Background / Organisation

Music teacher training in Slovakia is organised for three target groups:

Music teachers for kindergartens

Trainees either do a four-year course at “educational-social academies", beginning at the age of 15 and completing it with an examination that entitles them to university admission, or a university degree course in "preschool education" that lasts five years: the first three are a Bachelor, the final two an Master course.

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

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