Graduate Destinations
How does a degree in Music help with my career?
Graduates who specialise in Music at SOAS gain intercultural awareness and understanding of global music; vocational skills including sound recording, radio presenting and editing; and competency in a wide range of performance styles. They develop familiarity with specific regions through the study of their music and culture. Graduates leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and creative capacities, including interpersonal skills, communication skills, focus, team work, passion and dedication. Our students go on to diverse careers in music and related fields, including museum and sound archives, recording companies, arts management and media including Songlines and the BBC World Service. Our alumni include performers, music teachers, composers, and lecturers in ethnomusicology at universities around the world.
Destinations of recent graduates from this department immediately after graduation include:
- Self-Employed Musician
- Bloomberg: Financial Analyst
- Freelance Singing Teacher
- The Institute of Physics: Professional Development Coordinator
- Oxford Place: Assistant Psychologist
- Ultra Rontgen: Translator
- Education Group: Music Workshop Coordinator
- Holloway School: Singing Teacher
- Peace One Day: Film Production Coordinator
- Babel: Tuned Percussionist
- Tama Arts: Artistic Director
- Freelance Piano Tutor: Piano Tutor
- SOAS: MA Ethnomusicology
- Tavistock & Portlman NHS Centre: Psychology & Counselling
- Warner Music: Administrator
- Corona Theatre School: Teacher
- British Library: Project Support Officer
- UK Government: Policy Adviser
- SOAS: Research Associate
- Open University: Research Consultant
- Arts Centre of the Biblioteque Alexandria: Music Coordinator
- British Library: Sound Archive Assistant
- S24 Film: Production Assistant/Editor
- Association of Culture & World Music: Manager of Musical Association
- Vortex Jazz Club: Music Promoter/Musician
- Sony/EMI: Administrator
- Roehampton University: Lecturer
- University of Greenwich: International Advisor
- Red Grasshopper Ltd: Business Adviser in Music
- Islington Local Authority: Music Coordinator
- Moreland Primary School: Music Teacher
- Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment: Musician
- BBC: Radio Presenter of Afghani Music
- University of Edmonton: Professor of Ethnomusicology
- Asian Music Circuit: Programme Manager
- Lambeth Health Trust: Interpreter
- SOAS: PhD Music
- Rous & Co: Intern (Copyright Law)
- SOAS: M.Phil. Music Research
- London City Institute: Web Design
DLHE Statistics
The chart above shows that SOAS Music graduates are very employable. Graduate Destination Surveys from 2004-2011 show that 91% of graduates who could be surveyed are either in work, further study or work and study.
Further information about DLHE is available on the Careers Service website.
What do Graduates do?
- SOAS Alumni Spotlight
- Options with your music degree
- What can I do with a music degree?
- Prospects: What do graduates do
- What London graduates do
- London graduates Idea Generator
Job Profiles and Careers Information
- Occupational profiles for 600 career areas on Prospects
- Postgraduate study information and database on Prospects
- For more information about careers, visit Careers Tagged
