Coursework
I think the biggest difference between undergraduate work and graduate work is the depth of coursework. The scope of undergraduate coursework is typically very broad, as universities want to prepare students for a variety of possible teaching scenarios. Consequently, the courses you take in your Bachelors are not always the most interesting or even directly related to teaching music. Graduate work is much more in-depth and specific to music education. Most Universities typically require only a few specific courses for the degree, which typically include some type of introduction to research course and some type of bibliography course. The rest of the degree programs are outlined by elective categories and or a specialization track you choose. You may be have the ability to focus on performance, pedagogy, research, etc. depending on the school you attend, and the resources they have available. I don’t think the degree defines the person, but the person defines the degree. With careful planning, one can hone in on very specific skills within the music education Masters program. I want to really emphasize how important this point is because I believe a number undergraduate music education majors have an impression that they have to get a conducting degree to be an excellent conductor. One can have the best of both worlds!
