Why study a music degree?
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Why study a Music degree? It’s a question I’m often asked. And it’s more easily answered than you might think.
There’s a common misapprehension that all Music students do is practise their instruments in isolation all day long – and that if you expect to have a career at the end of your university degree, then you need instead to opt for either a more ‘academic’ subject such as Mathematics, or a more vocational one such as Law.
Changing times
But times change. Not so long ago, Finance was regarded as a safe, secure profession. In the current economic climate, a degree such as Music – the sheer breadth of which can open up a multitude of career paths – starts to look extremely alluring.
Take City University London. Its undergraduate degrees offer a broad palette of Western music history, world music studies, popular music, film music, music technology, instrumental, vocal, and electro-acoustic composition, and both solo and ensemble performance.
After the core first-year course has been completed, the choice as to which modules to pursue is placed entirely in the students’ own hands. They can carve their own path through the programme to specialise, or to diversify, according to their individual needs and career aspirations.
So, whether you’re interested in the music of Beethoven, the Beatles, or Byzantine chant, City delivers modules that meet your needs. The University even recognises the importance of offering explicitly career-oriented modules such as Music Business, Music Therapy, and the Professional/Community Work Placement module.
A kaleidoscope of opportunities
And what careers might they be working towards? Let’s start with the most obvious. Some Music graduates become performers (whether classical, opera, choral, orchestral, chamber, sessional, pop, folk, or jazz), composers (instrumental and vocal, electro-acoustic, film/television, musical theatre, orchestration, arrangement), or music critics, writers, and presenters working in the media.
Others facilitate community music-making activities in arts centres – not just directing orchestras, choirs, and musical theatre, but also world music ensembles such as Indonesian gamelans, African drumming, and Latin-American samba. This is an example where the training offered at City in so many different ensembles and musical traditions becomes particularly useful to graduates’ careers.
A related profession is teaching. Music is a subject important to people of all ages, so there is a continual need for teachers at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, in addition to specialist instrumental/vocal tuition. Many of City’s Music graduates enter into teaching, and the diversity offered by the programme sets them up ideally to tutor a wide range of musical subjects.
As well as!
Music is also a key component of the cultural and creative industries. Graduates are needed to fulfil administrative functions within music management, retail, publishing, concert agencies, recording companies, and libraries. In addition, more scientifically-minded Music graduates might enter professions such as sound recording or engineering, instrument manufacture, or studio-based work.
There are many possibilities to gain further qualifications. Some of City’s graduates have subsequently entered vocational study such as Music Therapy. Others have continued their university education through a taught MA or MSc programme, or conducting original research at PhD level, or developing professional performance skills on City’s DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) programme.
More than a degree
So why is it that a Music degree can open up this many career opportunities? The answer surely lies in its potential to foster transferable skills‘. For most musicians, a university education is the culmination of years of self-discipline in learning their instruments and participating in extra-curricular activities such as choirs and orchestras.
This means that Music graduates have learnt how to work independently as well as in a team, how to communicate effectively, and how to organise themselves efficiently. They have excellent presentation skills, together with good writing and research skills honed during their university studies. Not to mention that they are culturally sensitive and knowledgeable on the arts.
No wonder employers love them!
Dr Christopher Wiley,
Lecturer in Music, City University London
Located in Central London, students are able to take up career and networking opportunities when they arise, so the University’s programme is consciously kept flexible. All teaching is delivered by leading specialists in their fields, including internationally-recognised academic staff, with solo performance tuition given by professors at the nearby Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
For more information about undergraduate degrees associated with Music, follow the links below:
- www.city.ac.uk (the University)
- www.city.ac.uk/music (the Department)
- www.city.ac.uk/music/staff/cwiley.html (Dr Christopher Wiley)
