Department of Music
College of Liberal Arts
The Department of Music is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities in music education, performance, and technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to assume leadership roles in music education, the music industry, and supporting fields. The Department of Music offers courses and performance opportunities which broaden the musical education in the liberal arts tradition and provide artistic enrichment for students, faculty, the community, state and nation.
Undergraduate Studies
The Jackson State University Department of Music offers Undergraduate music curriculums as follows:
Bachelor of Music Education: a fully accredited program, the Music Education major offers students a rigorous preparation to become educational leaders in K-12 Public and Private Schools. Coursework throughout the program emphasizes the importance of relationships in teaching while creating educational opportunities that are relevant to students and congruent with the music education needs within the State of Mississippi. Students in the Music Education program become well-versed in methods of educating students across the lifespan early childhood through high school grade levels that include performing, creating, and responding to music in multiple types of educational settings.Upon successful completion of the major requirements, including passing the PRAXIS CORE (Core Academic Skills for Educators in Math, Reading, and Writing), PRAXIS II Music Content Area, and Principals of Learning and Teaching (PLT), ensemble and Private lesson participation, coursework, Senior Recital, Pre-Clinical and Clinical experience hours in schools, and 12 weeks of student teaching, students are certified by the Mississippi Department of Education Division of Educator Licensure to teach at the elementary through secondary levels (Vocal/Classroom or Instrumental/Classroom) using Class A Bachelor’s Level License. Instrumental music education majors require additional hours in piano and voice to qualify for a K-8 music endorsement. All of our graduates have been successfully placed in public school teaching positions while some have proceeded on to receive their Master’s and Doctorate degrees. (Licensure Disclosure)
- Bachelor of Music in Music Education (BME) – Keyboard Emphasis
- Bachelor of Music in Music Education (BME) -Vocal Emphasis
- Bachelor of Music in Music Education (BME) -Instrumental Emphasis
Bachelor of Music in Performance (Piano, Vocal, Instrumental): prepares students to become professional musicians and or prepares them for entrance to graduate or professional school.
- Bachelor of Music in Performance (BM) -Instrumental
- Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies (BM) -Instrumental
- Bachelor of Music in Performance (BM) -Vocal
- Bachelor of Music in Performance (BM) – Piano
Bachelor of Music (Technology Emphasis): prepares students for a wide range of employment opportunities in the music technology and media industries, as well as positions in academic research.
Minor in Music): offered for students who wish to minor in music as part of a liberal arts education.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
More About Us
This unit is home to over 20 music ensembles that master and perform Western classical, jazz, gospel, and world music genres throughout the Southern region. These include numerous brass ensembles, vocal and instrumental jazz combos, an orchestra, opera workshop, choirs, symphonic bands, and an African music and dance ensemble. The program has produced internationally renowned performers, music educators, and music producers who have matriculated through our National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accredited programs in Music Education (both graduate and undergraduate), Music Performance, Music Technology, and Jazz Studies.
LEARN BY DOING
The department is home to chapters of international music service and professional Greek letter organizations Tau Beta Sigma, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Phi Mu Alpha. Faculty in the area are acclaimed and published composers, authors, performers, and grantees from numerous internal and external funders. Graduates of the department of music are consistently accepted into top graduate programs, performance ensembles, and work professionally in the fields of performance, music education, music technology, and theory/composition. The music department is home to one of the oldest Jazz emphasis programs at an HBCU in the nation.
“Challenging Minds, Changing Lives.”
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
We have one of the only African music and dance programs at an HBCU and we are the only music department at an HBCU in the state of Mississippi that has a fully functional orchestra and string ensemble, as well as an accredited music technology program with a state of the art recording studio and music technology lab. Additionally, in the state of Mississippi, we are the only HBCU music department with an opera/musical theater workshop. The Jackson State University Department of Music prepares the 21st Century musician to continue their educational endeavors or enter the competitive field of professional music!
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Music majors have a plethora of career options:
| Audio engineer | Film developer | Music attorney | Acoustic consultant |
| Executive producer | Video game designer | Music therapist | Concert promoter |
RESOURCES
Programs of Study
Orff-Schulwerk Music Institute
Useful Links
READY TO JOIN?
For more information, please contact us at (601) 979-2141. We look forward to meeting with you and seeing how our program can help you achieve your goals.
