majors related to movie/music promotion -- Virtually Advising Q+A

The Q: I'm going to college next year, but I have no idea what I want to do as a major. I was thinking of being one of those people that help sell movies, singers or rappers. I guess that might be advertising, but I don't know. I'm also worried about going to a college that doesn't even have the major that I eventually want. Please help!

The A: I’m not extremely familiar with the fields you’re inquiring about, but I do have some general advice about choosing a major and some ideas of what you could major in. Having an idea of what you may want to do for a career at the start of your undergraduate studies can indeed help you to build a strong resume for a position you’re passionate about. However, what you major in as an undergraduate does not predetermine your career destiny.

If you're already interested in learning more about the music or film industry, then perhaps you would like to major in areas that would lead you in the direction of working at a record label, film studio or media agency. These majors include, but certainly aren't restricted to, media relations, public relations, advertising, marketing and business. If you think you might enjoy going into sales or promotion in a wider range of fields, the Occupational Outlook Handbook can provide you with useful information, both on what is involved in promotion/sales jobs and on the educational requirements of those positions.

When choosing a college it's a good idea to investigate the different subject departments they have at the school. If they don’t have a department that sparks your interest, I suggest looking at other schools that have something you’re more intrigued by. You'll take courses in your major for at least one or two years of your college life, so it's important that you’re interested in the classes and programs that your college has to offer.

It's also often a good idea to apply for an internship or part-time job in the field you’re interested in, to get a sense of the responsibilities and goals you would have in that type of work. Once you begin college, go to your career planning office and talk to someone there about the job opportunities in the fields you’re interested in, or visit the Web sites of various promotional firms in the entertainment industry and contact them directly. An old acquaintance of mine who now works in promotions at a record label got his job through an internship during his junior year of college.

Try working in different places to see which is the best fit for you; if you’re not happy at one place, go somewhere else. Sometimes getting a position (especially in competitive fields like the music and film industries) is as much about luck or trial and error as it is about hard work and preparation.

I also think it’s a good idea to look for a school that offers not only a major or majors that you're interested in, but that also offers courses that are interdisciplinary enough to give you a broad learning experience. (Interdisciplinary means that it incorporates classes from a few different fields, like music and economics). You can often see what kinds of courses are offered in the different majors on a college's Web site.

I hope you find this info helpful. Please keep in mind: This is just my advice, based on my own experiences and research. It’s a good idea to get many opinions, but ultimately you should choose what you think is the right major for you to pick. Remember that while choosing a major is a big commitment, it is not the only determining factor as you move toward your career. There are plenty of other important factors: internships, jobs, people you meet, what you read, and much more. One never knows exactly where life will lead, but I think it’s important to do what you love at this point in time, keep yourself interested and eager to learn more.

Best regards,

—Mary Anne Feeney, General Advisor