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Department of Music

Music Education/Teaching Credential

Student teacher in front of a class of young musicians with percussion instruments.

Music Education at Fresno State

A credential to teach music in California gives you a license to teach all forms of music in K-12 schools.

  • Our undergraduate Music Education program is one of 17 in the CSU system that is an approved “waiver” program. This means that once you complete our Music Ed degree (with a 2.67 GPA or better), you do not have to take the CSET in Music in order to enter the credential program. You have satisfied subject matter proficiency.
  • Students who complete the BM Music Education Option (Pre-Certification) go on to earn a teaching credential. Our graduates are highly sought after and we have a 100 percent placement rate once the credential is complete. We have produced more than 150 music teachers since 2010. 

All Music Education courses are taught by highly trained professors who are recognized for their work throughout the U.S. and published in high-profile music journals. They are also active adjudicators and clinicians.  Fulltime professors have more than 60 years of teaching experience pre-K through aging adults in various settings.

Music Education students receive a robust curriculum that prepares them to teach music in all forms at all levels K-12.  In addition to the courses listed below, Music Education students have hands-on experiences with school aged children in various courses. Students actively participate in observations, creating and teaching lessons to children. 

Fresno State Music Education students observe a classroom of children learning percussion instruments.

A young girl plays a xylophone in a music education training course.

Students in the Bachelor of Music degree enter in the Pre-Music major and once they have completed all coursework (First four semesters in the BM Music Education Roadmap) in the Pre-Music major, change their option to Music Education. *Once all of the requirements have been met students MUST complete TWO FORMS found via this link Change of Major Option Forms.  Listed under ‘Applications’, download and complete the Change of Major Form and the Bachelor of Music Education Option Application.