Home ยป Career Opportunities for Majors in Music Career Opportunities for Majors in Music
IntroductionRutgers offers two distinct programs of study in music. Students can pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) in music through the School of Arts and Sciences. This is a generalist liberal arts major. A Bachelor of Music degree (B.M.), offered through the Mason Gross School of the Arts, is more specialized and is oriented towards professional careers in performance, jazz, or music education. Both degree programs provide a thorough study of music theory and music history. While some performance is also included in the B.A. program, the B.M. program offers much more intensive training in this area. Some students pursue careers closely related to music, such as performers, educators, songwriters, conductors, arrangers, composers and actors. Others choose careers behind the scenes, or in the business area of music in careers such as producers, engineers, managers, agents, and in publishing and sales. Many careers do not require a specific major but rather a wide range of demonstrated skills and accomplishments. Thus, some graduates pursue careers in fields quite unrelated to music. Regardless of your career choices, increasing your marketability to employers through internships, responsible work experience, good grades and involvement in college activities is important. A bachelor's degree is sufficient for many entry-level positions, but for advancement in an area of specialization, an advanced degree may be required.
A Sample of Related Occupations| Advertising Specialist | Instrument Design/Restoration | Public Relations Specialist | | Art Director | Lawyer - Music Industry | Publications Specialist | | Artist & Repertoire (A&R) Person | Lobbyist | Publicist | | Band Leader | Manager | Recording Technician | | Composer/Arranger | Music Attorney | Sales/Marketing Representative | | Concert Promoter | Music Critic | Singer/Performer | | Copy Writer | Music Publisher | Special Events Coordinator | | Copyright Specialist | Music Software Programmer | Studio Musician | | Critic | Music Teacher | Talent Agent | | Disc Jockey | Music Therapist | Teacher/Professor | | Editor | Musician | Technical Writer | | Engineer/Mixer | Orchestra Librarian | Tour Manager | | Film Music Director/Editor | Promoter | Writer/Music Journalist |
Types of Employers| Private & Nonprofit Organizations | | Advertising Agencies | Law Firms | Newspapers | | Booking and Talent Agencies | Magazines | Orchestras and Bands | | Colleges and Universities | Media Firms | Performing Arts Centers | | Elementary and Secondary Schools | Music and Film Studios | Production Companies | | Entertainment Companies | Music and Video Stores | Public Relations Firms | | Industry Trade Papers | Music Companies | Publishing Firms | | | Music Industry Associations | Religious Institutions |
| Government Agencies | Commission of Fine Arts | National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs | Peace Corps/AmeriCorps | | Cultural Affairs | National Endowment for the Arts | Smithsonian Institution | Institute of Museum and Library Services | National Endowment for the Humanities | Travel and Tourism Department | | Department of Education | NJ Department of Education | Voice of America | | National Archives | Office of International Education | |
Jobs Obtained by Rutgers Graduates| Account Agent, Allstate Insurance Companies | Music Distributor/Publisher, JW Pepper and Sons (M.A.) | | Administrative Specialist, The Mather Foundation (BA) | Music Teacher, East Brunswick Bd. of Ed. (BM) | | Asset Project Coordinator, Omnipoint Communications (BA) | Music Teacher, Performing Arts High School | | Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office (JD) | Musician, Count Basie Orchestra
| | Assoc. Professor of Music, Rockhurst College (PhD) | Musician, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra | | Attorney, Office of the Public Defender (JD) | Musician, Savannah Symphony Orchestra | | Band Director, Lenape Valley High School | Musician, Self Employed (BA) | | Bass Player, Dallas Opera (BA) | Musician, Tacoma Symphony Orchestra | Career Counselor, Jersey City State College (M.Ed.) | Opera Singer, National Opera Company (BM) | | Case Manager/Social Worker, Catholic Charities | Operations Manager, Educational Testing Service (MBA) | | Conference Coordinator, Rutgers University (BA) | Pianist/Teacher, Monmouth Conservatory | | Customer Service Rep., Chase Manhattan Bank | Piano Tuner, Self Employed | Composer and sound engineer, Xtreme Medium (M.M.) | Professional Oboist, Self Employed (BM) | | Director, Campus Services, Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. | Program Coordinator, Atlantic Health | | Elem. Teacher, Berlin International School (M.Ed.) | Publicity Dir., Herbert Barrett Management (BM) | | Elementary Music Specialist, E. Brunswick Bd. of Ed. | Sales Representative, Sam Ash Music | Elementary Teacher, American Community School (M.Ed.) | Song Writer/Manager, Furigus Productions (BA) | | Graphic Artist, Christian Century Foundation | Tech. Consultant, Computer Horizons Corp. | | Legal Administrator, Viera Finance | Video Editor, The Montel Williams Show (BA) | | Librarian, Rutgers-Newark Library (MLS) | Voice Teacher, Harbor Conservatory of Music (BM) | | Manager, Sam Ash Music | Webmaster, US West, Inc. (BA) |
Graduate Schools Attended| Boston University, M.Ed, Education | New York University, M.Ed, Education | | Emory University, JD, Law | Rutgers University, M.M., Music | | | Syracuse University, MA, Music |
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