Program Overview

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Music Business (BS)

The BS program in Music Business prepares students for careers working for music publishers, performance venues, music broadcasting organizations, digital distributors, mobile content providers, concert management agencies, record labels, music television, music magazines, and more. The curriculum provides a rigorous liberal arts education, with an emphasis on quantitative reasoning and social sciences, and courses in both business, including marketing, financial accounting, management and organizational analysis, entertainment industry analysis, media planning, and entertainment law and finance; and music industry-specific courses, including classes in music publishing, concert management, entrepreneurship, and the international music business marketplace. The curriculum ensures development of fundamental skills in and knowledge of music production and recording. A required internship provides valuable hands-on experience and a network of professional contacts that may lead to permanent employment.

Program Description

• The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the music industry and its various sectors.
• Students will develop skills in business, music production, and recording, as well as gain knowledge of the music industry's core areas, including recorded music, music law, music publishing, artist management, audio recording and production, live concert production and promotion, and advanced digital music services.

Admissions

New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see the university's admissions page.

Program Requirements

• Course List:
  • Liberal Arts Requirements:
    • Foreign Language: 4 credits
    • Expository Writing:
      • EXPOS-UA 1: Writing as Inquiry: 4 credits
      • or WREX-UF 9101: Writing as Exploration
      • ACE-UE 110: Advanced Writing and Research: 4 credits
      • or WRCI-UF 9102: Writing as Critical Inquiry: 4 credits
    • Foundations of Contemporary Culture:
      • Texts and Ideas: 4 credits
      • Cultures and Contexts: 4 credits
      • Expressive Culture: 4 credits
    • ECON-UA 1: Introduction to Macroeconomics: 4 credits
    • ECON-UA 2: Introduction to Microeconomics: 4 credits
    • Foundations of Scientific Inquiry:
      • MATH-UA 9: Algebra, Trigonometry, and Functions: 4 credits
      • STAT-UB 103: Stats F/Bus Cntl Regress & Forecasting Models: 4 credits
      • Pick any one course from below: 4 credits
        • CSCI-UA 101: Intro to Computer Science
        • Physical Science
        • Life Science
    • Other Liberal Arts Requirements:
      • Select 4 credits in Music History, by advisement. Students beginning their studies in London take MPAMB-UE 1316 and two additional credits in Music History, by advisement: 4 credits
    • Liberal Arts Electives: 12 credits
  • Music Business Major Courses:
    • Required Production/Recording Courses in Music Technology:
      • MPATE-UE 1801: Fundamentals of Music Technology: 2 credits
      • Guided electives in Music Technology, such as MPATE-UE 1001, MPATE-UE 1003, and others: 6 credits
    • Music Business Specialization:
      • MPAMB-UE 100: Business Structure of The Music Industry: 3 credits
      • MPAMB-UE 200: Concert Management: 2 credits
      • MPAMB-UE 205: Music Publishing: 2 credits
      • MPAMB-UE 101: Data Analysis in the Music Industry: Introduction & Applications: 2 credits
      • MPAMB-UE 300: Int'L Music Business Marketplace: 2 credits
      • MPAMB-UE 1310: Village Records:Pract Recorded Music Industry: 2 credits
      • MPAMB-UE 1400: Entrepreneurship for The Music Industry: 3 credits
    • Core Business Studies:
      • ACCT-UB 1: Prin of Financial Acctg: 4 credits
      • MGMT-UB 1: Management and Organizations: 4 credits
      • MKTG-UB 1: Intro to Marketing: 4 credits
      • Choose two of the following, for 4 total units: 4 credits
        • MKTG-UB 4: Managing Creative Content Development
        • MKTG-UB 23: Technology's Impact On Entertainment & Media
        • MKTG-UB 24: Arts Marketing
        • MKTG-UB 25: The Business of Broadway
        • MKTG-UB 40: Entertainment & Media Industries
        • MKTG-UB 43: Deal Making in the Entertainment Industry
        • MKTG-UB 46: Globalization of The Entertainment Industry
        • MKTG-UB 56: Digital Business Strategy
        • MULT-UB 48: Entertainment Law
        • TECH-UB 38: Social Media & Digital Marketing
        • TECH-UB 60: Networks, Crowds and Markets
    • Applied Studies:
      • MPAMB-UE 1320: Internship in Music Business ((Sophomores/Juniors/Seniors)) 1: 4 credits
    • Restricted Specialization Electives:
      • Take 8 credits from the following courses to focus on such areas as music data and analytics, music production, entertainment law, music publishing, or other: 8 credits
        • MPAMB-UE 105: Strategic Music and Branding
        • MPAMB-UE 106: Global Music Trend Analysis
        • MPAMB-UE 300: Int'L Music Business Marketplace
        • MPAMB-UE 1223: Production/ A & R in Music Industry
        • MPAMB-UE 1224: The Global Music Industry: Popular Music, Culture and Society
        • MPAMB-UE 1305: The Economics and Law of Music Copyright Regulation
        • MPAMB-UE 1306: Interactive, Internet and Mobile Music
        • MPAMB-UE 1307: Stress-free Living & Working in the Music Industry
        • MPAMB-UE 1312: Writing in the Music Industry
    • Additional Requirements:
      • SAHS-UE 1: New Student Seminar: 0 credits
      • Unrestricted Electives: 16 credits
    • Total Credits: 128

