• An interest in artistic and music education work with and for people
• An enthusiasm for combining your own artistic practice with educational activities
• Openness and curiosity
• An interest in broadening your profile, including through continuing education and professional development settings, or taking on leadership roles, e.g. as a department head

Entrance requirements

Admission normally requires proof of either

• a bachelor’s degree in music with an artistic or artistic-educational focus, e.g., Elementary Music Education or Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy, or
• completion of a teacher education degree program with Music as a teaching subject, or
• completion of a comparable degree program at a higher education institution.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be demonstrated by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

Information on the examination regulations.

The program comprises four main areas:

• Artistic Training
• Artistic Practice in the Context of Elementary Music Education
• Didactics of Elementary Music Education
• Adult Education/Lifelong Learning

The program of study also focuses on individual professional development, allowing you to specialize in areas such as healthy music-making, career and professional development, music and other art forms, digital music practice, or media/studio practice. You will complete your program of study with the master’s module. This module brings together your academic, artistic-pedagogical, and practical teaching skills.

If you enter the master’s degree program with a subject-specific bachelor’s degree in Elementary Music Education, you will primarily deepen your didactic and artistic skills.

If you enter the master’s degree program with a bachelor’s degree in another music-related field (or an equivalent degree), the focus of the master’s degree program will be more on the foundational skills of Elementary Music Education.
Regardless of the entrance requirements, all students can choose courses from those offered by the Mainz School of Music in the “Professional Development” area according to their individual interests.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

As a graduate of the master’s degree program, you will be well prepared for a (leadership) role in the field of Elementary Music Education. During the program of study, you will acquire many additional skills relevant to your future career:

• The ability to independently and responsibly develop, implement, evaluate, and communicate music education concepts
• Methodological skills through reflective documentation of practice, interdisciplinary project work, and application to new contexts
• Social skills: teamwork, strong communication skills, the ability to collaborate, and a professional approach to working with diverse groups (continuous portfolio work, peer feedback in courses and projects, reflection on your own artistic and educational approach, and dealing with complex professional situations)
• Self-organization, self-reflection, and independent work
• The ability to balance individual responsibility with collaborative learning processes

This opens up a wide range of career paths after graduation, including:

• Elementary Music Education specialist in music schools and conservatories, daycare centers, schools offering optional all-day programs, general education schools through cooperative programs, retirement homes, youth centers, and social institutions
• Leadership roles (e.g., department head at a music school or conservatory)
• Liaison roles in music outreach, such as working as an Elementary Music Education consultant in collaborative projects (e.g., with theaters and concert halls)
• Leading continuing education and professional development programs (lifelong learning and training to update professional skills) at vocational schools, academies, and other continuing education institutions
• Working as a specialist adviser and representing the field within professional associations
• Research and publication

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.