Worth of music degree
To begin with, you could be questioning if enrolling in college to study music is worthwhile. Due to the individuals you’ll meet and the abilities and knowledge you’ll pick up, the answer is typically “yes.” Your success rate in the music industry will significantly increase once you bag a degree. Because going to college can be expensive, the majority of music students frequently apply for financial help.
If you’ve already decided that going to music school is what you want to do, you’ll initially feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin. The best place to start is to do some research on the various degrees and majors that are offered, following which you can develop some personal standards that you can use to select the courses that could be most beneficial to you.
Your field of study may be commercial songwriting, which ultimately incorporates psychology-based education, in contrast to other music majors. Alternatively, perhaps you want to work in musicology research, where a BSc degree may be required.
It should be clear that studying music in college serves more than just the goal of earning a bachelor’s degree in performance.
Universities, conservatories, and colleges are constantly creating new majors and curricula for the business sector, engineering, and specialized skills, as well as performing and creative arts.
Our changing educational system has significantly warped the playing field in areas where technology and science are involved to meet the increasingly varied needs of music instruction.
A Major and Specifically A “Degree”
Here are some basic distinctions to differentiate between a major course and a degree.
You receive a degree as a credential after finishing a course of study. During your studies, you are working toward earning a Master of Science or a Bachelor of Arts.
Your major indicates the field of study you are pursuing to achieve your degree. A bachelor’s in music is an educational degree, however, you could major in writing or music performance. Bachelor of Music in Composition, for instance, can be the complete title of the degree program.
Program which is best
You could feel obligated to attend the same music school that your relative did, even though they went 100 miles away.
It is unfortunately not that easy to choose the best music school. We are creative people, which makes us sensitive to our environment. Choosing the right class for you is essential to getting the most out of your investment in music education.
While some schools have a higher level of competition, others provide you with excellent internships that will advance your career.
Finding the right program for you is harder than it seems. There are certainly hundreds, if not thousands, of opportunities available to you alone in the United States, including your ideal music school. Which one relies on several things:
Exactly what you’re seekingYour abilityYour commitmentThe courseThe schoolStudents body in general
Weighing Your Options In Music Degrees
There are different types of degrees and certifications you get when you study music, these are highly dependent on what you have in mind to pursue. Nonetheless, each of them has the best institution that can aid your learning with their different tutoring methods. Among these degrees are BM, BFA, BME, BA, or BS in music. Remember to envision what you want for yourself after completing the course. A music department, music school, or arboretum are other options.
Music Bachelor of Science (BS)
A BS degree is offered by several colleges with strong business programs. Students who major in the music business or the music industry are likely to earn a BS. Other institutions also offer a BS degree certification for students majoring in music education and sound recording technology.
Dual or multiple degrees
In universities with music colleges, conservatories, or schools, students frequently have the option of earning a music degree in addition to a degree in another subject.
Certain autonomous conservatories work with colleges to offer degree programs (e.g., The Juilliard School and Columbia University, and New England Conservatory and Tufts University). Examine the programs to determine whether they are four or five years long.
Bachelor’s degree in music education (BME)
You can teach vocal and instrumental music to students in grades K–12 and get ready for state licensure with a BME degree. If you think it’s a place you’ll want to work, research the state’s licensing requirements because this may affect your choice of institution.
You will study conducting, music theory, auditory skills, and music history in addition to music education as a BME student.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
The music institutions of higher learning offer the BFA degree as a demanding program of study that prepares students to become competent musicians. Beginning your four-year curriculum as a BM or BFA candidate from the initial resumption. Music classes will take a reasonable amount of your time, although the university you attend also matters.
If you wish to attend a music school within a university that provides BM or BFA degrees, you must enroll in specific music and non-music programs. As a result, you are inspired to maintain your writing and reading skills and can finish your education. In your junior and/or senior year, you will give a recital as a BM or BFA nominee.
Music Bachelor of Arts (BA)
If you want the flexibility to study music and also focus on another key aspect of your life apart from the music industry, you might want to consider bagging a music degree with a BA certification. The percentage of your total credits that are in music will vary depending on the university you are enrolled in.
Electives chosen based on your interests, general education, and musicianship are additional requirements. Due to the increased flexibility of a BA, it is more likely that you will be able to take a semester off during the academic year and still finish your degree.
