ll learn to apply cutting-edge pedagogical practices in teaching future students to appreciate, perform, and share music. This is the degree necessary for teacher licensure in the public-school setting (elementary through high school).

The licensure program is based on state, regional, and national licensure criteria and testing competencies. The Ottawa University teacher education programs are state approved in Kansas and accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Two BME Concentrations

Ottawa’s bachelor’s in music education offers two concentrations that allow students to tailor their degree in an area of specialization, including:

Both of OU’s music education specializations are state approved in Kansas, and are also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Completion of this program does not guarantee licensure or certification in other states.

Career Outlook for the Bachelor of Music Education

Music teachers teach music and music appreciation to students in a wide array of groupings, including preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools as well as colleges, and can find work virtually anywhere in the country, from small towns to large cities and all points in between. There are currently an estimated 122,500 music teachers in the United States.

The music teacher job market is expected to grow by 12 percent through 2026, according to Career Explorer. The median annual wage for music teachers was $59,400 in May 2019. The lowest 20 percent earned $30,100, and the highest 20 percent earned $117,500.

Perspective on the BME

Research has found that music education facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas. Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, a not-for-profit association that promotes the benefits of music education states: “A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning.”

For more information on Braves Music at OU, please click here.

For curriculum and course descriptions, please visit the online course catalog.

To get on the right path toward a bachelor’s degree in music education at Ottawa University, contact us today.

Music Education BME (KS) is offered at the following locations.

  • Ottawa, KS (Residential Campus)

Requirements List

  • THE TEACHING PROFESSION I 
  • THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILD 
  • EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
  • FOUNDATIONS OF SCHOOLS DIVERSE SOCIETY
  • SECONDARY METHODS AND RICA
  • ELEMENTARY STUDENT TEACHING I
  • SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING I
  • Issues in Education is a 4-hour option for students to take while student teaching in order to remain full-time.

Additional Coursework is Required to complete Teacher Licensure for:

  • PreK-12 General Music
  • PreK-12 Instrumental Music
  • PreK-12 Vocal Music
Full Degree Catalog

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

Why Choose Ottawa
Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.

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