<p>I heard about this from a friend but it doesn't really look all that "legit" based on my take on it after visiting the website. Half of the programs only offer certificates. I mean, voice majors are offered a Bachelor but I'm still skeptical.. any help?</p>
<p>A “for profit” school, with all the disadvantages associated with “for profits”. There are plenty of reputable programs in Southern California that would be better options.</p>
<p>musicamusica offered you good advice as far as checking into other popular music programs at traditional colleges. That doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with going to a for profit, but you do need to be aware that for profit colleges are not always taken seriously. </p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Musicians Institute, it’s reputation or the quality of it’s teaching, but I did compare it’s BM curriculum to typical BM curriculums, so here are my observations (from the web site only)…</p>
<p>General Ed requirements (taken at Los Angelese City College) are a little less than most BM programs but equal to or even more intense than in most conservatories. No red flags here.</p>
<p>Musicians Institute is on a “quarter unit” system where 3 quarter units would be roughly equivilent to 2 “semester hours” or “credit hours” at most colleges. The total 193 quarter units required at Musicians Institute for a BM would be equivilent to a normal 128 semester hour degree at most colleges (most require from 120-140 semester hours to graduate). Apparently you could complete a 4 year degree far faster than in 4 years by going to M.I. year round. That may (or may not) be a good thing.</p>
<p>The music classes required for a BM seem to be roughly equivilent to most college programs with music theory, aural training, keyboard proficiency, music history, etc. Same with the applied music and ensemble requirments.</p>
<p>The minors in either “audio production” or music “industry studies” are quite logical when combined with a popular music degree.</p>
<p>Now if your goals are to get into the popular music industry, and assuming that Musicians Institute has quality instruction, then I really can’t see a reason not to go there. But if you think you may want to pursue grad school or transfer to another college, you may run into problems since it is a for profit college. I personally don’t have a problem with “for profit’s”, but many people do, including “not for profits”.</p>
<p>When it comes down to it though, for most any jobs (in most any non-licenced fields), what matters the most is that you can do the job. Jobs in music performance are scarce, high paying jobs are even scarcer. If you can play well enough, and have the contacts, then you can get a music performance job with or without a college degree.</p>
<p>If you are interested in just “trying out” music, then the “certificate” or Asociate of Arts degree at M.I. may be an option. Looked like it would be a half year or full year (including summer) program, but lots of people waste more time than that trying to figure out “who they are” or what they wanna do. </p>
<p>The M.I. AA program may also be an attractive alternative for someone who is not quite ready to take on music at a 4 year traditional college - maybe as a “gap year” type of thing.</p>
<p>Oh, and my last thought is that you didn’t tell us anything about your music background. I would seriously doubt that a year or two or four at M. I. would be enough training/education to magically turn an untallented non-musician with no music experiance into a rock start. But then again, there are amazing people with amazing tallents who just need a little formal training and a point in the right direction.</p>