In order to attain professorship qualification in the disciplines art and music, prospective candidates must have demonstrated outstanding artistic talent and achievement as well as comprehensive pedagogical and didactic teaching experience.
Artists usually demonstrate their artistic excellence in non-academic contexts which vary by discipline and individual focus such as exhibitions, concerts, participation in ensembles, orchestras, musical theater productions, churches and many more. Moreover, they can develop and shape their artistic profiles by taking part in competitions as well as through scholarships and prizes.
The necessary professional qualifications are in most cases attained through a successfully completed Master’s or Diploma program. While joining a consecutive studies program as Master Class Art Student is often target-oriented for a career in the arts, musicians can take postgraduate Concert Exam courses which are offered by the Mainz School of Music as Concert Exam (instrumental) or Concert Exam Voice. Master classes, Summer Schools, continuing education programs and other options are also ways of acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills. Alternatively, artists and musicians can build and advance their academic career by obtaining a doctorate. A doctoral degree can be pursued by postgraduates in Art or Music Theory or Art or Music Education.
Young artists can gain the necessary teaching experience and pedagogic skills through employment as assistants, as the case may be already during their (under)graduate studies, as artistic employees or by taking on teaching assignments.
The requirements to stay at or return to the university are less formalized than in other disciplines. Therefore, building and constantly cultivating a sound network is of the utmost importance so as to become an accomplished artist – on the one hand, this serves to shape the artist’s individual profile and on the other hand, it helps to get commissions or employment and thus ensure funding for his or her artistic work. The latter is in turn required for an academic career.