Key takeaways
- A bachelor’s degree in music is typically a 4 year program that accredited and renowned colleges offer.
- Different music degrees have varying coursework and program details, typically blending technical knowledge and creative skills.
- Like every degree, music degrees also come with numerous specializations including music business, composition, music therapy, and ethnomusicology.
- The different types of music degrees include Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Art, and bachelors in Music.
- Some college majors in music offer interdisciplinary program coursework that opens games to diverse career paths.
- According to BLS, the growth rate for music employment is over 2%.
- California is the state with the highest employment rate for music related jobs.
- For selecting the ideal college for a music degree, make sure to go through important factors such as college accreditations, alumni profile, faculty quality, and acceptance rate.
- The best colleges for music degrees include the University of South Alabama, the University of Michigan, Arizona State University, and California State University.
- There are alternatives to music degrees, including social sciences, media studies, psychology, and audio production.
There are so many various types of performing arts that young and aspiring students can explore. Liberal arts is a broad field that is an umbrella to many types of art fields, including fashion merchandising, social sciences, media communications, and many more. Similarly, music is a popular field of performing and visual art that is well-known across the globe. So, if you find yourself to be passionate about music composition, production, songwriting, or music education, then a degree in music is the right choice for you.
A bachelor music degree offers deep insights into the world of music, from concept and ideation to implementation and music production, you learn everything. Moreover, in a well-reputed college for music degree, students often have access to state-of-the-art facilities, experienced faculty, and opportunities to perform in ensembles, orchestras, or solo recitals. A music degree is an excellent choice for those who see music as a core part of their identity and want to turn their passion into a career.
Most importantly, you can foster rich skills and understanding for music, transforming your creative abilities to productive outputs. Through technical and creative skills, you can also make a cherishable living out of your music degree. So, if you are wondering whether a music degree is right for you, this comprehensive guide will help you go through everything important. Let’s dig in!
What is a bachelor’s degree in music?
Depending on which college degree you are choosing, a music major typically introduces you to the core elements of music production. A bachelor’s degree in this field is typically a 4-year program that is made up of numerous types of courses, specializations, coursework, and practical work experience.
Moreover, a good music degree program helps students build technical skills, and fosters creativity, discipline, collaboration, and cultural understanding. Overall, a good college offers a well-rounded educational experience that leads to diverse career opportunities. Additionally, a music degree is ideal for aspiring performers, composers, music educators, producers, or even those interested in fields like music therapy or arts management.
Some of the most common types of music degrees are:
- Bachelors in Music (BM)
- Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA Music)
- Bachelor of Science in Music (BS Music)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music (BFA)
Let’s explore the several aspects of a music degree that can help you choose the right college major!
Course work details
Often, the coursework for a music program varies significantly from one college to another. Hence, it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly will be the coursework or milestones to achieve. However, there is a typical format that most colleges follow, especially during the initial stages of the degree.
Additionally, the coursework is an important aspect of any college degree, and you must not shy away from exploring what each college program has to offer. The coursework is a good reflection of what you can achieve or learn through the degree. Therefore, it’s important to explore the various courses and program work that is offered. To get you started, here is a list of the most common courses found in a music major.
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Other than these courses, colleges also have a specific teaching and learning method. They incorporate different processes and practices to ensure optimal learning for the students. A music degree may require more focus on practical work such as assignments and recitals.
In a music degree, the students may be required to complete different types of coursework. Some of these include the following:
- Performance Exams and juries
- Concept presentations and pitches
- Rehearsals and recitals
- Music analysis papers
- Research papers
- Thesis and capstone projects
- Final recitals
- Instrumental projects
- Digital instruments projects
- Class participation
- Internships and on-campus work
- Field trips and assignments
Ideally, a good music program will strike a good balance between practical, written, and academic learning. However, the kind of teaching method that works for you depends on your learning progress and speed.
Music degree specializations
Moving on, another very important aspect of music degrees are the areas of specializations. For a successful and focused career path ahead, you don’t want to miss out on these. Specializations are particular areas of focus that allow students to specialize in one sub-field instead of getting a generic degree. Once again, specializations offered do vary from college to college and resource availability. Typically, music degree specializations can include:
Music production and technology
Firstly, we have music production and technology specialization. Here, students get to enjoy hands-on experience with the initial stages to the final output of music through the use of latest technologies. Using digital tools, doing comparative analysis, and understanding the process of modern-day music production is a go-to for today’s dynamic industry. Some of the key areas of focus are audio recording, sound design, live sound setup, music editing software and tools, post production, and so on.
