Bachelor of Music Education (Honours) - Music Education

The Bachelor in Music Education provides for the academic, artistic and professional requirements of those wishing to become music teachers at secondary school level (including Northern Ireland). Not all graduates choose to teach however. Some, on graduation, pursue further study at master’s and doctoral levels in performance, conducting, and composition and quite a few pursue postgraduate courses in the media and in the music business. The degree is taught in partnership with the Technical University of Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama and, on alternate years, with the Royal Irish Academy of Music. The degree is an integrated course of study designed to equip students with a high standard of performance in their principal instrument (including voice) and a competence in related musical skills e.g. conducting, keyboard skills, performance in choral, orchestral and chamber music groups. The course also provides for a solid grounding in harmony, counterpoint, composition, orchestration, analysis, history of music and Irish traditional music. The majority of subjects are based on the traditions and practices of classical (or art) music, from the medieval period to the present day. Trinity is the only university in Ireland which offers the Bachelor in Music Education degree. Current students study both music and education to honours degree level leading to a professional qualification in post-primary teaching which is accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland. One of the strengths of the Music Education course at Trinity is the commitment to individual and small group teaching. The facilities in the Associated Colleges include recital rooms, practice rooms with pianos, music studios, excellent listening equipment, and a substantial lending collection of CDs and DVDs. The staff at Technical University Dublin and RIAM has a wide range of experience in vocal and instrumental music, composition, music technology and musicology. The staff at Trinity’s School of Education has a wide range of expertise in all aspects of education including educational research, the psychology of education, philosophy of education, sociology of education and music pedagogy. Students also have access to the largest research library in Ireland.