Major map:
Music Education (Early/Middle Years)
Bachelor of Music in Education [B.Mus.(Mus.Ed.)] - View all program options
Learn how to get the most out of your degree and prepare for your future career.
The Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education (Early/Middle Years) is a four-year program with a specialization in teaching music at the elementary/middle school level, in conjunction with a second teaching area. Students in this program are automatically accepted into the College of Education’s two-year Bachelor of Education program, with music as their primary teaching area and a second teaching area of their choice.
Not a USask student?
Learn more about studying music education at USask and apply for admission.
Explore your major
Learn more about some of the required major-specific courses for this degree. View the course and program catalogue or meet with an academic advisor to understand all program requirements.
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
EDST 130.0 | Student Teaching BMus Music Education Early Middle Years Year 1
MUAP 143.3 | Applied Music Private Study I
MUAP 145.3 | Applied Music Private Study II
MUS 120.2 | Musicianship I
MUS 121.2 | Musicianship II
MUS 129.0 | Event Attendance
MUS 133.3 | Fundamentals of Music Theory I
MUS 134.3 | Fundamentals of Music Theory II
MUS 155.3 | Music in History and the Present
MUS 156.3 | Music History I Compositions Cultures and Connections from Antiquity to the High Classical Period
You choose
- One course (1 cu) from MUAP Ensemble
- One course (3 cu) in Teaching Area 2 (or other Academic Course if TA2 is English Language Arts)
- Two courses (6 cu) in 100-level ENG
Academic tips
- Explore information about your program in the course and program catalogue
- Meet with an academic advisor for help choosing your courses and planning your degree
- Ensure you meet your recital attendance requirements by checking regularly for upcoming events
- Meet with your faculty advisor to plan your B.Mus./Mus.Ed. Early/Middle Years second year path
- Prepare for elementary school music observation in the spring
- Get to know the School of Arts - Music through the Self-Guided Virtual Open House Tour
What will I learn?
- Students will learn to analyze and perform a variety of musical styles and forms
- Students will discover and develop their musical intuition and learn how to problem solve in a dynamic musical environment
- Students will have the opportunity to participate in ensembles, working together as a community to create musical performances
- Students will achieve a working knowledge of their primary instrument and its standard repertoire
- Students will have the opportunity to explore teaching practices in their placements in community primary schools
Gain relevant experience
- Familiarize yourself with study abroad programs to make informed decisions in your later years of study
- Explore undergraduate research opportunities
- Consider enrolling in an experiential learning course
- Volunteer at one of the many music festivals in the department or the community over the course of the year
- Attend the annual Saskatchewan Music Conference to network, gain knowledge, and have fun while meeting leaders in the music education community
Create local and global connections
- Visit the USask Community Centre to make connections and build community
- Get involved in your campus community through student groups, USask Rec and USask events
- Before you register in your first-year courses, sign up to be a part of a Learning Community
- Get to know your faculty and their research interests
- Join the University of Saskatchewan Music Educators’ Society (USMES) to meet friends, future colleagues, and the wider music education community
- Introduce yourself to upper-year students and talk about what interests you
- Connect with a notable educator from your own academic past and learn about their own experience in the field
Get career ready
- Meet with a career educator at Career Services to explore your career possibilities
- Take a career assessment to learn more about your strengths, personality, interests, and values
- Create your résumé and cover letter to take advantage of part-time and summer job opportunities
- Develop your LinkedIn profile to begin building your professional brand
Featured courses
- EMUS 431.3 Teaching Music in the Elementary School
- EMUS 441.3 Philosophy of Music Education
- MUAP 203.1 Greystone Singers
- MUS 200.3 Music and Wellbeing
- MUS 203.3 Introduction to Composition
Explore your major
Learn more about some of the required major-specific courses for this degree. View the course and program catalogue or meet with an academic advisor to understand all program requirements.
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
EDST 230.0 | Student Teaching BMus Music Education Early Middle Years Year 2
EMUS 238.3 | Classroom Instruments
MUAP 243.3 | Applied Music Private Study III
MUAP 245.3 | Applied Music Private Study IV
MUS 160.0 | Keyboard Proficiency
MUS 220.2 | Musicianship III
MUS 221.2 | Musicianship IV
MUS 225.3 | Introduction to Conducting
MUS 229.0 | Event Attendance
MUS 233.3 | Fundamentals of Music Theory III
MUS 234.3 | Fundamentals of Music Theory IV
MUS 255.3 | Music History II Compositions Cultures and Connections from the Late Classical Period to the Present
You choose
- One course (1 cu) from MUAP Ensemble
- One course (3 cu) from EMUS electives
- One course (3 cu) in Teaching Area 2 (or other Academic Course if TA2 is English Language Arts)
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
EDST 330.0 | Student Teaching BMus Music Education Early Middle Years Year 3
EMUS 431.3 | Teaching Music in the Elementary School
INDG 107.3 | Introduction to Canadian Indigenous Studies (or other Academic Course if INDG 107 was taken as part of TA2)
KIN 121.3 | Functional Basis of Physical Activity
MUAP 333.3 | Non-Performance Music Majors Applied Music Private Study V
MUAP 335.3 | Non-Performance Music Majors Applied Music Private Study VI
MUS 329.0 | Event Attendance
MUS 428.3 | Choral Pedagogy
You choose
- One course (1 cu) from MUAP Ensemble
- One course (3 cu) from EMUS electives
- One course (3 cu) from Music Theory or Music elective
- One course (3 cu) in Teaching Area 2
- One course (3 cu) from mathematics or statistics courses (or other Academic Course if TA2 is Mathematics)
Academic tips
- Check DegreeWorks and meet with an academic advisor to ensure your degree is on track
- Apply for scholarships and bursaries
- Ensure you meet your recital attendance requirements by checking regularly for upcoming events
- Meet with your faculty advisor to plan your B.Mus./Mus.Ed. Early/Middle Years third and fourth year paths
- Prepare for student teaching in an elementary school in the spring
- Survey the research being undertaken by faculty, graduate students, and upper-years students within the department
Add to your major
Choose from a variety of certificates to complement your major.