The Minors
A minor in a subject related to your major but separate from it can be a helpful addition to your major and may open up more work prospects for you once you graduate. Even while it will need fewer courses than your major, your minor will still show a genuine interest in a particular area when it comes time to apply for jobs or internships.
Admission to a minor may be determined by an application, an audition, an interview, and a GPA, depending on the institution and the program you want to study.
The Music Industry
The core subjects of the music business major include business fundamentals and musical methods. Assignments for courses typically focus on business management, record label development, event marketing, and music promotion.
Music Instructing
The next generation of music instructors will be anchored by the students majoring in music education. Skills like orchestration, conducting, orchestration theory, and other areas of music are developed.
Marketing
Marketing graduates are taught how to apply marketing principles to the music industry. The concepts of branding, distribution, advertising, price, and others are employed.
Public Relations
Public relations majors assist musicians in presenting the ideal image to the audience by utilizing their media knowledge. Career tasks include promoting an artist’s works, writing speeches and press releases, and scheduling media appearances.
Retailing In Music
The most probable course for students pursuing a degree in music retail management must complete courses that include trading, administration, and customer care. Getting ready for a career at a music or instrument store is the aim of this major. Their everyday activities are based on selling musical instruments and investing in maintenance duties for instruments.
Publishing
As a student pursuing a types of degrees in music, music publishing will equip you towards a career that focuses on music publishing, licensing, and hoarding of musical works.
Music Making
Students who study music performance acquire the abilities needed to become experts on their instruments and perform on their own or with an ensemble. Their courses provide basic guidelines for certain instruments and instrumental groupings.
Sound Therapy
Students pursuing a degree in music therapy will have to take classes in both music and therapy. Students will learn how to use music to assist others in achieving their goals, whether those goals are to use music to alleviate physical pain or to become more social.
Two Degrees Mean
You will work toward obtaining two degrees concurrently in a dual degree program, usually from two different colleges. For instance, Harvard College offers a double degree program that permits students to earn a bachelor’s degree in the arts from Harvard as well as a master’s degree from Berklee or the New England Conservatory. Both degrees can be achieved in five years.
You can benefit from a double degree program by leaving college with both a music degree and an academic degree. If you are equally passionate about another topic as you are about music, two degrees will boost your marketability and guarantee that you will have a wide range of professional options. If you plan to start your own music-related business, double majoring in business or marketing will help you develop the skills needed to run it successfully.
The cost and difficulty of completing a double degree program are its drawbacks. To do so, you must be approved by the two separate universities as well as the dual degree program. You’ll need to pay tuition for both schools. You will spend more time in class than the majority of your friends. Occasionally, you might have to choose between two timed classes concurrently.
Enrolling in a double degree program is only recommended for the most serious students who cannot decide between academics and music. Also, take into account your options based on how quickly you want to earn your degree.
Institutions usually run in two phases: a quicker phase and a slower phase. Although the slower approach could take longer, it will be less difficult and easier to finish.
Jobs Available for Music Majors
If you want to pursue the kind of career you desire in the future, you should choose a college degree that will help you achieve that goal. The fact that you have a degree in music should be valuable in the real world, especially in light of the many transferable skills and the size of your network that you have developed.
Take note that, it could happen at any time and it surely is not implied by the aforementioned, though. To be fair, most things are challenging, therefore finding a profession in the music industry isn’t easy. Imagine everybody doing it if it were that easy and simple.
In Conclusion
Before applying to any university, you must prepare by learning about the programs. To do this, research any college you’re considering by looking at its bulletin (course directories), teaching staff, program philosophy, and of course, price. You can find most of this information easily accessible online on your choice institution or college’s website.
Give it everything you’ve got, and try to picture what your life, and most importantly, your work as a musician will be like. Even if your goals alter and develop, it’s essential to explore all of your possibilities to choose where you belong both during and after college.
What is the right degree for music?
The most popular degree in music is the Bachelor of Music. These degrees are virtually always only available through conservatories and university music programs.
Is Music Major challenging?
If a person is willing to put the time and effort in, they can excel in a music education major. All it needs is a lot of tolerance and devotion to scale through.
