Music Business (BA/BS)
The Business of Music . . .
At first, “Music Business” seems like a contradiction of terms. But the truth is, the success of any professional musical venture—whether commercial or classical— involves business. And it also involves a lot of people, doing a lot of different things. A musical concert, for example, requires a promotion team, an agent, a manager and stage crew (including lights and sound) before the first note of music is played. Similarly, a single CD or digital download represents the work of the artist and supporting musicians but also studio engineers, producers, technicians, visual and graphic artists, photographers, lawyers, marketing strategists, distributors, retailers – and the list goes on.
Great career potential . . .
Yes, the commercial music industry offers an impressive diversity of career opportunities. And the Industry’s continuing expansion and increasing complexity have created the need for a new professional—one who understands not only music but also administration, accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, creative and critical thinking, and law.
To prepare students looking for a career in today’s music business, the DBU College of Fine Arts and the College of Business have joined forces to create specialized degrees in music business at DBU. In addition to the liberal arts core of general studies requirements, the degree features studies in music, traditional and jazz music theory, accounting, marketing, management, and specific aspects of the music industry and entrepreneurship. Our music business students are fully integrated into the life of the Department of Music through private lessons, ensemble experiences, and performances. A solid foundation for a successful career.
And that’s not all . . .
The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex commands national attention in the entertainment business. In addition to both television production and state-of-the-art recording studios, booking agents, concert promoters, commercial production houses, and major performance venues are located in the area. Because of DBU’s close proximity to the Dallas/Forth Worth music industry, our degrees in music business offer students the opportunity of actually working in the industry. During the senior year, music business majors are required to complete an internship and may apply with a local music business or entrepreneurial venture that matches their area of interest. It’s a distinct advantage.
For more information on the music business programs at DBU, contact Dr. Terry Fansler, director of music business studies at 214-333-5316.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
courses | credit hours (ba) | credit hours (bS) |
|---|---|---|
Developing A Christian Mind | 3 | 3 |
English | 12 | 9 |
ENGL 1301 - Composition and Rhetoric I ENGL 1302 - Composition and Rhetoric II | ||
ENGL 2301 - World Literature I and/or ENGL 2302 - World Literature II | ||
Foreign Language | 14* | 0 |
Foundations for Excellence | 1 | 1 |
FOUN 1101 - Foundations for Excellence is required of all first-year and transfer students with fewer than 15 credit hours. (AP, CLEP, IB, or dual/concurrent credit earned while in high school does not count toward these 15 credit hours.) | ||
History | 6 | 6 |
Choose two: HIST 1301 - U.S. History to 1865 HIST 1302 - U.S. History Since 1865 HIST 2301 - World Civilization I HIST 2302 - World Civilization II | ||
Kinesiology | 2 | 2 |
KNES 1101 - Fitness for Living and one additional activity course (KNES 1102-1122); for veterans or those 25 years of age or older prior to enrollment at DBU, KNES courses are waived. | ||
Mathematics | 3 | 3 |
(BA) Choose one: MATH 1301 - Math for Liberal Arts MATH 1303 - College Algebra MATH 1307 - Finite Math for Business Analysis MATH 1405 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
Choose one: MATH 1303 - College Algebra MATH 1307 - Finite Math for Business Analysis MATH 1405 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | ||
Natural Science (1000 or 2000 level courses only) | 4 | 15 |
One laboratory science (BA) or 15 credit hours of laboratory science (BS) selected from two or more areas of: | ||
Religion | 9 | 9 |
RELI 1301 - Old Testament Survey RELI 1302 - New Testament Survey RELI 4342/MUSI 4342 - Ethnomusicology in Cross-Cultural Service | ||
Social Science (1000 or 2000 level courses only) | 6 | 6 |
ECON 2301 - Principles of Macroeconomics POLS 2301 - American National Government | ||
