The UCLA Department of Music, in conjunction with the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, offers the only music education program in the UC system. Students can earn a California Subject Matter Waiver in music and complete their teaching credential during their senior year of undergraduate studies.
The program prepares future music educators to teach in traditional school music programs, cultivates dispositions that encourage innovation and change in the profession, and nurtures socially responsible practices in the classroom and community. This is the only music education program at a public university in California where it is possible to earn a teaching credential as part of a four year undergraduate degree program.
Interested students should contact Dr. Lily Chen-Hafteck () in the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
This article highlights UCLA’s Joint Music Education Program. Led by Professor Lily Chen-Hafteck, the program emphasizes rigorous academic and musical standards, culturally responsive teaching, and early childhood music education, aiming to address California’s growing need for qualified music teachers—especially in light of Proposition 28 funding. Students in the program are known for their strong musical abilities, passion for teaching, and supportive community, often securing teaching positions even before graduation.
I chose UCLA TEP because it demonstrated a commitment to breaking the the barriers many students of color face in our public education system. UCLA TEP demonstrated a commitment to supporting teachers in their work with some of the most underserved and underrepresented students.”