Composition
Secondly, there is composition. This is the lifeblood of the music industry. Without composition, there will be no music. The composition field of study works in harmony with different aspects of music, including songwriting, sound design, and music theory. Moreover, it focuses thoroughly on producing original music that aligns with industry standards. Some of the key focus areas include music theory, music analysis, collaboration, orchestration, and so on.
Music therapy
Students who are interested in social sciences, human behavior, and clinical research should definitely explore the music therapy field. Here, you learn everything about how music impacts the human mind and behavior. More importantly, it is an interdisciplinary field that is ideal for ensuring that diverse career paths remain open for you. So, you can find work in fields like sociology and psychology with a music therapy degree.
Ethnomusicology
Next, we have ethnomusicology. Music is rich with history. It is a form of art that has transformed and evolved around the world. To fully grasp music, understanding its cultural history from around the world is very important. Therefore, many people opt for ethnomusicology to observe and analyze music from a lens of history and culture. It is an elevating degree that offers amazing insights applicable in different fields such as anthropology and historic studies.
Music business
Lastly, there is music business – a specialization comprehensively focused on managing the music business, production, and finance. This is also an interdisciplinary field, and usually offered by a lot of business schools. Moreover, the specialization’s key focus areas are marketing strategies, industry economics, public relations, financial management, and music copyright laws.
What do music graduates do?
With liberal arts and fine arts degrees, a huge question mark lies on the career paths and job prospects. A popular opinion about fields like music majors and liberal arts is that there are not many jobs, and the employment opportunities are low. Moreover, people also often think that these fields offer limited career options, and can be low-paying as well.
However, a college degree from a reputable institute can be fruitful for many reasons. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you choose the right college, the right degree, and the right specialization to ensure that your career preferences are meant.
To begin with, assessing career outcomes is very important. A good way of doing that during your college planning stage is to see what kind of work opportunities and employment paths are college alumni on. Understanding their career trajectory will help you predict yours.
In addition to this, the music industry is extremely diverse. It is a global industry, crosses borders, and offers a wealth of opportunities for those truly passionate. As we discussed above, some specializations within a music college degree are interdisciplinary. This allows graduates to find work in related fields as well, such as social sciences.
Therefore, contrary to popular misconceptions, a music degree is rewarding when you make informed choices. So, to help you understand, here are some things you should know about career opportunities with a music degree.
| Common industries and employers: | Operas, orchestras, bands, celebrity management agencies, advertising agencies, jingle companies, theaters, schools and universities, community centers, rehab centers, music publishers, sound studios, film studios, concert halls, event planners, arts councils |
| Requirements for entry-level jobs: | Bachelor’s degree from recognized college |
| BLS statistics for music occupation: |
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List of common music jobs
Common jobs or professions taken up by music graduates:
| Performing arts:
Soloist Ensemble Musician Session Musician Opera Singer or Vocalist |
Music education:
K-12 Music Teacher Private Music Instructor University Professor Music Director |
| Composition, songwriting, and production:
Film/TV/Video Game Composer Jingle Writer Orchestrator/Arranger Sound Designer Score Producer |
Related fields and jobs:
Clinical Therapist Artist Manager Event Manager Music Critic Journalism and Media Reporting |
Where to get a music degree from?
Undoubtedly, a music degree seems to have promising outcomes. More importantly, the degree is made for passionate individuals and therefore offers a lot of value. Now that you know what you can expect from a music degree and whether it suits your needs, you should start exploring the colleges.
A huge part of your college journey begins when you start exploring the institutes. There is a lot of ground to cover, and many factors to consider. Some of the best colleges may not align with your preferences, convenience, and even budget. Therefore, you need to look into a variety of colleges that can offer you the best outcomes. Some of the factors to consider are:
- High accreditations that vouch for the college’s ability to foster creativity and technical skills. Look for program and college accreditations.
