Music Education Degree

The Master of Music Education degree builds upon the field experience of current teachers and educational professionals, transforming teachers who love music into music education specialists. This music education degree melds rigorous academic standards with practical classroom skills that translate into innovative K-12 programs in both private and public school settings. Equipping educators with the adaptability and commitment needed for the classroom, program requirements include core academic and music courses, and specialization in either choral or instrumental conducting.

Program Highlights

  • Broad core of classes that address issues relevant to both instrumental and choral music education
  • Freedom to integrate faith into music education
  • Research methods, musicology, style analysis, pedagogy, and the philosophical, psychological, social, and historical foundations of music education
  • Specialized classes focused on the student’s choice of instrumental or choral emphasis
  • In-depth courses on arranging, choral conducting, and choral pedagogy for those with a choral emphasis
  • In-depth courses on orchestration, instrumental conducting, and instrumental pedagogy for those with an instrumental emphasis
  • Directed research culminating in a thesis (required for completion of the degree)

Learn more about the program and our faculty.

Study Under a Faculty-Mentor

Learn how earning a master’s degree in music with a mentor-based approach can help you prepare for a future career in music.

Ranked Among the Top Music Schools and Programs

Azusa Pacific’s School of Music programs have been recognized among the nation’s Top 30 Master’s in Music Programs by Best Value Schools and 10 Best Music Schools in California by Music School Central.

School of Music Accreditation

A degree from Azusa Pacific University is respected and recognized internationally, and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The university is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

University Reputation

U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2023 edition named Azusa Pacific to its list of top national universities and several other significant lists, including First-Year Experiences and Top Performers on Social Mobility. The Princeton Review designated APU as 1 of 126 institutions in the “Best Western Colleges” section of its 2023 Best Colleges guide. APU’s School of Nursing was named a top nursing school in California for 2023 by College Factual and Niche. APU was included as a top-100 degree producer by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Azusa Pacific is also a Military Friendly School and Yellow Ribbon University, serving more than 500 military-connected students and families, and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 Doctoral Research University.

Note: This information is current for the 2022-23 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.