Music Education, B.M.E.

Earn a Bachelor of Music Education at Penn State

Are you ready to inspire others through music? We’ll show you how.

Music educators have the unique privilege of sharing both their knowledge of music and their passion for it. In the Bachelor of Music Education program, you’ll develop your teaching skills and your own musicianship by working with award-winning faculty whose experience spans every type of educational institution.

It’s your chance to be the inspiration—to be the one who shows a student how music enhances every part of our lives. While courses focus on preparing you to teach in K–12 settings, the skills and experiences you gain can be transferred to a variety of teaching environments.

Next Steps

Is the Bachelor of Music Education right for you?

The Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) degree prepares students for teaching in elementary and secondary schools, where they often serve as both personal and musical role models. Upon a successful Penn State application and audition, students enter the pre-major, where they typically spend two years completing the entrance-to-major requirements. Some of those requirements are a piano proficiency exam, select courses in music and educational psychology, and at least 80 hours of paid or volunteer work. Refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin for entrance to major criteria. The program culminates with a semester of student-teaching.

Graduates are prepared to receive the Pennsylvania Instructional I certificate for teaching music K–12. Teaching early childhood music classes; elementary school music; middle and high school band, orchestra, and choir; and adult community ensembles are just some of the ways music educators ply their trade.

Many US states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map. (Available July 2020.)