Bachelor of Arts In Music Industry

"Thanks to the recording skills, music skills, and business skills that I learned as part of the music industry curriculum, I felt fully confident about going into the world of music industry after graduation and being successful," said Tim Kohan ‘15 a marketing coordinator at Live Nation."

Start A Career in the Music Industry

Music is always being created. But in the ever-evolving relationship between music and commerce, new questions about the commodification of music are being generated, and answers to old questions are being reevaluated:

  • How can music effectively attract listeners?
  • Where will we find the next generation of artists?
  • What are all of the options for monetizing music?
  • How do creators get compensated?

The Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry is a dynamic program that provides the intellectual tools to address these questions and presents creative opportunities to learn from professionals to craft the answers. Students take a unique balance of courses that prepare you for technology-driven careers in record company operations, touring and concert promotion, artist management, marketing in the digital realm, music supervision, music publishing, and other industry roles.

Learn How To Get Into The Music Industry

Join us at the intersection of music, commerce, and technology, where our program and professors encourage students to be actively ambitious and to be in the industry while learning about the industry. The best example of this is our Nashville Study Away program that enables students to spend a semester in Nashville, TN, an international hub for music creation and business. The program offers an array of courses and internship experiences that bring the "real life" music business directly to our students. All classes, from "Studio Mixing and Music Production" to "Music Publishing" and "Entrepreneurship and Careers in Music," are held at the world famous Blackbird Studio.

Every student participates in an internship at companies across the music industry spectrum, from recording studios, such as Blackbird and SoundStage, to companies as diverse as Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Universal Records. The structure of our department encourages collaboration. Music Industry students also get experience managing or marketing performance students or overseeing the productions of sound recording students.

The music department is also the home of Rein Records, a student-run music label in which students facilitate the development and release of official commercial recordings.

What Kind of Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Music Industry?

The University of New Haven is located on the southern coast of Connecticut. Our location provides our students with multi-directional access to creative and work opportunities in places that fit their personalities and lifestyles. Students travel to New York City and Boston for a variety of work experiences and take advantage of the diverse music institutions and businesses located in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Our Music Industry students have worked at MTV, Sony, BMG, Universal Records, Roven Records, Columbia Records, ESPN, and many other places.

Music Is the Means, You Discover the Ends

A degree in Music Industry focuses on business and legal concepts as they apply to the commodification of the art form of music. Our program, in combination with courses from the Pompea College of Business, provides students with a foundation in the economic and creative structures of the music industry and introduces them to the varied possibilities to utilize that knowledge.

We believe that, to apply these practices, students should have significant knowledge of and experience with the art form itself. As such, students have a selection of course options in the theory, practice, performance, and histories of music and the processes and technologies for recording music.

Comprehensive instruction in combination with practical internship opportunities and interactions with industry professionals provides students with the 21st-century background necessary for numerous industry opportunities and for pursuing innovative and entrepreneurial business endeavors.

Learn from professors who are dedicated to your success.

Our faculty are leaders and innovators in their fields, bringing both deep professional experience and academic rigor to the classroom.

Spotlights

University’s Student-Run Record Label Empowers Students to Take the Reins

Jobs in the Music Industry

The information below is designed to show the many possible careers you could pursue with your major. The research is provided by Encoura, the leading research and advisory firm focused exclusively on higher education. It includes median national salaries and industry growth projections over the next decade. Click here to view the full report.

$70K

Producer

16% Growth 2017-2027

$131K

Marketing Manager

13% Growth 2017-2027

$100K

Director of Client Service

9% Growth 2017-2027

Selected Courses and Programs
  • An overview of the music industry from the record company’s perspective. Provides guidance to music enthusiasts who want to become record company executives, sales managers, producers, etc. Topics include: record company administration; business aspects of record production; promotion, publicity, and distribution; recording studio management; radio station programming and management; music videos; the retail music store.

  • An in-depth analysis of what comprises listening to music. Areas of study include sonics, production, structure, orchestration, arrangement, performance, sequence, lyrics, and more. Modern classics reviewed include The Beatles, The Band, Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and others.

  • A comprehensive overview of the legal procedures, timings and agreements used in the music industry. Includes detailed study of the current copyright law, publishing contracts, licensing, the manager and/or agent agreement, the record company contract, AFM and AFTRA agreements, and ethical considerations in the music industry.

  • An intense focus on various aspects of negotiations as it relates to the music industry. We will review major commentators on the topic and experience role-plays.

  • The University of New Haven offers a wide variety of in-depth courses that create a transformational educational experience for our students. To view the complete list of courses you'll take while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry, check out the Academic Catalog:

    Music Industry, B.A.

    Music Industry Minor

Charger Advantage

Get an inside look at what differentiates the University of New Haven and how your experiences as a student will prepare you for success.

Nationally Recognized Center for Career Development

All University of New Haven students have access to the many resources available through the University’s Career Development Center, which has been named one of the best in the nation by The Princeton Review.

From career assessments, networking, and job shadowing to on-campus interviews and salary negotiation, the Career Development Center provides the skills and connections to identify a meaningful career and an opportunity to pursue your passion.

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Unique Opportunities
Rein Records

Rein Records is the University of New Haven's student-run record label

We are a devoted group of individuals full of passion and creativity. For our student-run team, we use experiential growth, applying our skills and experience in new and innovative ways, and challenging ourselves to work smarter and stronger with every new endeavor we take on.

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Nashville Study Away

Nashville Study Away

The University of New Haven is proud to partner with Blackbird Studio to offer a study-away program designed for students in our music majors. Nashville is the creative center of the American music business and a source for artists, songwriters, producers and engineers across the musical spectrum.

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Upcoming Events

Sunday, December 11

Various Dates

Next Steps
  • Whether you're still in high school or are transferring from another college, we offer full- and part-time opportunities for undergraduates from inside the U.S. and abroad. The admission process can begin as early as the end of your high school junior year.

    The Application Process

  • We offer a comprehensive financial aid program, with students receiving assistance in the form of grants, scholarships, student loans, and part-time employment. Funds are available from federal and state governments, private sponsors, and from university resources. More than 85 percent of the University's full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial assistance.

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