- Jazz (certificate)
- Arts and Science certificate programs
Gain relevant experience
- Explore study abroad options or gain support as an international student through the International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC)
- Become a peer mentor through the College of Arts and Science, University Library, or Peer Health
- Sign up for a Student Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)
- Get involved in research by applying for a research assistantship
- Attend the annual Saskatchewan Music Conference to network, gain knowledge, and have fun while meeting leaders in the music education community
Create local and global connections
- Engage with your community through volunteering and Co-Curricular Record activities
- Meet with new people and grow your cultural understanding through Building Bridges and the Global Connections Network
- Join the University of Saskatchewan Music Educators’ Society (USMES) to meet friends, future colleagues, and the wider music education community
- Explore the musical traditions practiced by the varied cultural groups in Saskatchewan, and Treaty 6 and Treaty 4 territory
Get career ready
- Conduct occupational research through Job Bank and LinkedIn
- Discover job opportunities, explore career options, and meet professionals at Career Services events and career fairs
- Explore experiential learning opportunities to gain relevant experience and skills
- Expand your professional network on LinkedIn
- Get a better understanding of your career possibilities through career informational interviews
USask Student Competencies
USask Student Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attributes developed and leveraged to achieve success in your learning and work:
- Engaging in our intercultural society
- Nurturing successful relationships
- Leveraging technology
- Adaptive design and problem solving
- Communicating meaningfully
- Cultivating well-being
Explore your major
Learn more about some of the required major-specific courses for this degree. View the course and program catalogue or meet with an academic advisor to understand all program requirements.
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
MUAP 433.3 | Non-Performance Music Majors Applied Music Private Study VII
MUAP 435.3 | Non-Performance Music Majors Applied Music Private Study VIII
MUS 429.0 | Event Attendance
You choose
- One course (1 cu) from MUAP Ensemble
- One course (3 cu) from EMUS electives
- One course (3 cu) from Music Theory or Music elective
- One course (3 cu) in Teaching Area 2
- One course (3 cu) from Science (or other Academic Course if TA2 is Mathematics or Science, General)
- One course (3 cu) as an elective (not MUAP, MUS or EMUS)
- Two courses (6 cu) from EMUS, MUS OR MUAP 201.1 Wind Orchestra
Academic tips
- Meet with your faculty advisor early in the year to ensure you are on track to graduate and move smoothly into your Bachelor of Education program (Sequential Music)
Gain relevant experience
- Consider running for a leadership position with the Arts and Science Student Union (ASSU) or the USask Students’ Union (USSU)
- Consider running for a leadership position with the University of Saskatchewan Music Educators’ Society (USMES)
- Attend the annual Saskatchewan Music Conference to network, gain knowledge, and have fun while meeting leaders in the music education community
Create local and global connections
- Connect with faculty and student advisors from the College of Education as you prepare to enter the Sequential Music program (B.Ed.)
Get career ready
- Update your résumé, cover letter or CV to apply for jobs
- Meet with Career Services to prepare for your interview
- Connect with recent alumni working in your field and learn about their early career experience by conducting a career informational interview
- Explore experiential learning opportunities to gain relevant experience and skills
- Consider attending the Education Career Fair to connect with professionals in the education field
USask Student Competencies
USask Student Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attributes developed and leveraged to achieve success in your learning and work:
- Engaging in our intercultural society
- Nurturing successful relationships
- Leveraging technology
- Adaptive design and problem solving
- Communicating meaningfully
- Cultivating well-being
Possible destinations
People with a music education degree take their knowledge and skills into many different industries and occupations. Note that some of the career paths listed here require further education and training.
Career paths
- Band Director
- Choral Director
- Composer
- Conductor
- DJ
- Instrument Designer
- Instrumental Musician
- Music Advisor
- Music Critic
- Music Editor
- Music Educator
- Music Journalist
- Music Lawyer
- Music Librarian
- Music Specialist
- Music Therapist
- Music Video Director
- Musician
- Radio Program Director
- Recording Engineer
- Singer
- Sound Effects Designer
- Studio Musician
- University Professor
Recently hired USask students have been assets to our community, both in their current symphony roles and as USask music students, and are quickly becoming critical members of our team. On top of their breadth of musical knowledge, their incredibly strong work ethic and passion for success have shown them to be quick learners who went from entry level members of the staff to being vital in our work. In short time, they proved to be able to be creative thinkers who added new value to our team.
—Mark Turner, CEO and Creative Producer, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra
Where do USask alumni work?
- Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools
- Long & McQuade Musical Instruments
- MacEwan University
- Prince Albert Catholic School Division
- Royal Conservatory of Music
- Saskatoon Academy of Music
- Saskatoon Public Schools
- Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra
- Self-Employed
- Sony Music Entertainment
- Ottawa Chamberfest
- University of Saskatchewan
Explore Canadian salaries for various occupations using the Job Bank Career Planning Tool
"Music taught me how to learn, and how to continue to strive to learn and improve over time. I have so many joyful memories from the friendships and powerful artistic moments I experienced while singing and performing in ensembles that have made me a more resilient and centered person as I pursue a career in healthcare."
Devynn, Bachelor of Music (Mus.Ed.) '19