A music degree is not solely about learning how to play an instrument or researching a prolific musician - music is at the forefront of changing cultures, changing trends and evolving societies. You will have the opportunity to develop transferable skills in research, analysis and communication, alongside attributes such as determination, confidence and dexterity that will see you succeed in the workplace. In the 2013 DHLE survey 93% of Music students were either in employment or further study 6 months after graduation.
Careers facts
New forms of entertainment, from hip hop and rock & roll to film and video games, are being created as we speak and will continue to evolve. Experts say that over the next ten years, jobs in art, music, culture and entertainment will grow twice as fast as jobs in engineering will. Those who've been educated in the arts will have a great advantage over those who have not.
The music industry is so large, diverse and multi-dimensional that it can be difficult to know what path to choose. You might think that being a performer or a music administrator are the only careers available, you might also think that the music industry is too competitive to infiltrate. However, this is not the case as students from Southampton have gone into a range of areas both in and outside of Music, the most common being sales and retail, consultancy, and Music teaching.
There are many jobs available to a Music student, with 57% of the recent cohort working at a professional or managerial level, this could have only been gained through the skills they learnt while studying Music.
Music at Southampton
Our Music students are by no means limited to a career as a performer or a composer after they leave University, and with modules such as 'The Profession of Music', it teaches students about the vast array of careers available to them. Many of our students have gone into teaching, either as a general Music teacher or for a specific instrument. Some of our students have gone on to be freelance Musicians and aim to enter into the competitive world of Music.
If you don't want to be a Musician, but would still like to be involved in the Music industry a degree at Southampton will help you gain the skills you need to compete in the job market. You will gain employability skills in every aspect of your degree, presentation and time-management, essay writing and communication, all these will combine to set you up for any career. The creativity that Music students have is perfect for a career in marketing or production. In fact, one of our recent graduates is working in the Marketing sector as a Development Officer for the Bournmouth Symphony Orchestra; this job combines the love of Music with the academic skills gained throughout the degree.
From the 2013 cohort of graduates 69% of those in employment are in graduate level jobs, making full use of the range of skills they acquired through their degree.
From leading James Corden’s vocal warm ups, to maintaining an open sound when performing eight shows a week in the West End, I use the skills I developed in my degree every day.