Graduating With a Degree in Music

UCSB & the Music Department offer many resources to help you with the next step in your future.

UCSB Career Services is here to help the students and recent graduates of the University of California, Santa Barbara identify and fulfill their career goals. UCSB Career Services serves as the bridge between the college experience and employment or graduate school, helping students apply what they have learned.

Transferable Music Skills — You Can Take Them with You

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Even if you end up deciding not to pursue a career in music, the transferable music skills you’ll gain as a music major will provide you with the background necessary to enter many other fields as well as graduate programs:

1. Ability to be creative and think outside the box examples: improvising; composing innovative music; dealing with myriad challenges that crop up before or during performances)
2. Ability to plan ahead examples: learning the music in advance of performances; juggling your schedule; knowing what it takes to look your best at concerts.
3. Ability to take responsibility examples: scheduling and getting to lessons and rehearsals; learning your part for a group performance; leading a section of the orchestra or a band.
4. Ability to collaborate and work effectively with others to meet goals examples: being part of an ensemble, orchestra or chorus.
5. Ability to think and understand in patterns examples: learning and performing music.
6. Ability to manage time well and handle several projects at once examples: juggling school with performing, practicing and the rest of your life to succeed at majoring in music.