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Music, Instrumental/General Music Education Concentration, B.M.

Program Overview

At UNC Charlotte, studies go beyond the Department of Music and into Charlotte’s creative community. With bold ideas and broad connections, our talented faculty, students, and alumni are shaping the civic imagination of this fast-growing city. The Bachelor of Music (B.M.) offers students seven concentrated areas of study.

The concentration in Instrumental/General Music Education is designed for instrumentalists who wish to become public school band directors, orchestra directors, or general music educators.

Our program prepares…

  • Professionals to be knowledgeable, effective, reflective, collaborative, and responsive practitioners who are leaders in their fields.
  • Highly effective and ethical professionals who have a positive impact on children, youth, families, communities, and schools.
  • Professionals for success in a wide range of teaching situations, including urban, suburban, and rural settings.
  • Students to develop an educational environment where all feel safe, valued, represented, and supported.

Program Contact

Dr. Jennifer Whitaker

Associate Chair, Department of Music

jwhitaker@charlotte.edu

Instrumental/General Music Education at a Glance

The Department of Music at UNC Charlotte boasts a one hundred percent job placement of music educators who seek teaching positions upon graduation. Admission to this degree program in the Department of Music requires an entrance audition and is contingent upon acceptance into the University. The curriculum consists of 31 credit hours of General Education; 59 credit hours of studies in music, including basic musicianship and performance studies; and 26 credit hours of professional education courses that lead to a K-12 teaching license in the State of North Carolina. The culminating experiences for this degree are a Senior Recital and Student Teaching. UNC Charlotte is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

Delivery
On-Campus
Total Degree Hours
120 Credit Hours
major courses
59 Credit Hours

The Department of Music also offers a B.M. in Music with concentrations in the following areas:

Admissions Details

Admission to degree programs in the Department of Music requires an entrance audition and is contingent upon acceptance into the University. Please visit our Admissions page for information about that process.

Explore Music at UNC Charlotte

The Department of Music is one of five creative units in the College of Arts + Architecture, an artistic community that is unique in the Carolinas.

Visit us on Campus!

The best way to discover what makes the college music experience at UNC Charlotte so special is to experience it for yourself! Each semester, join us for our Music Major For A Day event to attend classes, play or sing in ensembles, meet faculty, and have lunch with current students.

Adam on stage playing the saxophone

“When we teach music, we are teaching much more than how to sing or play an instrument; we are teaching someone to express themselves artistically in such a way that they move others emotionally. ⁠This is a very powerful thing, to connect with one another through collaborative, creative output…to share one’s feelings and tell stories through beautiful sounds…to learn about and embrace art, culture, and humanity… When we teach music, we inspire love for life itself. If there is anything that can bring us together, I believe it is this.

Adam Kallestad
B.M. in Music with a concentration in Music Education and a Certificate in Jazz Studies

Music Education Alumni Accomplishments

To date, our job placement rate for graduating students who seek teaching positions is 100%. Others choose to pursue graduate-level degrees and have entered into graduate programs at prestigious Schools of Music. Get to know what some of our music ed alumni have been up to, below!

  • Emily Golden Bumgarner '22

    Director of Bands at East Burke High School in Connelly Springs, NC

    Within her role, she leads and directs the Marching Cavaliers, the East Burke High School Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensembles. Each year of her tenure, the Wind Ensemble has received “Superior” ratings at their NCBA Music Performance Adjudication (MPA). In 2022, Emily was awarded the “Beginning Educator Excelling” award by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. She is also a quarterfinalist for the 2025 GRAMMY Music Educator Award.

  • Dareion Malone '13

    Assistant Principal at Sun Valley High School in Monroe and Director of Music at Quail Hollow Presbyterian Church

    When Malone’s corporate job was eliminated in the 2008 economic downturn, he decided to return to school to pursue his first love, music. A baritone, he enrolled at UNC Charlotte and received a B.M. in Music Education in 2013. In 2019, he received the College of Arts + Architecture Distinguished Alumni Award in Music. Malone was the Union County Public Schools 2020-21 Teacher of the Year. Selected from among 10 finalists, he was praised by Union County Public Schools officials for his “ability to connect with all students, regardless of their background or musical abilities,” he said in an article on the UCPS website.

  • Regan Sawyer Eudy '20

    Elementary general music teacher at Central Elementary School, Albemarle, NC

    During her first year of teaching, Eudy received the 2021 Rookie Teacher of the Year for the Mallard Creek STEM Academy Elementary School. She was also a quarterfinalist for the 2025 GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Laudatory remarks included, Eudy “has brought so much joy to our school through music, including our very first choir, Treble Makers. She is passionate about music and does an exceptional job making music education fun and engaging for all learners.”

  • Tucker Smith '19

    Director of Bands at Asheboro High School, Asheboro, NC

    During his first year of teaching, Smith was named the 2019-2020 “Apple of Excellence” award winner for Outstanding First Year Teacher in the Asheboro City School District. He is involved in teaching all of the AHS band ensembles including the Comet Blues Jazz Ensemble. “I am certain I would not feel as prepared as I am to be a new teacher without the education, guidance, and support I have received from the UNC Charlotte Department of Music and the Music Education Faculty.”

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Opportunities to Perform

The Department of Music offers numerous opportunities for all university students to participate in bands, choirs, orchestras, jazz ensembles, and chamber groups. Every semester, students from every major in every college enjoy making new friends and performing great music, all while earning college credit.

Discover other programs of music study

Register for an In-Person Campus Visit

Experience the heart of UNC Charlotte with our in-person campus visits. Register for a First-Year Student Info Session and Tour offered daily — an unmissable opportunity to live the Niner life.

Explore Official University Catalog

Check out the official catalog for information on specific degree requirements, course progressions, curriculum and more.