Music Education

Your Career Starts Here

Earn your undergraduate degree in Music Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with full K–12 licensure in as little as four years through Virginia Tech’s accelerated program. This streamlined path saves time and money while preparing you for immediate entry into the classroom. Virginia Tech’s Music Education program blends artistic excellence with real-world teaching experience, empowering you to lead, teach, and inspire through music. Our graduates are highly sought after for music teaching positions throughout the Commonwealth and beyond, entering the field with extensive classroom experience, advanced pedagogical skills, and the potential for higher starting salaries. Hokies also have a proud legacy of leadership in Virginia Music Education, with faculty and alumni actively shaping the profession through organizations like the Virginia Music Educators Association and the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association.

Degree Program Options

Instrumental

Choral / General

All Music Education applicants must complete an audition, either live (preferred) or pre-recorded (via YouTube). Information on auditions can be found HERE.

Why Virginia Tech?

Higher Starting Salaries in Virginia
In Virginia, teachers who earn a master’s degree typically start their careers making $2,500 to over $6,000 more per year than those with only a bachelor’s degree, depending on the school district. Over a 30-year teaching career, this difference can add up to $75,000 to $180,000 in additional income. But the benefits don’t stop there—researchers at Georgetown University estimate that if school districts also offer larger annual raises to teachers with a master’s degree, the total lifetime earnings could be, on average, $400,000 higher than for teachers with just a bachelor’s degree.

For students considering a future in education, this highlights how pursuing graduate studies can be a smart long-term investment not only for professional growth, but also for financial stability.

Sources:

Carnevale, A. P., Rose, S. J., & Cheah, B. (2011). The College Payoff: Education, occupations, lifetime earnings (Report No. ED524299). Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED524299
National Education Association. (2025, April 29). Starting teacher pay. In Educator Pay and Student Spending: How Does Your State Rank? Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank/starting-teacher

Complete your student teaching anywhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Complete your student teaching anywhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with opportunities tailored to your interests and career goals. Virginia Tech’s Music Education program offers placement options that reflect the full spectrum of educational environments. This flexibility allows you to gain meaningful experience in settings that align with your teaching style and aspirations, while also preparing you to adapt and thrive in classrooms across the state.

Enjoy small class sizes and personalized mentorship.

Students are eligible for graduate assistantships during their graduate year.

Gain financial support and résumé-enhancing experience. Assistantship roles vary and may include academic, administrative, or outreach work, helping students develop transferable skills and build strong professional connections.

4+1 Model: Bachelor’s + Master’s + Licensure

Graduate with two degrees in five years
Gain hands-on teaching experience
Be classroom-ready with licensure upon completion of your graduate degree

(New for 2025!!) 3+1 Fast Track: Bachelor’s + Master’s + Licensure

This accelerated pathway is designed for students with at least 12 Advanced Placement (AP, IB, dual enrollment, or summer/winter credits), allowing them to complete their undergraduate degree in three years and their master’s in the fourth.

Finish your undergraduate and master’s degrees in 4 years
Launch your teaching career a full year early
Be classroom-ready with licensure upon completion of your graduate degree
Students can take up to 14 summer or winter session courses and still save money compared to a fifth year of school.

Prepare for Long-Term Success

Earning a master’s degree has been linked to greater confidence in the classroom, what researchers call “self-efficacy,” or a teacher’s belief in their ability to positively impact student learning (Orakçı et al., 2023). Higher levels of teacher self-efficacy are associated with lower levels of burnout, contributing to a longer and more fulfilling career in education, which is especially important during the early years of a young teacher’s career (Herman et al., 2018).

Sources:

Herman, K. C., Hickmon-Rosa, J., & Reinke, W. M. (2018). Empirically derived profiles of teacher stress, burnout, self-efficacy, and coping and associated student outcomes. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 20(2), 90–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300717732066
Orakçı, Ş., Yüreğilli Göksu, D., & Karagöz, S. (2023). A mixed methods study of the teachers’ self-efficacy views and their ability to improve self-efficacy beliefs during teaching practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1035829. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1035829