- Good and strong faculty as they are the ones that teach you. So look for good and high-achieving faculty members.
- A reputable alumni profile will reflect the college’s ability to find its students good placements.
- Labs and technology are a crucial part of music. Therefore, look for colleges with good facilities on-campus.
- College support systems like career facilitation to ensure that you have good support for finding opportunities.
- Campus life with students clubs and organizations that guarantee a good and memorable college life.
Now you know what to look for in the best colleges for music degrees. While there are multiple colleges available, the decision-making can get overwhelming. Therefore, we strongly recommend taking advice from All Bachelor Degrees experts to get the best overview.
Here is a list of some handpicked colleges that might suit you:
University of South Alabama
- Location: Mobile, AL
- Acceptance rate: 65%
For those looking for an easier admission criteria, the University of South Alabama is a great choice. The college has an acceptance rate of over 65%, with an amazing college curriculum and coursework. The best part about the music degree is that it aligns with modern technological trends of the industry. Moreover, the BA in Music program emphasizes personal development and creation of original work. With a generous acceptance rate and ideal campus location, the University of South Alabama is a great choice.
University of Southern California (USC)
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Acceptance rate: 12%
The University of Southern California has a lower acceptance rate of just 12%. This is the rate for general admissions, therefore getting into the music program might be easier. However, the low acceptance rate is a reflection of the college’s quality standards. It offers a BA in Music, which is a flexible program allowing students to pick and choose their set of electives. Moreover, the program focuses on providing a wholesome art degree that ensures a diverse career path for students.
University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Acceptance rate: 30%
With good high school GPA and admission test scores, you can find your way into the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Here, the program focuses on developing core skills and technicalities, with a focus on blending academics with practical work. The BA in Music comes accompanied with numerous minor options, such as creative writing and entrepreneurship. Therefore, it prepares students for a versatile career ahead. In brief, getting a degree from a well-reputed college like the University of Michigan will open gates to many amazing career opportunities.
California State University, Long Beach
- Location: Long Beach
- Acceptance rate: 47%
At the California State University, Long Beach, you can explore the BA in music program that is truly an interdisciplinary program. Moreover, it offers in-depth insights into the music industry with a focus on modern technologies. Additionally, the program provides exposure to important topics and courses such as cultural history, diversity, and so on. Lastly, the college provides full-range of advisory and program consultancy to ensure a secure experience for the students. Overall, CSU has a lot to offer to its students in the music program.
Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Acceptance rate: 90%
Arizona State University is popular for offering easier admissions and an excellent range of college majors that students can choose from. At the Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, you can explore a number of liberal arts and media studies. Music is one of the best choices, as ASU has the best faculty to teach students. From professional certifications to hands-on experience, the program coursework is very detailed. Lastly, the college has an excellent reputation and numerous accreditations to make it worthwhile.
Alternatives to a music college degree
During your journey to select the best college degree, you need to assess and evaluate all your options. It’s highly recommended to go through the numerous college majors that are offered by excellent colleges. These can be rewarding alternatives to getting a hard-core music degree. To help you narrow down some relevant options, here is a quick overview of the best music degree alternatives:
| Degree | Description |
| Audio Engineering/Technology | Recording and producing sound design |
| Performing arts | Diverse range of performing arts including theater and acting |
| Music business | For learning management and producing music |
| Creative writing | Best for lyric writing, storytelling, well-rounded media production |
| Media studies | Focus on digital media, marketing, and music videos |
| Psychology | Best for applications in music therapy and clinical research |
Enroll in a music degree college now!
In conclusion, music majors in college is a dynamic and highly specialized field that has a wealth of benefits. From satisfying your creative needs to leading to rewarding and passionate career outcomes, there is so much to do with this degree. However, choosing whether it fits you and your preferences, and which college is the best choice is a tedious process.
Do not shy away from researching all your alternatives, exploring different programs and colleges, and wondering about the career prospects. This is a crucial decision, and you must gather all the information to make a good choice. Therefore, the above guide aims to break down overwhelming information for you to provide a one-stop comparison.
In the end, you can always reach out to our expert advisors and learn more about college degrees and what should be your ultimate choice. An experienced and qualified individual from All Bachelor Degrees will guide you to the best choice that aligns with your personal goals and career preferences.