Things to consider when choosing a music degree

We've spoken a lot about university, from audition tips to whether it's worth it at all. If you've decided that a degree is the direction you wish to follow then the next step would be applications. Before preparing any sort of portfolio or audition you will want to do a bit of research on the universities of your choice. It can become extremely overwhelming trying to pick the right one, especially when it's such a big expense.

Music is a difficult industry to crack so if you're looking to apply for a music course you will want to make sure it will set you in the right direction for a future within the industry, you will find some suit you better than others.

One of the first things to do is to research schools that specialise in the field you desire, in this case music. There are many prestigious schools that we all know of but don't forget there are lesser known universities that also offer reputable music courses, there's no harm in applying for both. It's also worth thinking about location, you will want to be in the centre of a musically strong city to get the best opportunities.

When in comes to the courses make sure you get as much detail about them as possible, you will get this not only from the online descriptions but actively going to open days and speaking with lecturers and students. If you want to study a particular area make sure it's in the curriculum, there's nothing worse than paying for your first year and realising half way through that it not the right one for you.

Although you may have a specific topic you wish to focus on try not to narrow it down to much, music is a massive industry so its worth going for a course that includes business and other topics as well as your focused area, its good to have skills in a range of different sectors.

Once you have a selection of universities you're interested in you can go to their open days, this is the best opportunity you will get to get to know the teachers, course and the campus. Start building relationships even if you don't end up at the school, it's important to know who will be teaching you and their background. Ideally you will want someone who has hands on experience within the industry, not just business but music as a whole. They will be your first professional contact so make sure they know what they are doing and will set you on the right track during and after your degree.

Whilst visiting the school of your choice you will have the chance to check out the facilities, music is an expensive career path and you will need the right equipment to be able to progress to a professional level, unfortunately there are many universities that are unable to provide the best facilities due to lack of funding so make sure you check out classrooms and studios thoroughly to ensure you will get what you need out of the course. This also includes opportunities, this is the time to ask about possible internships or work experience you can get from the school. Many offer these throughout the summer or even as a placement for the year, these experiences are vital especially if you want a career within the music industry as you will be expected to provide as much evidence of work experience as you can when you apply for roles later on.

You don't just want to learn about the course and your time during your degree but also after, it's worth looking into those who have finished their course and where they are now. if the school doesn't give any record of they employment rate after graduating then go ahead and do a little research to see how many previous students are now working within the industry, this will give you an idea of future prospects and how helpful the university is at getting you placements once you finish. Of course there no guarantee but you'd rather attend somewhere that is wiling to help in your final months.

Credited and sourced from my work with Gearooz.

Unfortunately my work with them is no longer available to view online however I do have evidence of some of the pieces I wrote for them if needed.