Career Information for Music Majors

It is important to understand that employers hire people, not degrees. The skills and knowledge you develop as a result of your education, as well as in your work and community activities, have the greatest impact on hiring decisions. Listed below are some specific knowledge and transferable skills you will acquire as a result of your university education and your focus on Music.

Specific Knowledge Skills 
Valuable Transferable Skills
Some Career Options for Music Majors
Potential Employers
Websites

Specific Knowledge Skills 

• The skills to communicate, interpret and understand ideas and information through music/performance
• The ability to create, edit, arrange, stage and present music for a variety of mediums and purposesAwareness of how ideas, emotions and culture are expressed through music, arts and performances
• The skills to design and manage performances/activities in a way which will capture others’ attention
• Awareness of culture/societal change as expressed and represented through music and performance arts
• An ability to use music and sound to provide information and create mood or atmosphere
• Skills to select and/or direct music, performances and events which will best represent ideas/information
• An appreciation of musical techniques and history and the value of music and performance
• Able to analyze, interpret and appropriately convey musical background/theories to others
• Skills to teach others about music appreciation, performance and the care of musical instruments

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Valuable Transferable Skills

Information-gathering and Communication Skills

• The skills required to identify and access a wide range of relevant information and resources
• The ability to compile and organize facts and information and to comprehend and apply new and/or unfamiliar information to different situations and settings
• Skills in preparing interesting, creative and informative presentations which target diverse audiences
• The ability to develop effective reports, presentations and materials using current technology

Thinking, Planning and Organizational Skills

• The ability to learn, understand and interpret information and apply knowledge to new situations
• The ability to set priorities, meet deadlines and effectively plan/manage time, data and resources
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to make well-reasoned decisions, think creatively and search for, identify and consider all sides of an issue
• Skills to effectively analyze and interpret a wide range of information and data to discuss, support and/or reject ideas, opinions, reports, theories and proposals

Teamwork and Management Skills

• Skills enabling you to work effectively as part of a team by identifying your role and contributing, through leading, teaching, motivating and/or encouraging others, to the success of the team
• An understanding of how to successfully identify, plan and contribute to the goals of a project
• The ability to oversee, supervise and/or contribute to a project from beginning to end including determining outcomes, planning details, making decisions, assigning roles and
  completing tasks

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Some Career Options for Music Majors

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 Potential Employers

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Websites

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