Speech | 3 | 3 |
TOTAL GENERAL STUDIES HOURS | 63 | 57 |
Required Music Courses: | ||
Music Core | 13 | 13 |
MUSI 1011 - Written MPE (Music Proficiency Exam) Level II* | 0 | 0 |
MUSI 1012 - Dictation MPE (Music Proficiency Exam) Level II* | 0 | 0 |
MUSI 1013 - Sight-singing MPE (Music Proficiency Exam) Level II* | 0 | 0 |
MUSI 1111 - Aural Skills I | 1 | 1 |
MUSI 1112 - Aural Skills II | 1 | 1 |
MUSI 1311 - Music Theory I | 3 | 3 |
MUSI 1312 - Music Theory II | 3 | 3 |
MUSI 2305 - Introduction to Music Literature and Fine Arts | 3 | 3 |
MUSI 3207 - Basic Conducting | 2 | 2 |
MUSB 3301 - History of Commercial Music | (3) | (3) |
* (Music Proficiency Exam Level II courses are requisites for MUSI 2311, 2111, 3316, all upper-level music courses, and all Music Business career emphasis courses.) | ||
Ensembles | 4* | 4* |
Seminar/Performance Lab | ||
Applied Music | 6 | 6 |
Applied Secondary MUSI 1117 - Class Piano I MUSI 1118 - Class Piano II Career Emphasis in Live Performance or Worship Leadership requires: MUSI 2120/2121 - Applied Piano with MUSI 2023A - Piano Proficiency Level III | 2-3 | 2-3 |
Total Music | 25 | 25 |
Business Courses | ||
ACCT 2301 - Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 | 3 |
ECON 2301 - Principles of Macroeconomics (to be taken as a Social Science under General Studies) | (3) | (3) |
MANA - 3301 Principles of Management (S-L) | 3 | 3 |
MANA 3308 - Business and Public Law | 3 | 3 |
MRKT 3301 - Principles of Marketing | 3 | 3 |
TOTAL Business | 12 | 12 |
Music Business Courses | ||
MUSB - 2301 Introduction to Music Business | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 3301 History of Commercial Music | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 3310 Inside the Recording Industry | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 3311 Introduction to the Recording Studio | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 3380 Copyright and Intellectual Property Law | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 4301 Music Publishing | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 4310 The Musician as Entrepreneur or MUSB 4320 - Launching an Entrepreneurial Venture in the Music Business | 3 | 3 |
MUSB - 4380 Seminar in Music Business | 3 | 3 |
Total Music Business | 24 | 24 |
Career Emphasis (Select one area of emphasis) | ||
Live Performance | ||
Ensembles (upper-level credit) | 2 UL | 2 UL |
Music Electives | 3 | 3 |
Music Business (upper-level credit) | 6 UL | 6 UL |
MUSI 2023A Piano Proficiency Level III required | ||
Recording | ||
MUSI 2311 Music Theory III or MUSI 3316 Jazz Theory | 3 | 3 |
MUSB 3312 Advanced Recording Techniques | 3 | 3 |
MUSB 3213 Critical Listening for Recording Engineers | 2 | 2 |
MUSB 4375 Music Production Practicum | 3 | 3 |
Songwriting | ||
MUSI 2311 Music Theory III or MUSI 3316 Jazz Theory | 3 | 3 |
MUSB 3320 Introduction to Songwriting | 3 | 3 |
MUSB 3321 Advanced Songwriting Techniques | 3 | 3 |
MUSB 4275 Songwriting Practicum | 2 | 2 |
Worship Leadership | ||
Ensembles (upper-level credit) | 2 UL | 2 UL |
MUSI 2207 Introduction to Church Music and Worship | 2 | 2 |
MUSI 3270 Church Music and Worship Administration | 2 | 2 |
MUSI 3271 Contemporary Worship and Technology | 2 | 2 |
MUSI 4305 Congregational Song or MUSB 3320 Introduction to Songwriting | 3 | 3 |
MUSI 2023A Piano Proficiency Level III required | ||
Total Career Emphasis | 11 | 11 |
ELECTIVES Upper Level Lower or Upper-Level | 0 0 | 0 0 |
Upper Level | 0 | 0 |
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED | 135 | 129 |
A 120-credit-hour minimum for a bachelor’s degree is required, including 36 upper-level credit hours.
Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA required in the major field (business, music, music business), with a letter grade of “C-“ or better in each course.
At least 12 credit hours in the major program must be completed at Dallas Baptist University, including nine upper-level course hours.
Minimum GPA Required for Graduation from Dallas Baptist University: DBU requires a minimum institutional cumulative, major, and minor GPA of 2.0.
(S-L) = Course(s) with field-based service-learning component.
MINOR IN MUSIC BUSINESS
See information about the Minor in Music Business here.
Refer to individual course descriptions for course requisites.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Find course descriptions by category under the Undergraduate Course Descriptions section in the navigation panel.