Is Music Journalism a "mickey mouse" degree?

Hello,

I am thinking of studying Music Journalism and wondered what you think of the course in general?

Ta, Lyla x

:biggrin:

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Reply 1

NoNameAvailable

Well Im going to give you my opinion: Although journalism may be a respected degree, it is not particularly strong in competition matter, the reason is most of the real journalist nowadays in most of the countries have other background, let's say economist, politics or business. It's true, but anyway there is also a minor place for journalism in main media.

I will recommend you to study a full journalism degree and then find a postgraduate in Music Journalism. Don't be so foolish to ask if what you like is a Mickey Mouse Degree, is kind of silly. Just go for it, if you love what you do, if you are good in it you can get as far as you want to.

ps. My dream has always been to be a music journalist for the rolling stone magazine :smile:

. I hope i can get there with a Politics degree :tongue:

Reply 2

darigan

ditto post #2, but also - the modules undertaken for the degree and professional accrditation will give you a decent idea of the validity/usefulness of the degree

Reply 3

tigermoth99

I don't think it is a 'Mickey Mouse', tbh, and agree with the posters above. A degree in a similar discipline, such as Music, for example, could help develop the necessary insight in the industry. Try and gain experience with a magazine and establish contacts, both of which will be enormously useful when looking for jobs and freelance work.

Reply 4

Jingers

Journalism on its own ain't that great.
Music journalism is even worse.

Reply 5

Dnator

Do you have to do a degree in journalism to be a journalist?

Reply 6

NikNakWakAtak

Dnator

Do you have to do a degree in journalism to be a journalist?

I doubt it.

Reply 7

Dnator

NikNakWakAtak

I doubt it.

Why not do a real degree then?

Reply 8

xmarilynx

You're not going to get a valid answer on TSR where most people will be studying different subjects and therefore know nothing about music journalism degrees or their prospects. If you want to know how well regarded your degree is, why not contact potential employers (NME or whoever you'd like to work for in the future) and see what they look for in employees, and what type of degree they'd expect one to have?

Reply 9

yoyo462001

If I say it isn't is that going to make you feel good about yourself and the degree :indiff:

Reply 10

NikNakWakAtak

Dnator

Why not do a real degree then?

Because they are difficult and dull?

Reply 11

Focus08

In my book it's Mickey Mouse (probably done at an ex-poly too)

Reply 12

Focus08

NikNakWakAtak

Because they are difficult and dull?

Why go to university then?

Reply 13

JW92

If music journalism ain't a mickey mouse degree, then what is?

Reply 14

NikNakWakAtak

Focus08

Why go to university then?

I don't know, I don't study journalism.

Reply 15

pamelaa

Dunno, I'm tempeted to say yes BUT it sounds really fun. It's actually something I'd love to do too. :smile:

fyi im studying history and politics at uni.

Reply 16

jjarvis

Lyla James

Hello,

I am thinking of studying Music Journalism and wondered what you think of the course in general?

Ta, Lyla x

:biggrin:

If you want to do music journalism, your application's success will depend much more on your ability to write about music than where you do your degree and what you do it in. You should do the degree that interests you most, and in which you'll do well. You might look into the opportunities available in different cities and at different universities to get work experience, or write for student publications.

You absolutely don't have to do a degree in journalism to be a journalist. A lot of journalists now do postgraduate qualifications. For example, one of the lecturers in environmental politics at Edinburgh originally studied PPE at Oxford, then wrote for the FT before going into academia.

If you change your mind about what you want to do (which is fairly likely, given your age), or are simply not good enough to be a music journalist (about which we have no way of knowing--but how many eighteen year olds who want to write for Rolling Stone or NME get the chance to do so?), where will a degree in music journalism stand you? It's quite a niche subject. While it might get you somewhere in music journalism (though I suspect they care much more about how well you write, and how well you can write about music), will it get you anywhere in any other job? You might want to do something more traditionally respected. There is ample scope at most universities for pursuing an interest in journalism. A degree in a different subject which you also enjoyed (music, English lit, whatever) might stand you in better stead in the long run if you can't cut it in music journalism.

Reply 17

yoyo462001

pamelaa

Dunno, I'm tempeted to say yes BUT it sounds really fun. It's actually something I'd love to do too. :smile:

fyi im studying history and politics at uni.

Why would the TC want to know that :lolwut:

Reply 18

pamelaa

yoyo462001

Why would the TC want to know that :lolwut:

Ermmm because I love music. I go to gigs all the time. Music journalism or something similar, is what I'm interested in BUT I'm not doing a degree in music journalism. There's no point really, I think with professions like that it's mostly down to experience.

:rolleyes: