Music Education Division

Who are we?

Music Education at Stellenbosch University prepares knowledgeable, reflective, and innovative music teachers for schools and communities across South Africa and beyond. Our programme combines academic excellence with practical experience, enabling students to teach with confidence, cultural sensitivity, and pedagogical depth. Our staff are active researchers and practitioners who contribute to national discussions on music teaching, curriculum development, and community involvement.

What we do?

Our programme offers a balanced, practice-based approach to music teaching and learning in South African and global classrooms. Students engage with contemporary teaching methodologies, ensemble leadership, curriculum design, school-based learning, and research in postgraduate studies. Through lectures, practical teaching, collaborative projects, and community partnerships, students develop the skills needed to teach music in diverse educational contexts and to contribute meaningfully to musical life in their communities.

Music Education Specialisation

All BMus students take Music Education in their first year, where they are introduced to foundational approaches to teaching and learning in music. There is focus on Kodàly, Orff, Cultural Responsive Teaching, Nurturing Creativity and Multiple Intelligencies.

At the end of the second year, the students choose Music Education as an option to further specialise in this field during their third and fourth years of their undergraduate studies.

Third Year
In the third year, students deepen their understanding of music pedagogy while developing practical teaching skills. 

Modules include: 

• Music Education – philosophical foundations of music education, movement-based learning, and practical training in teaching classroom instruments such as recorder and guitar.
• Ethnomusicology – engagement with African musical traditions, including marimba performance, drumming, vocal performance and indigenous instruments of uhadi and umrhubhe, the musical bows of Southern Africa.
• Didactics of Music Theory – approaches to teaching music theory effectively in school contexts.

Fourth Year
The final year focuses on professional preparation and real-world teaching experience. 

Modules include: 

• Music Education – philosophy of music education, choral conducting, and continued training in classroom instrumental teaching.
• Teaching Practice – supervised teaching in schools alongside applied projects such as organising school concerts and hosting the annual Konservatorium Eisteddfod.
• Didactics of Music Theory – advanced strategies for teaching theoretical concepts.
• Creative Skills and Business Management – developing creative and entrepreneurial skills for the music profession.

Graduates complete the programme with solid pedagogical knowledge, practical teaching experience, and the capacity to lead music education initiatives across diverse contexts.