Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Music degrees: Whats the difference between BA and BMus?

They more or less consist of the same modules.. Is one more 'valuable' than the other?

BMus is much more performance orientated and intense.

My BM is in Violin Performance. I played a lot "harder" material than my friends who were BA or MusEd students, for example, as well as taking more theory classes and performance groups. I also had to give a senior recital whereas they did not.

BA is more of a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in music.

One isn't necessarily more 'valuable' than the other, but it does depend on what you are referring to. Is there a specific reason you ask?

A BM is much more music-focused and generally for people who are preparing for a professional career in music.

A BA is less about music and more about general academic curriculum, usually for those who pursue music as a hobby and not a profession-to-be.

I ask because I'm currently doing a BMus. I was just wondering if BMus and BA degrees give the same chances of finding a particular job. I assume that if a job is within the music industry, BMus graduates would be more likely to be chosen, whereas BA graduates would be more likely to be picked for other careers which may not necessarily be related to music. Am I correct?

Depends on what sector of the music industry (classical vs pop, performance vs ensemble vs band vs technician, etc) you're talking about.

But either way, not necessarily.

Generally, a BM is looked at as being better than a BA because of the increased amount of music-related material more than regular academic material.

However, this is only theoretical. Obviously a highly experienced and well trained BA graduate will have more job opportunities than a poorly trained or inexperienced BM holder.

At the risk of being controversial and opening a can of worms, the traditional view was that if you wanted an education, you earned a BA. If you wanted specific training, you earned a BS, BMus, BEd, etc.

In the old days (I understand that distribution requirements today have become highly diluted), a person with a BA had mastered a foreign language, studied a fair amount of the sciences (chemistry, physics, and biology) and math, had studied English (writing), Latin, history, literature, and a broad overview of a wide range of soft and social sciences, and finally, the arts. It was no slouch of a degree. Students with BAs then went on to earn master degrees in specific subjects either for professional training or as academic preparation for entry into doctoral studies.

Students wishing mastering of specific skills/knowledge went directly into directed programs, such as a bachelor of music degree. One of my undergrad roommates was in a degree program prepping him to become an architect. Most of the courses were focused, one way or another, on preparing him for the career.

The argument pro BA degrees is that there is a wealth of knowledge about the world, mankind, etc., which enriches your life, world view, understanding, etc., which is bypassed when you specialize that the undergrad level. The argument pro a specialized degree is that you're able to enter the work force three to four years sooner than the BA student, who must then spend additional years mastering a specific skill/knowledge base.

Bear in mind that even a BA holder still had a major which consumed 40% - 50% of their course work. A BA music major still has considerable specific music training!

At my school, they used to treat the BA students and BM students differently. BA students didn't get the professors as their teachers, unless they are really talented. BA students are usually the double-majors.

I sometimes wonder if Beethoven, Bach, Mozart or (insert your favorite composer here) were alive today, would they need a degree to get the respect they deserve?

All of the above musicians had very good musical training that allowed them to produce the great masterworks that they did. That's almost like getting a degree nowadays, isn't it? Of course, that is not to say that they are all not geniuses in their own rights, but they were trained back then just as modern musicians are today.

Absolutely. The education of those composers and the connections they made during their formative years proved extremely useful in their careers.

People forget about the connections aspect of school. School isn't just about training, it's also about becoming part of a community of musicians.

Nowadays, schools are where you form most of your connections. When I moved to Iowa, I got work not simply because I had a degree. I got work because I just happened to go to school with three established musicians here in town. They knew me and my work, and were happy to recommend me.

This sounds like a loaded question. The short answer is no.

If you have the mega-talent like Beethoven, Bach, or Mozart, you are already one in a million, so you'd be famous with or without that degree.

But if you want to get a good job, it does help to have a degree. It doesn't mean you will automatically get a job, but a degree does help.

A degree is a proof on paper of formal learning that has taken place. Beethoven, Bach and Mozart each received years of formal training. "Talent" - mega or not - is not enough. At their time their path of learning would be known and recognized, and I imagine that would be the equivalent of a "degree". Possible?

If you are one in a million, then there are 300 of you in the United States right now.

At least in the UK, it's difficult to generalise about this question. Not all colleges that offer BMus are focusing on 'training' performers, but some are. If a comparison were necessary, you'd have to compare specific course offerings from specific institutions. A generalization like "BA students are usually the double-majors" would be wrong in a lot of cases.

I assume that elsewhere in the world the situation isn't very different.

In my undergrad school(not sure if it is still the same now), BA students got only 1/2 hour private lesson, whereas BM students got 1 hour. In addition, BA was allowed 1/2 hour final recital, and BM needed a full final recital. There were minor distinctions between the two, but the list of course work seemed to be the same. Regardless, whether it is BA or BM, you would probably have equal opportunity to find job, or progress on to a Masters degree. In my humble opinion, ultimately, what counts is your grades, and academic and performance excellency. Ooh, and not to forget, to be able to "market yourself" well in your job interviews. Good luck!

Thank you so much for this. It would probably be best for me to pursue a Masters after I graduate. That should open up more doors hopefully.