Why Study a Master of Music at AIM

Studying a Master of Music at the Australian Institute of Music can amplify the success of your music career. Gain formal recognition for your lifelong dedication to music, enhance your verbal and communication skills, expand your professional network and stay ahead of what’s next in a rapidly evolving industry. Here are a few of the key reasons a postgraduate degree in music is the right choice for you.

Advance your career and enhance your earning potential.

Most music industry professionals learned their hard-earned skills on the job. A formal education to supplement this expertise provides numerous opportunities to get ahead and have even more options, career-wise. These include roles within the education sector and the opportunity to qualify for skilled-migrant visas like the USA’s E-3 visa (only available to those with extensive professional experience and a bachelor’s degree or higher).

Teach music at a Bachelor’s degree level.

Gaining a Master’s degree in music qualifies you to teach at Bachelor’s degree level at Australian tertiary institutions. Becoming a music educator is a great way for a performer to supplement their income or even make a more expansive career switch into teaching. The journey to becoming a music lecturer also gives you the chance to delve deeply into the area of music that you are most fascinated by and ultimately enrich the learning of future musicians, a rewarding exercise.

Expand your professional network.

The music industry is built on relationships. Studying a Master of Music connects you with a circle of musicians and music industry professionals that could be an integral part of your future career progression. Many of our students have expanded their professional network through taking the course – collaboration is a key element of your Masters by coursework. As an educational institution dedicated exclusively to music, we pride ourselves on providing the opportunity to work with students across all our courses through our electives program. You will also meet new people who have the potential to open new doors upon graduation. 

Gain a postgraduate qualification without completing an undergraduate degree.

A Master of Music is a unique opportunity to gain formal recognition for the expertise and carefully-honed knowledge of your instrument that you’ve already built as a musician. We acknowledge the incredible efforts that need to be made to excel in music and welcome the opportunity to supplement what you’ve learned with an enriched education and a deeper dive into what you’re most passionate about. A Master of Music will also set you apart from your peers by demonstrating you’re capable of applying these skills in an academic environment.

Gain a postgraduate qualification in as little as 12 months.

The Master of Music is two nested qualifications. The Graduate Diploma of Music can be completed in one year, full-time. Students then have the option to continue on to the Masters degree, which will take two more semesters (one more year full-time) to complete. There are two key facets to the Master of Music degree. Two thirds of the course is focused on practical music-making and playing your core instrument. A third of the course is dedicated to fine-tuning your ability to communicate about music, both verbally and through the written word. There are four major practical study units. There are also several different streams – classical, contemporary, composition and music production. The electives that students can explore include the opportunity to explore film music and production.

Discover your place in the music world.

Discover multiple facets of the music industry you may not have the chance to immerse yourself in otherwise. Our students often discover a new specialty or discipline they had not anticipated would strike a chord. Through our extensive electives, you may learn that composition or production is an avenue you wish to pursue in tandem with your work as a performer. Audio engineering is another stream that can emerge as a new career path from your experience utilising our world-class recording studios under our industry expert lecturers. The course is a powerful chance to upskill and diversify your practice.

Develop as a communicator in the music industry.

To be a holistic musician and a holistic performer, it is crucial to communicate clearly. The Master of Music course places substantial focus on the development of your communication skills, which all musicians need to succeed. For example, contemporary singers are required to know how to use audio technology, how to communicate with a sound engineer, how to confidently vocalise their creative process or describe how they would want a song to sound (in a studio environment). With the knowledge gained from completing the course, our students are able to go out into their field and confidently communicate their vision.

Gain high-level research skills and deepen your understanding of your passion.

Master of Music students choose an area of music, the music industry or music education to focus on during the course. Through the process of completing this project, you can profoundly deepen your understanding of a topic that fascinates you. Beyond this, you will gain high-level research skills, e.g. how to pull together evidence and solid information. This process helps our students evolve their ability to perform creatively and/or academically post-graduation. 

Take your creative ideas further.

As a professional creative, fresh thinking is crucial. Master of Music students are encouraged to think “outside of the box” and take their original ideas further. When the initial idea is presented, our expert lecturers often provide deep insights beyond what the student thought was possible. Becoming an innovative thinker and being educated enough to take bold creative risks are just a few of the benefits of studying music at a postgraduate level. We drive our students to find new solutions. These higher level critical thinking skills and the ability to question what is ahead will serve you well in a rapidly-changing music world. 

Find a more fulfilling career or enhance your current vocation with music.

Another benefit of taking on the course is finding a deeper purpose for making music. Developing your expertise at this high level can introduce you to ways you can go beyond playing; the opportunity to support your community through music can make your music career far more fulfilling. Students also often emerge from other disciplines. For example, a psychology graduate may undertake a Master of Music to be able to introduce music therapy to their practice. There is so much you can do with a Master of Music.

Do you have a question?

Speak with us today.