Sample Plan of Study

NYC Start

• 1st Semester/Term:
  • EXPOS-UA 1: Writing as Inquiry: 4 credits
  • MATH-UA 9: Algebra, Trigonometry, and Functions: 4 credits
  • Liberal Arts Electives: 4 credits
  • Restricted Electives: 2 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 100: Business Structure of The Music Industry: 3 credits
  • SAHS-UE 1: New Student Seminar: 0 credits
  • Total Credits: 17
• 2nd Semester/Term:
  • Foreign Language: 4 credits
  • ACE-UE 110: Advanced Writing and Research: 4 credits
  • STAT-UB 103: Stats F/Bus Cntl Regress & Forecasting Models: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 300: Int'L Music Business Marketplace: 2 credits
  • MPATE-UE 1801: Fundamentals of Music Technology: 2 credits
  • Total Credits: 16
• 3rd Semester/Term:
  • Texts and Ideas: 4 credits
  • ECON-UA 1: Introduction to Macroeconomics: 4 credits
  • Music History Elective: 2 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1310: Village Records:Pract Recorded Music Industry: 2 credits
  • MGMT-UB 1: Management and Organizations: 4 credits
  • Restricted Electives: 2 credits
  • Total Credits: 18
• 4th Semester/Term:
  • Cultures and Contexts: 4 credits
  • ECON-UA 2: Introduction to Microeconomics: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 200: Concert Management: 2 credits
  • Music Technology Elective: 3 credits
  • MKTG-UB 1: Intro to Marketing: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 17
• 5th Semester/Term:
  • MPAMB-UE 205: Music Publishing: 2 credits
  • Selected Stern Elective: 2 credits
  • Restricted Electives: 2 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1320: Internship in Music Business: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 14
• 6th Semester/Term:
  • Expressive Culture: 4 credits
  • Science: 4 credits
  • Music Technology Elective: 3 credits
  • Selected Stern Elective: 2 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 17
• 7th Semester/Term:
  • Music History Elective: 2 credits
  • Liberal Arts Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 101: Data Analysis in the Music Industry: Introduction & Applications: 2 credits
  • ACCT-UB 1: Prin of Financial Acctg: 4 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 16
• 8th Semester/Term:
  • Liberal Arts Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1400: Entrepreneurship for The Music Industry: 3 credits
  • Restricted Electives: 2 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 13
• Total Credits: 128

London Start

• 1st Semester/Term:
  • WREX-UF 9101: Writing as Exploration: 4 credits
  • MATH-UA 9: Algebra, Trigonometry, and Functions: 4 credits
  • Liberal Arts Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 100: Business Structure of The Music Industry: 3 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1316: : 2 credits
  • SAHS-UE 1: New Student Seminar: 0 credits
  • Total Credits: 17
• 2nd Semester/Term:
  • WRCI-UF 9102: Writing as Critical Inquiry: 4 credits
  • Expressive Culture: 4 credits
  • STAT-UB 103: Stats F/Bus Cntl Regress & Forecasting Models: 4 credits
  • Liberal Arts Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 205: Music Publishing: 2 credits
  • Total Credits: 18
• 3rd Semester/Term:
  • Texts and Ideas: 4 credits
  • ECON-UA 1: Introduction to Macroeconomics: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1310: Village Records:Pract Recorded Music Industry: 2 credits
  • MPATE-UE 1801: Fundamentals of Music Technology: 2 credits
  • MGMT-UB 1: Management and Organizations: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 16
• 4th Semester/Term:
  • Cultures and Contexts: 4 credits
  • ECON-UA 2: Introduction to Microeconomics: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 200: Concert Management: 2 credits
  • Music Technology Elective: 3 credits
  • MKTG-UB 1: Intro to Marketing: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 17
• 5th Semester/Term:
  • Selected Stern Elective: 2 credits
  • Restricted Electives: 2 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1320: Internship in Music Business: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 16
• 6th Semester/Term:
  • Foreign Language: 4 credits
  • Science: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 101: Data Analysis in the Music Industry: Introduction & Applications: 2 credits
  • Music Technology Elective: 3 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 17
• 7th Semester/Term:
  • Music History Elective: 2 credits
  • Liberal Arts Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 300: Int'L Music Business Marketplace: 2 credits
  • ACCT-UB 1: Prin of Financial Acctg: 4 credits
  • Restricted Electives: 2 credits
  • Total Credits: 14
• 8th Semester/Term:
  • Restricted Electives: 4 credits
  • MPAMB-UE 1400: Entrepreneurship for The Music Industry: 3 credits
  • Selected Stern Elective: 2 credits
  • Unrestricted Electives: 4 credits
  • Total Credits: 13
• Total Credits: 128

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate professional levels of competence in core functions of business, including oral and written communication.
2. Demonstrate a professional understanding of the core areas within the music industry: recorded music, music law, music publishing, artist management, audio recording and production, live concert production and promotion, advanced digital music services.
3. Research, analyze, discuss, and explain current trends in the music industry.

Policies

Program Policies

Effective Fall 2025, students must obtain a C+ or better in MPAMB-UE classes to count toward their degree progress. These courses can be attempted a maximum of two times. Attempts include C or lower final grades as well as course withdrawals; term withdrawals/leaves of absence do not factor into the number of attempts.

Students who obtain a C or lower in MPAMB-UE classes will be reviewed by the Committee on Student Progress for academic warning or probation. Students who are not able to complete and pass MPAMB-UE classes with a C+ or better after two attempts will be reviewed by the Committee on Student Progress for academic probation or dismissal.

Steinhardt Academic Policies

Additional academic policies can be found on the Steinhardt academic policies page.

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.