Career development
Career development and professional practice skills are critical for Setnor School of Music students and an integral part of our curricula.Setnor's Career Development Center provides a variety of career development offerings specifically designed for music majors.
Music education students, for example, gain teaching experience through the course Field Experience in Music Education; while both the music industry program and Bandier Program integrate courses in business and experience learning (in addition to campus radio, television and journalism opportunities, SU boasts its own student-run record labels, Syracuse University Recordings and Marshall Street Records). Undergraduate students who wish to explore coursework in essential business tools may wish to pursue the very successful music industry minor or the minor in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, which is offered through SU's Martin J. Whitman School of Management.
Performance opportunities—including solo recitals and ensemble participation—provide additional opportunities to gain professional practice skills. Graduate conducting students are given ample podium time with Setnor ensembles, and many of the groups read, perform, and record the work of student composers.
Visiting and resident composers, conductors, performers, scholars, and industry leaders are a wealth of professional knowledge, and you will have the opportunity to interact with them throughout your Syracuse education. In addition to the numerous events in the Setnor School—including master classes, performances, and the Soyars Leadership Lecture Series, which brings prominent music industry professionals to campus—you can explore those of other areas of the college and University, including the University Lectures.
Apply the skills you learn in the studio and classroom in professional settings by voluntarily participating in an internship, which refines technical proficiency, develops professional confidence, and bridges the gap between college and the professional world. (Students in the Bandier Program are required to participate in three major market internships.)
SU’s Center for Career Services can help you explore internships as well as aid in the job search. Its resources and services encompass personalized career counseling and assessment; search strategies; networking; resume, curriculum vitae, and cover letter critiquing; interview simulations; print and online career information and resources; and on- and off-campus recruiting coordination.
