Curricula

Key learning outcomes

The graduates from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Early Childhood Music Education and Cultural Well-being possess extensive knowledge and skills in music education, versatile competence in music as well as strong skills in encountering different groups and learners of various ages in music. They apply these competencies in different changing operating environments – both as employees and entrepreneurs. The competencies you have acquired during the studies provide you with good capabilities for working in a music educator tasks in different communities, such as music institutions, music kindergartens, daycare centres, sheltered housing facilities, hospitals or in liberal adult education.

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 Early Childhood Music Education and Cultural Well-being aim at broad-based and creative musical and pedagogical competence. After graduating from the degree programme, you will have a qualification to act as an early childhood music educator and a specialist in cultural well-being in different environments. 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 Early Childhood Music Education and Cultural Well-being is based on the competence needs of the music industry and the general common competencies of the university of applied sciences. 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 Perception and Creation, Instrumental Studies and Ensemble Playing, Fundamentals of Teaching, Music Education and Cultural Well-being, and Cultural Well-being as a Part of a Good Life. 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 studies of the degree programme include both pedagogical and musical practical training. Pedagogical practical training can be carried out in day-care centres, Gradia Vocational College and/or other music institutes and companies in the industry, care institutions, sheltered housing facilities and hospital environments. Meanwhile, musical practical training can be carried out anywhere where music is played or recorded. 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

The graduates from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Early Childhood Music Education and Cultural Well-being work in, for example, music schools and institutes as well as adult education centres and community colleges, retirement homes, hospitals, day-care centres, as instructors of clubs and various groups, or as entrepreneurs in the music industry. The dimension of cultural well-being enables working as a care musician in sheltered housing and hospital environments, for instance.

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