Music teacher education for comprehensive schools in Slovakia runs from the year 2005, within the context of the Bologna Declaration. Also other legislative changes as a new school reform from 2008 with the new Education Act and other act concerning continuous education of teachers determines the current events connected with universities and their affairs. Music teacher training is carried out at faculties of education (study branches of pedagogy, philosophy, humanities and natural sciences) within the bond of a particular university.

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Music teacher training in Slovakia is run in three target groups: They either study a four-year course at “educational-social academies”, they start at the age of 15 and complete their studies with an examination that approves them for university admission, or a university degree course in “preschool education” that lasts for five years: the first three are a Bachelor study and the final two ones are a Master study course.

Training of kindergarten teachers and primary school teachers ISCED 0 ISCED 1 takes place at the faculties of education in the field of 1.1.5 Pre-school and Elementary Education. The compulsory subjects also include music which is compulsory for all students.

Music teachers for the first level of general elementary education (children aged 6-10)

Music teachers study at a university in the field of preschool and elementary education that lasts five years: the first three years are a Bachelor study, and the final two years are a Master course. Music is compulsory for all students. If they wish, students can also take a course that offers a more detailed and deeper study of music. This is a good opportunity for music school graduates to extend the knowledge they already have gained.

Music teachers for the second level of general elementary education (children aged 11-15) and at specialist schools (for kindergarten teachers) and conservatories (ages 15-18).

Teachers are trained at university on a course consisting of three years to a Bachelor and two to a Master entitled ”1.1.3 Teacher Training for Educational and Artistic Subjects”. Music is usually studied in combination with another subject. Some subject combinations are set joint courses while in others students are free to choose their second subject. In Slovakia a Master’s degree is generally required to enter the teaching profession. Bachelor graduates can currently only work as teaching assistants or in areas outside school (such as leisure centres, culture management).

Characteristics of a 3-year Bachelor study

The study subjects are implemented as the part of the study program – lectures, seminars, tutorials, professional practice, and bachelor thesis. The study programme is carried out in the following units of study programmes and is realised full time. The students in bachelor degree acquire professional proficiency and this objective is subordinated to the selection of the units the content of which is mentioned in the following themes listed below.

Professional and Subject Matter basis consists of:

 

• Musicological subjects that consist of theoretical, analytical and historical subjects.

 

• Ethnomusicologic subjects.
• Performance and practical subjects,
• The ensemble subjects: Folk ensemble Torysa (singing dance group, folk music), women´s choir, mixed choir, chamber orchestra
• The part of the subject areas from the field of music pedagogy (music  pedo-psychology, music sociology)

Characteristics of 2-year Master´s study (Mgr. degree)

Professional Theoretical and Musicological Basis:

• Musicological subjects (theoretical, analytical and historical subjects)
• Subjects of applied musicology
• Subjects of the works in the collection of art.

Professional-Didactic Basis – Subjects from the Taxonomy of Music Pedagogy

• Methodology of the science of art
• Professional didactics of the main subjects
• Educational, psychological and socio-cultural context of the educational process in music education
• School legislation for the field of Arts and Culture within National Educational Programme
• Professional Didactic Practise

Diploma thesis (Defence)