Background / Organisation

Norway is one of the few European countries where the profession of music teacher is not formally regulated. However, a system of required qualifications exists. All programmes include practice in schools and varying degrees of performing skills. The same goes for educational theory.

University colleges, universities, conservatoires and the Norwegian Academy of Music provide training for music teachers. Teachers who are trained at conservatoires place greater emphasis and skills in performance. They often have difficulties getting a job in the public primary or secondary systems because their subject base is too narrow, and most of them will teach in municipal-run music and culture schools.

The institutions themselves decide on the Bachelor level programmes. There are national curricula (loose frameworks) for all nationally approved teacher programmes. Masters and PhDs have to be approved by a special ministerial body for university colleges.