Curricula

Key learning outcomes

The graduates from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy have extensive knowledge of the music industry, strong pedagogical competence and high-quality practical skills as musicians. They apply these competencies in different changing operating environments – both as employees and entrepreneurs. The competencies acquired during the studies provide you with good capabilities for working in networks and multiprofessional teams in the creative industry and related fields, such as the media, technology, events and wellness sectors.

As a music pedagogue, you will have the ability to experiment and create new things and build products based on your competence. You will have the willingness and readiness for continuous learning and creative problem-solving and to maintain your professional skills and personal work ability and functional capacity. You know how to act ethically while supporting sustainable development.

Education content and professional growth and know-how

Studies in the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy aim at strong musical and pedagogical competence in classical or pop/jazz music. As a student in the degree programme, you can get profiled in developing the skills required in the tasks of an instrument teacher or music instructor after the first year of your studies. The pedagogical studies for teachers (60 ECTS) allow you to develop your skills as a teacher and instructor for individuals and groups. The studies include teaching practice, which is supported by basic studies in education sciences and pedagogical studies in accordance with your study path.

The degree programme includes studies that support entrepreneurship, helping you to create products based on your competence and promote your employment. In addition, the Finnish Music Campus, a centre of excellence of three educational organisations, enables cross-institutional studies and allows you to create and utilise an extensive network of experts and fellow students during your studies as well as transition flexibly from one level of education to another.

The curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy is based on the competence needs of the music industry and the general common competencies of the university of applied sciences. You make choices according to your personal learning and career plan within the study modules of the curriculum. Music career tutors, teachers and student tutors support you in your studies and making choices related to your studies. Jamk’s Higher Education Services – Study Counsellor, Study Affairs Coordinator and Study Psychologist – will also assist you whenever necessary.

The degree programme's own study modules include Music Comprehension, Creative Music Composing and Production, Common Instrumental Studies, Instrumental Studies (B or C), Ensemble, Common Pedagogical Studies and Music Pedagogy with Individuals and Groups. The degree also includes the following common study modules of the university of applied sciences: Transferable Skills, Language and Communication, Jamk Future Factory, and Development Activities and Thesis. The studies also include practical training, elective studies and EduFutura and/or CampusOnline studies in accordance with your choices.

Flexible studies

Studies in music education are mainly organised during the autumn and spring semesters. The studies are provided as classroom teaching at the modern music campus and as distance and hybrid teaching organised online. Classroom teaching is versatile, practical and flexible instruction for individuals, small groups and large groups, and the learning materials are often digital learning materials distributed in courses in virtual learning environments as well as using the music campus library services, for instance. Meanwhile, you can complete JAMK’s common studies flexibly as classroom, remote or online studies or a combination of them – often year-round.

You can choose your alternative or elective studies from EduFutura partner institutions (University of Jyväskylä and Gradia) and international studies from European EUDRES higher education institutions. You can also choose from Finnish and foreign partner universities, such as other universities of applied sciences and universities. You can apply for accreditation of higher education studies that you have completed elsewhere.

Working life oriented learning

The studies in a university of applied sciences involve workplace-oriented learning throughout the studies, such as practical training that promotes professional skills, a working life-orientated thesis and various working life projects. Jamk uses the Jamk Future Factory, an operating model for working life-oriented and student-oriented learning that brings together students, Jamk's specialists and working life actors in practice-oriented and customer-driven projects. For you, the model offers both multidisciplinary and working life-oriented project studies as well as an opportunity to develop your future working life skills and networks as well as career paths that match your interests.

The practical training that promotes your professional skills is implemented in accordance with your personal career and learning plan. The practical training of students in the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy is mainly a teaching practice that you complete, for example, at musical education institutions and/or at the degree programme's Practice Music School. Practical training also includes different performances (practising skills as a musician) and participation in related productions in different roles. Working life cooperation is also realised in a thesis, which usually involves development work, a project or production related to an expert task in your field of education that arises from a need in working life.

Career opportunities and employment

Graduates from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy at Jamk University of Applied Sciences work in various tasks, such as instrument and theoretical teachers or choir and orchestra leaders employed in music schools and colleges as well as adult education centres and community colleges, among others.

In addition to their teaching tasks, graduates from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy also serve as musicians, encountering different audiences in day-care centres and schools, concert halls and clubs as well as care and nursing homes. In addition to working as self-employed musicians, the graduates also employ others through the companies they have established; for example, music schools and educational service and content creation companies.

Qualifications

The studies give you general pedagogical qualifications for teaching tasks. The qualifications may also be influenced by the educational and professional experience requirements in the industry or the form of educational institution.

Further studies

You may, after graduating and gaining at least two years of work experience, apply for a master's degree level education. You can continue your studies by applying for e.g. Master's degree programmes in universities, vocational teacher education or Master's degree programmes abroad. The university of applied sciences offers opportunities for competence development in various institutes, such as the open university of applied sciences, specialisation training and work-oriented continuing education.

At Jamk, you can complete the Master’s degree in Music Pedagogy (60 ECTS) or Specialisation Training for a Community Musician (30 ECTS). There are also natural opportunities for further studies in the field of music, for instance at the Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies of the University of Jyväskylä, which operates on the Finnish Music Campus and our international partner universities.

Education planning

In addition to music education staff, several education stakeholder representatives and other specialists in music education have participated in the planning and development of the curriculum and the degree programme organised based on the curriculum. The education profile has been clarified in relation to the curricula and implementations of other universities of applied sciences. The planning of the education makes use of the available student feedback, such as course feedback, feedback collected during the student union JAMKO’s grumble week and a feedback survey carried out at the graduation stage among students in universities of applied sciences (AVOP). The competence needs in working life for Bachelors in Instrumental Teaching and Group Pedagogy have also been examined through a survey targeted at professionals in music education, the music industry and related fields. Recent reports, studies and surveys from key actors and background organisations in working life and education have also been utilised in the work to prepare the curriculum.

Contact Information

Eva Halme
Head of Department Music
+35840727642
firstname.lastname@jamk.fi