Bachelor [Instrumental Music Education] From Hope College

Hope’s Department of Music believes that music can make the world a better place. The department is committed to increasing the awareness of the importance of music to society and encouraging spiritual growth and understanding.

To fulfill this mission, the department has adopted two goals:

• To enable students to become influential leaders in the areas of teaching, performing, research and worship; and to assist them in becoming professionally successful in their chosen fields.
• To cultivate an enduring appreciation of music and its positive impact upon the human condition by providing significant musical experiences to the college community and beyond.

The Department of Music offers both the Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Music, and the Bachelor of Music degrees. The goals and objectives of these two degrees are somewhat different, but both are designed to provide a strong basis for the study of music.

The Bachelor of Music degree is a professional music degree that prepares students for professional music involvement, graduate work in music performance, music teaching at the elementary or secondary level, or a combination of these pursuits. The General Education requirements for this degree are reduced in order to accommodate the depth and breadth of music study expected for this degree. 

Hope College offers an endorsement in music that prepares and certifies music education students to teach grades pre-kindergarten through 12. Music education students may specialize in instrumental or vocal music.

The core curriculum and methods courses provide the knowledge, skills and opportunities for practical application in schools (at least five field experiences plus a student teaching semester). Hope’s partnership in music education with local public and private schools affords music education students the opportunity to teach students from a variety of cultures and economic backgrounds.