Music Degrees: Master's, PhD & Online Course Info

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What kind of job can you get with a graduate degree in music? Find out program requirements for master's and Ph.D. degrees, as well as information regarding online options and courses commonly found in graduate-level music degree programs.
  • At a Glance
  • Master's
  • Doctorate

Studying Music: Degrees at a Glance

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Pursuing a graduate degree in music can help you build further experience in performance, composition, production, or conducting, and it can also open doors for advanced teaching opportunities. However, this investment should be considered carefully, since many jobs in music can be obtained with just a bachelor's degree or less. In fact, the only jobs that specifically require graduate degrees in music are those in postsecondary education.

Despite that being the case, this field has grown quite a bit over the years. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2005 showed an employment of around 69,000 postsecondary art, music, and drama teachers (www.bls.gov). In 2011, that figure increased to 90,000 - 30% more jobs over the 6-year period. Keep in mind, though, that this data includes other arts teachers, and data specific to music teachers was unavailable.

Master's Doctoral
Who Is This Degree For? Those with bachelor's degrees in music looking to specialize further Individuals looking to teach music at the university level or to further develop composing and performing abilities
Common Career Paths (with approximate median salary) - Musicians and singers ($23.00 per hour)*
- Composer ($23.00 per hour)*
- Self-enrichment or private lesson teacher ($17.00 per hour)*
Postsecondary educator ($62,000 annually)*
Time to Completion 2-3 years, full-time 3-5 years after master's degree, completion time varies based on full- or part-time status
Common Graduation Requirements - Core courses, plus courses in a concentration
- Master's thesis or performance/recital project
- Elective courses
- Dissertation project, which could be written, performance-based, or a combination of the two
- Final examinations
Prerequisites - Bachelor's degree, typically in a music area
- Audition
- Repertoire list (for performance studies)
- Recorded performances of original works (for composition students)
- Entrance recital
- Master's degree in a music area
Online Availability Uncommon; generally limited to music education Uncommon; also limited to music education

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011 figures)

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  • At a Glance
  • Master's
  • Doctorate

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