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Music Education Major

Talented musician? Great with kids? Enjoy inspiring others to create music? Become a music teacher! You’ll graduate with the ability to guide others to musical fulfillment. Grand View's accredited program prepares you for a career as a music teacher in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. If you want to share your love of music and your teaching/performing skills, this is the major for you.

Grand View University offers college credit for students who have earned the Iowa Seal of Biliteracy.

Music Ensembles Music Scholarships Julefest Concert Upcoming Events

Why Grand View?

  • The education department nurtures individual students throughout the program. Faculty get to know the students and hold them accountable to continued growth on their path to becoming a professional educator.
  • We are uniquely positioned in the Des Moines metro which allows our education students to experience urban, suburban, and rural classrooms in practicum and student teaching.
  • We are intentional in developing teachers who become leaders within their schools and profession.
  • Grand View is committed to developing teachers who are empowered to meet the diverse needs of today’s students.
  • Experience a vibrant music scene both on campus and throughout the Des Moines community.
  • The Grand View teacher education program is accredited by the Iowa Department of Education.
  • Earn graduate credit: eligible undergrads can dual-enroll in up to six hours of graduate coursework to count toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Music Scholarships
The music department offers scholarships in voice, piano and instrumental music for qualified students (by audition only). Scholarships are awarded in amounts up to $4,000 and are renewable each year, provided the student continues in good standing in his or her music activities. Pro Musica Scholarships are available for music majors as well as non-majors. To be eligible, students must respond to the scholarship invitation as new students and be accepted for admission. Learn More
Career Options

This program prepares you for a career as a music teacher in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Although most jobs revolve around teaching, you could also use your degree to work as a:

  • Arts administration
  • Church music
  • Conducting
  • Copyright law
  • Event coordinator
  • Instrument repair
  • Music Composition/arranging
  • Music editor
  • Music journalism
  • Music librarian
  • Music performance
  • Music retail
  • Music studio teaching
  • Music teaching (elementary, middle school, and secondary)
  • Music therapist
  • Piano accompanying
  • Vocal coaching

Careers in Music
Course Requirements
Download Degree Checklist
Student Testimonials

Dr. Michael ElsberndDr. Michael Elsbernd

“Dr. Elsbernd has helped give me the confidence needed to play the organ for service playing, and always is able to find something positive, even if I had felt I had terribly messed up.” - Colby Gochanour

GV Degree Combinations

You may also be interested in one or more of the following:

Awards and Accomplishments

Becoming a responsive music educator is among the primary goals for students at Grand View, who are taught to plan, instruct, reflect, and then respond to a given student’s needs. The faculty for music education at GV is very well-regarded.

Alumni of the music education program have become employed in public and private schools as well as in music organizations, colleges, and in community programs worldwide. Employment rate for graduates of this program is exceptionally high.

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum of 130 credits, you are recommended to the State of Iowa Board of Educational Examiners for licensure in music K-12.

Education Department Faculty

Favorable Job Market 

Music education is, without even a close second, the most popular college major that musicians pursue in the United States. The reasoning behind this is very simple – music education students have the highest rate of employment out of all music majors coming out of an undergraduate degree.

Music education graduates are needed at just about every public and private K-12 institution in the U.S. The job market is, unlike with many other college majors and degrees, exceptionally favorable for music education graduates.

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Faculty

Cowles Center

The Cowles Center houses the music and theology departments, including band and choir rooms, individual mix-use practice studios, individual piano studios and classrooms. The building was dedicated in 1987 and originally used to house the communication department.

Rasmussen Center

Dedicated in 2008, the 42,851 square-foot $8.5 million building houses the departments of art, education, history, criminal justice, political studies, psychology and sociology, as well as general-purpose classrooms, art studios, computer labs, the ALT Center, faculty offices, and various student amenities.

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