Are you aiming to become a versatile musician, an excellent music educator or a top researcher in music education? Then the music education studies, offered in Finnish or Swedish, are for you!
In a nutshell
- Target degree: bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, master’s degree in musi
- Scope of the degree: BA + MA, 180 + 150 credits (3 yrs. + 2.5 yrs.), master’s degree, 150 credits (2.5 yrs.)
- Field of art: Music
- Organiser: the Sibelius Academy
- Teaching languages: Finnish, Swedish
- Next time to apply: January 2019 (new students admitted annually)
- Number of new study places: annually approximately 30 (programme in Finnish), approximately 3 (programme in Swedish)
- Studies begin: at the start of the academic year in August
- Person responsible for the degree programme: Heads of Department Aija Puurtinen, Katri Liira
Aims and career opportunities
Upon graduating from the degree programme in music education you will have extensive knowledge of music, master different musical subjects and possess versatile professional skills in music pedagogy. As a player and singer, you will master different musical styles on several instruments. You will be able to lead a choir and various kinds of bands, and know how to arrange material for different-size ensembles, taking learners of different levels into account. You know how to plan, implement and evaluate teaching and learning while utilizing existing research in the field as you teach and develop it. You are familiar with the ethical and social dimensions of teaching.
Students graduating from the degree programme in music education primarily find work as music teachers in elementary and upper secondary school, but also in other assignments requiring music education expertise, e.g. as teachers of music schools. You will establish close contact with schools and other prospective employers already during your studies. As part of your studies you will complete three on-the-job training periods in schools, allowing you to use and hone your didactic skills in practice.
Our education provides you with the tools to work in a variety of roles within music, for example as a musician, composer, arranger or sound technician. Upon graduating you may also seek to pursue a career as a researcher, or set up your own music business.
Contents and structure of the education
During the first three years of bachelor’s degree studies you will study musical subjects, the pedagogy of teaching as well as research skills, further developed during master’s degree studies. Your studies will also include elective courses and possibly studies in minor subjects, e.g. music technology or the pedagogy of free accompaniment. In addition to study units at the Sibelius Academy, you may also choose courses from the other academies of the university and from joint studies. Your studies will also include language studies.
In your master’s degree studies you will continue studying musical subjects, the pedagogy of teaching and research techniques. Elective studies constitute at least a fifth of your master’s degree studies. During your studies you will take part in various musical projects as a musician, band leader, music composer and arranger. You will gain experience from teaching in schools and other educational institutions, as well as from collaborating with various parties in the field of culture.
Teachers
Full-time teachers
Heimonen Marja
Juntunen Marja-Leena, professor
Katri Liira, lecturer
Lindholm Marina, lecturer
Mäkinen Toni, lecturer, Vice-Head of Department
Partti Heidi, professor
Perkiö Soili, lecturer
Pokela Eeva-Leena, lecturer
Puurtinen Aija, lecturer
Seppänen Mikko, lecturer
Tabell Max, lecturer, Head of Department
Tikkanen Riitta, lecturer
Research and doctoral study
Upon graduating you will have the opportunity to apply for further studies in music education or another field of music in our doctoral programme.
Doctoral students’ studies will be integrated as much as possible into the department’s teaching and development activities by utilizing the special skills of students. In addition to this, the department organises various interest group activities, which the doctoral students attend. Music education research is coordinated and funded also by the University of the Arts Helsinki’s internal development centre CERADA.
Music education researchers are involved in, for instance, the following research networks:
- Nordplus
- NNMPF
- Hollo Institute
- ICON
The music education department’s own research and development projects:
- MobiSiba
- Rockway Project
- Rocksmith Initiative
- Kuule, minä sävellän! (Hear this, I'm a composer!/Credit Suisse Very Young Composers)
Ongoing reseach projects
- Capponi-Savolainen Analia: Individual expressions: The use of the body and the development of emotional expression in children
- Fornhammar Lisa: Navigating the changing ideals in contemporary vocal music
- Heimonen Marja: Minorities within the minority - Music Education and Cultural Diversity in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland
- Jordal Havre Sigrid: Musical Gameplay - experience, action, and learning in the world of video games
- Juntunen Marja-Leena: iPads in a 7th grade music classroom: Enhancing student agency
- Jääskeläinen Tuula: Building a foundation for the research-based evaluation of learning in higher music education
- Thomson Katja: The creative space between us - An Interdisciplinary Arts Collaboration in a Changing Society
- Kallio Alexis: Populaarimusiikki koulun musiikinopetuksessa
- Kuoppamäki Anna: Gender sensitivity music education
- Laes Tuulikki: Tasa-arvo musiikkikasvatuksen lähtökohdaksi?
- Lopez-Iniguez Guadelupe: The psychology, musicology andperformance of approaching Beethoven and Mendelssohn holistically
- Mesiä Susanna: Constructing a community of networked expertise in pop/jazz singing pedagogy
- Miettinen Laura: Creating visions together - Intercultural music teacher education in Finland and Israel
- Partti Heidi: Valtakunnallinen selvitys musiikinopetuksen tilasta
- Siljamäki Eeva: Vapaa kuoroimprovisaatio teatterin ja musiikin rajapinnalla
- Timonen Vilma: Co-Creating Music Education in Nepal
- Westerlund Heidi: Global visions through mobilizing networks
Upcoming events
How to apply
Approximately 30 students are admitted to the programme annually, of which 4–5 to the Swedish-speaking programme. General requirements for admittance include sufficient musical skills and educability. The examinations inspect the applicant’s general musical skills, instrument skills and suitability for the field through several different assignments.
Contact information
E-mail addresses: firstname.lastname (at) uniarts.fi
Heads of Department Aija Puurtinen, Katri Liira
Vice-head of the Department Toni Mäkinen
Professor Marja-Leena Juntunen
siba.admissions (at) uniarts.fi