Types of Online Music Graduate Certificates: Finding the Best Option for Your Career

Taking the Next Step

You are finished with your bachelors but want a change. You are looking for a new direction in the field of music. You may even be unsatisfied with your status in your chosen music career. You may be feeling like it’s a lost cause. Now what? Well, why not look into obtaining an online certification that will open new doors for you and ensure the happiness you have worked so hard to achieve.

Let’s take a look at some of the types of online music graduate certificates you can obtain, where you can go to get them, and what job opportunities may open up for you as a result.

A Music Industry Management Certificate

This online certificate is most valuable to those who are interested in music business management and technological musical advances in the field. A certificate in Music Industry Management will allow job opportunities for people such as music business owners and entrepreneurs, web designers, artists and music managers/agents who are looking to learn more about music business concepts that will help keep them competitive and look more appealing to new employers.

Courses involved in this type of graduate certificate program may include Artist Management, Music Entrepreneurship, Music Copywriting and The Recording Industry.

Here is a list of some of the schools that offer online certificates in Music Industry:

• Northeastern College
• Fairfield University
• Atlantic Cape Community College (includes several certificate programs such as Music Production, Music & Entertainment Media Business Administrator, and Songwriting as well as many individual courses for Music Business).
• Berklee College of Music (several graduate certificates in the Music Business field)

After completing this type of graduate certificate, students may be granted with a career in the following fields:

• Music Business
• Artist Management
• Home Studio
• Music Production
• Arranging & Songwriting
• Independent Recording Musician

For more information on careers in the music industry, visit https://www.mu-ed.com/Fairfield/music_careers.html.

A Certificate in Digital Music Education

This online graduate certificate is an alternative for K-12 music educators who are looking to take a new direction in their chosen field. It offers them with an opportunity to explore the technological aspect of music education instead of just teaching traditional methods in choir, band and orchestra.

The courses offered through an online Digital Music Education program may include methods courses such as those in multimedia and techniques for alternative teaching in Music Ed., as well as computer applications courses geared towards music education and other research in Music/Music Ed courses. It is best to keep in mind that enrolling in this type of teaching certificate program may require at least 2 years of teaching experience first.

One of the only schools offering a Digital Music Education graduate certificate currently is:

• The University of South Florida

Visit their website for more info on tuition, admission requirements, and program specifics.

Graduate Certificate in Music Technology

A Music Technology graduate certificate is designed for those professional students that would like to further their careers in the music industry and would like to learn the professional skills and applications of music technology. In this cyber-oriented world, this is a very popular route for those with professions as teachers, composers, performers, sound engineers, and anyone involved in music business.

Courses taken by students obtaining this certificate may include Applications of Music Technology, Sequencing, Musical Scoring Techniques, Live Sound Techniques, Music and Digital Media, and even Music and the Internet.

It is very difficult to find online schools that offer these types of programs. One such school is:

• The University of New Castle (Australia)

Doing the Research

When researching your schools, please be sure to check their accreditation history, requirements for international students, transfer and acceptance of the degree, and specific program requirements as well.

Many of these programs require the following:

• A bachelor’s degree (Some require a minimum average)
• Experience in a music field (teaching, business, etc.)
• A resume
• Transcripts
• A letter of interest or an essay explaining your intentions and objectives for the program
• Letters of recommendation

These programs are valuable to any student with a musical background, however, finding the right one is the key. This is your best resource for a compilation of these types of programs that will get you to where you want to be. You will be moving and grooving to your own beat down the path to success in no time! Good luck and let the music move YOU!