Enhance the way you teach music
This program is designed for music educators across teaching settings, with coursework that reflects the realities of your classroom. Elementary music teachers can build on courses like Elementary School Music alongside foundations in music education, psychology, and curriculum. Band, orchestra, and vocal teachers can tailor their studies through focused pedagogy courses in areas such as wind band, choral, brass, woodwind, string, percussion, or vocal instruction, ensuring your graduate work directly connects to what you teach every day.
In addition to specialized pedagogy, the curriculum strengthens your broader expertise through courses in music analysis, history, and research. You’ll engage with topics like foundations of music education, introduction to music research, and advanced study in music history and theory—building both your instructional practice and your understanding of the field.
The program also includes applied and culminating experiences that connect learning to practice. With options like graduate applied instruction and a capstone project, you can focus your work on your primary teaching area—whether that’s voice, instrumental music, or general music—while developing projects that have direct impact in your classroom or program.
Note that this program does not grant teacher certification or a field endorsement to teach music in K-12 schools, though UNK can help you identify programs that will best meet your professional goals.
Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree in music
How much does it cost to get a Master's in Music Education from UNK?
In-State
Estimated Cost: $14,111.25*
Credit Hours: 33 | Cost per Credit: $369
Estimated Program Fees: $1,934.25*
*Cost estimates are based on 2026-27 tuition and fees across a two-year program completion timeline. Estimate does not include indirect costs. For a more detailed estimate, see the full graduate costs page.
Out of State
Estimated Cost: $21,437.25*
Credit Hours: 33 | Cost per Credit: $591
Estimated Program Fees: $1,934.25*
*Cost estimates are based on 2026-27 tuition and fees across a two-year program completion timeline. Estimate does not include indirect costs. For a more detailed estimate, see the full graduate costs page.
Program Information
Connect with a program advisor
Let's start the conversation about your Music Education M.A.Ed! Request information and connect with Laura, the online academic program advisor, to get more details about the track option you're interested in.
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"I felt that the Music Education M.A.Ed. was really valuable for me as an educator. I feel like it really helped me, inspired me, and gave me a lot of opportunities to collaborate with other music teachers...I really liked having that collaborative aspect because I gained a lot of new techniques that I can use in the classroom."
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"The graduate program was really helpful because I was able to dive into subjects and particular matter that interested me more. So, I was able to dive deeper into those and use what I already knew as a teacher: This is my style of teaching; this is how I manage students and the pedagogy I already use, and in my courses, my professors were very supportive and flexible to allow me to build on those strengths."
What can I do with a Master's in Music Education?
- Music Teacher
- Band Director
- Choral Director
- Composer
- Instrument Tutor
Learn from Award-Winning Faculty
Accreditation
The University of Nebraska at Kearney is an accredited institution through the Higher Learning Commission. UNK has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since 1976.
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