Posted by research on January 30, 2004 at 16:11:45:
In Reply to: College, coservatories posted by Chris on January 29, 2004 at 21:55:13:
From the Article on Double Degree Programs on the Peabody Insitute website:
"Liberal arts colleges offer "majors" within the context of a liberal arts curriculum. These programs are easily identifiable in that they lead to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. To keep from tripping over abbreviations like BA/S, I will just use "BA" as short for any liberal arts degree. When you declare a "major," your liberal arts program will include a curricular emphasis in a particular area of study. Numerically, a "major" is made up of about a quarter of the curriculum (figure about 36 credits). The other three-quarters are the usual liberal arts courses. Within this context, students can do "double majors," combining two liberal arts majors (one of which might be music). At the completion of the course, graduating students receive one diploma, stating that they have earned a liberal arts degree. Both majors are listed."
...
"A liberal arts "major" signifies that you have an extended knowledge of a subject, but does not certify you to be a practitioner of a skill. By the same token, those pursuing a liberal arts music major are not necessarily practitioners of a musical art. Said another way, the holder of a BA in music should be able to discuss Beethoven -- his life and music --but the same individual may or may not be able to perform any of Beethoven's compositions. This ability to perform is the major component of a Bachelor of Music degree."
"A Bachelor of Music (BM) degree is far more specialized than a BA, and, to repeat, its focus is typically on musical performance. In a BM program, the word "major" refers to a musical subject or performance area (clarinet, voice, piano, music theory, etc.). A "double major" for a music student in a BM program might be, say, piano and music history."
"The ratio of musical to non-musical study contained in a Bachelor of Music program is roughly the reverse of the ratio for a BA program at a liberal arts college. That is, roughly three-quarters of the credits are in music performance and musical academics (theory, eartraining, etc.), and one quarter are in traditional liberal arts subjects. This ratio differs from school to school, and can approach fifty-fifty at some universities where there are university-wide course requirements."
"The Bachelor of Music degree certifies a level of knowledge about music and also a level of performance ability, but the performance level is not the same for all schools offering the degree. Here's why. Entrance to a BM program is usually by audition, and competition for available space at the better known music schools tends to drive the required entrance level upward. It follows that the exit (graduation) level of performance will be higher for students that go to these schools. Over a period of decades, the more selective schools earn a well deserved reputation for turning out high-level performers. This serves to attract even higher level performers to these schools, which enhances the effect."
In short, unless you get a BA with a major in music education or a BM with a major in music education (available in some schools), you won't likely be ready to do your teaching credential study after college.