Music Business at University?

I was just wondering if anyone is studying this or anything similar at University, or even if someone has, or knows someone who is?

Reply 1

liz84

BA (Hons) Commercial Music at Westminster is probably the best one in my opinion (although I did it so I would say that).

But let me give you the benefit of my wisdom from the years since I've graduated:

The Music Industry do not value academic qualifications in any way, shape or form. You could turn up with a PHD from Oxford and they would laugh in your face. All that counts is experience and who you know. This is actually becoming increasingly true of a lot of industries though, reading these forums I think a lot of people are in for a shock in a few years time. Yes you 'need' a degree for most jobs now (because everyone else has one, it's becoming a case of box ticking), but very few employers outside law and financial services know or care about the difference between Leeds, Manchester and Brighton on the university rankings. They have bigger things to contend with day to day. Graduates are small fry to them.

With experience (which, no question, in the Music Industry will come through long term unpaid internships) being so important, look at your degree as three years where your living is subsidised by loans and with more free time than you will ever have on your hands again (until retirement) where you can intern. The Music Industry and everybody with any level of importance within it is based in London. There for doing a Music Business degree anywhere outside of London is something of a wasted opportunity.

Lots of people (especially the type of people on here) will sniff at Westminster's 'reputation'; but let me tell you its Music course (and its Media courses) are not easy to get onto. Although the academic offer the set is low (CC) the Music Business students that got an interview had to do a timed written test and give a 30 minute business presentation to a panel. The Music Production students had quite a hardcore audition. I got AAB back in the day before A-Levels were split into modules - when you had to do all the exams at the end and couldn't retake bits; so I can hold my own academically - but I found the presentation as traumatic as hell as an 18 year old. I would also highly suggest you have some form of work experience before applying (I put on acoustic nights and wrote music reviews for my local paper while I was doing my A-levels.)

In the years since I've graduated I've worked for 3 out of 4 of the major labels in Marketing. I've met a dis-proportionate amount of Westminster Commercial Music graduates at all levels (whether this is down to what they teach you on the course, or the fact that to get on the course in the first place you have to want to work in the industry enough to do a Commercial Music degree, do the presentation, get enough experience to apply etc. and so are more likely to be the type of person to eventually find a way around all of the hurdles to getting a job in the industry anyway, is highly debatable.)

The Music Industry (labels in particular) are not nice working environments. They are REALLY cut throat and nowhere near as glamourous as you'd imagine. Especially now as the record industry is imploding and everyone is scared for their jobs. Everybody loves music at 18. A few years in the music industry can be a quick way to kill your favourite hobby. Ask yourself seriously if you really want to do it. Even if you do get to meet your favourite bands, it will probably turn out that they are not nice people and it will probably take you at least 4-5 years (if you are lucky) to earn a salary that you can reasonably live comfortably on.

As part of the degree you will have to set your own practical projects. Do something that gives you the chance to learn something useful. I taught myself website design; as I graduated there was a shortage of people with digital skills. It served me well and I found my niche. Think about what exactly in the Music Business you actually want to do.

As I said previously I was quite academic back in the day, and I would have really liked to do a History degree. I'm looking at going back now part time to study again. Beware of what you are giving up in terms of your education to devote yourself to a very vocational degree. Saying that most of my friends who did Humanities degrees (even at Russell Group universities) are now in really dull jobs; on balance I'm still glad I did Commercial Music.

There are also Music Business courses at Buckinghamshire Chiltern's University (I've met a few people who have done this), and there is one at the University of North London (which I think they've changed to London Met?). I've never met anybody who did the North London course.

Good Luck!!