When most people hear “music major,” they immediately think of performers on stage – the violinist in an orchestra, the vocalist in an opera, or the guitarist in a band.
While performance is undoubtedly a part of music education, music programs in the 21st century offer many specializations extending beyond the concert hall.
As someone who’s guided hundreds of students through the college admissions process, I’ve seen firsthand how exploring these different paths can open up exciting and fulfilling careers in music.
From composing film scores to teaching the next generation of musicians, from producing hit records to managing artists, the possibilities are as varied as music itself.
Here are the different areas of musical study you can pursue in college, as well as their career outlooks.
Music Production & Technology
Music Production and Technology is a rapidly evolving field in college music programs.
At its core, this major branches into two primary paths: the “creative” track, exemplified by programs like SUNY Purchase’s Studio Composition, where students create their own music using the resources of a studio, and the “technical” track, which focuses on the science of recording. An example program in the latter would be NYU’s Music Technology major, which offers training in professional recording techniques and industry-standard digital audio workstations like Pro Tools.
Some other programs, such as Georgia Tech’s program, take a more engineering-focused approach, blending music with STEM concepts.
Career Paths in Music Production
- Audio engineer in a recording studio
- Independent artist
- Capturing sound for film & television
- Music producer
- Enhancing the sound of audio devices (think headphones, car stereos, etc.).
Music Education
Music Education is a rewarding major to choose, especially for people who are passionate about working with youth.
While prestigious universities like Boston University, University of Michigan, and Northwestern are widely known for their programs, smaller liberal arts colleges such as Ithaca and Lawrence have built remarkable reputations with near-perfect job placement rates for their graduates.
Most students in music education programs choose between choral or instrumental specializations, ultimately earning their teaching licensure for K-12 public schools, while some continue to doctoral studies to train future music educators at the university level. Coursework includes learning how to perform multiple instruments and even getting teaching experience with local public schools while enrolled in college.
Career Paths in Music Education
- K-12 music teacher
- Youth band, orchestra, or choir director
- College professor
Songwriting
In today’s musical world, songwriting is the dominant form of music-making. It’s no surprise that collegiate songwriting programs have become a vital training ground for musical hitmakers.
Songwriting degrees, such as the major offered at Belmont University’s Mike Curb College, take a comprehensive approach by combining four pillars into their curriculum: lyric writing and composition, performance skills, music production expertise, and music business acumen.
The best programs recognize that today’s successful songwriter needs to be more than just a creative – they must also understand the business landscape, from sync licensing to royalties to contract negotiations.
Career Paths in Songwriting
- Staff songwriter (for a music publishing company)
- Independent performer
- Music producer
- Studio Musician
Music Composition & Media Scoring
Music composition students take coursework in theory, history, and orchestration, which is the study of assigning notes to different instruments. Students in music composition programs develop their artistry through private mentorship with faculty composers.
Composition students at excellent schools enjoy regular performances of their works – including solo works, chamber music, and full orchestral compositions. Live feedback on their compositions is valuable to their studies.
Some colleges even have specializations in media scoring, such as Johns Hopkins University’s intriguing “Music for New Media” major.
Career Paths in Music Composition
- Concert music composer
- Media scoring, including film, television, and video games
- Composition professorship
- Arranging
- Engraving (the art of notating music for professional publishing)
Performance
Musical performance comes down to three major genres: classical, jazz, and popular musical styles.
Classical performance majors immerse themselves in music written from the 1600s-present; think Bach and Beethoven, as well as more contemporary composers like John Adams. Jazz performance students dive deep into traditional jazz genres, like blues & bebop, as well as more modern styles. A large part of their curriculum is studying improvisation, theory, and transcribing the work of past jazz masters.
Popular music performance, a more recent field, prepare vocalists and instrumentalists to excel in contemporary genres. Anything from The Beatles to Taylor Swift could be fair game in a program like this.
Career Paths in Performance
- Ensemble performance – Orchestra, jazz band, choir, chamber ensemble, etc.
- Recording artist / solo performer
- Piano accompanist
- Pit musician (for musicals)
- Opera performance
- Studio musician
Music Industry
Music Industry programs prepare students for the business side of music. Courses include music marketing on social media, artist management, contracts & licensing, etc.
Schools like Drexel University take an immersive approach in the music industry major, combining classroom learning about marketing, artist management, and digital promotion with real-world experience through on-campus music businesses (like Drexel’s MAD Dragon Music Group). In a campus-sponsored music business, students gain practical skills in running record labels, managing concerts, and creating electronic press kits (EPKs) – the same tools they’ll use to succeed in their future careers.
Many programs offer internship opportunities baked into their curriculum as well.
Career Paths in Music Industry
- A&R (people who help find/develop songwriters for labels)
- Artist management
- Concert promoter
- Event marketing
- Entertainment law
- Entrepreneurship, such as starting a record label or other music business
Musical Theatre
In musical theatre collegiate programs, students are trained to become a “triple threat” – learning dance, vocal performance, and acting. Classes are as varied as ballet, tap, and jazz, learning Shakespearean monologues, and singing both “legit” and “modern” repertoire.
Most programs in musical theatre are BFA (bachelor’s of fine arts) degrees, though some are also BMus (Bachelor’s of Music) as well. The difference between the two is the credit load; more music classes are in the BMus than in the BFA.
Many “tier-1” musical theatre programs culminate in a senior showcase in New York City, where students perform for audiences and agents who are scouting for new talent.
Career Paths in Musical Theatre
- Performing in musicals (think Broadway, West End, etc.)
- Film, television, and stage acting
- Ballet & modern dance
- Musical theatre education & teaching
Conducting
Unlike most music specializations, conducting is primarily a graduate-level pursuit, with only rare exceptions like Chapman University offering bachelor’s programs.
At some schools, such as the Curtis Institute of Music, students can study with living legends in conducting, such as Yannick Nézet-Séguin, artistic director of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera. Conducting programs combine experience on the podium working with student ensembles with intensive score study, advanced music theory, and historical analysis – all essential tools for developing original musical interpretations.
Career Paths in Conducting
- Choral conducting
- Orchestral conducting
- Military band conducting
- Youth ensemble conducting
- Professorships at major universities
Music Therapy
Music therapy is unusual in the scope of music majors, as students work to become licensed healthcare professionals, combining the healing power of music with scientific understanding of human development and psychology.
Following the Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) paradigm, students in these programs undertake coursework in multiple converging fields – from studying cognitive development & psychology to music theory and technology – preparing them for a career where they can make profound differences in people’s lives through the therapeutic application of music.
Career Paths in Music Therapy
- Private therapy practice
- Psychiatric units in hospitals
- Mental health centers
- Colleges & higher ed universities
Musicology
Musicology is the study of music history.
While programs like UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music emphasize ethnomusicology, exploring diverse musical traditions of Eastern and non-European cultures, other musicology programs maintain a traditional Western focus, studying music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods to works written today.
Unlike performance-focused majors, musicology majors prioritize academic writing skills over performance. For example, to get accepted to Rice’s music history major, students have to submit a lengthy academic paper in a musical subject as part of their admissions portfolio.
Career Paths in Musicology
- Music journalism
- Teaching at a university
- Authoring music texts
