Music Industry Studies (MUIN)

MUIN M100 Arts & Entertainment Industry Forum 1 crs.

Forum is a gathering of all students and faculty in the Music Industry Studies and related Programs. This weekly meeting usually presents a guest speaker from the music industry. These speakers engage in discussions with the class about diverse topics covering all aspects of the music and music industry.

MUIN M110 Introduction to Music Industry Studies 3 crs.

This course provides students with an overview of the music industry, its multiple sectors, the skills and knowledge they require, and the careers they offer. The course touches on all topics in the curriculum going forward, including legal issues (recording contracts, songwriting contracts, publishing deals, licenses, etc.); copyright, songwriting/publishing and music with visuals; distribution, marketing and entrepreneurship; the artist’s team (managers, lawyers, age nts, PR, producers); and touring, merchandising and group issues. It is taught from the standpoint of the performer (the incipient small business entrepreneur) as well as from the standpoint of the non-performer (the incipient music industry professional and entrepreneur).

MUIN M201 Arts & Entertainment Legal Issues I 3 crs.

This course builds the basic knowledge of legal issues related to the music and entertainment industries discussed in the Introduction to Music Industry, MUGN M110. This course is a more in depth survey of the legal aspects of the music industry, including copyright, music publishing, performing rights organizations, booking, management, marketing, touring, performance agreements, recording contracts, and artist royalties.

Prerequisite: MUIN M110 Intro to Music Industry Studies

MUIN M215 Arts & Entertainment Management 3 crs.

The course has two major concerns: artist management and management of musical endeavors. Students will learn that musicians and artists are music enterprises by virtue of what they do and what they create. Topics include strategic planning, managerial leadership, practical and legal issues, as well as to discern the functions and purposes of management. The goal is to show how managerial theory applies to real-world situations with respect to music and art. Students will develop a management plan for an artist or business.

Prerequisite: MUIN M201 Arts & Ent Legal Issues I

MUIN M301 Arts & Entertainment Legal Issues II 3 crs.

A survey of all business aspects of the music industry, including copyright, music publishing, performing rights organizations, licensing, record contracts, and artist royalties.

Prerequisite: MUIN M201 Arts & Ent Legal Issues I

MUIN M302 Venue Management 3 crs.

Venue Management is an in-depth study of the business practices encountered in running a fixed arts or music performance venue. Topics include talent buying, permitting, human resources, contract law, and financial planning.

MUIN M310 Arts & Entertainment Finance 3 crs.

This course provides students with the financial management knowledge needed to finance and manage cash flows in music enterprises. The following topics are addressed: obtaining capital, cost of capital, budgeting, time value of money, asset valuation, financial statement analysis, and portfolio analysis.

Prerequisite: MUIN M315 Arts & Ent Marketing and MUIN M201 Arts & Ent Legal Issues I

MUIN M315 Arts & Entertainment Marketing 3 crs.

An in-depth study of the principles and application of marketing, promotion and distribution of products and services in the music industry. Case studies of various music products and companies and marketing approaches will be studied and analyzed. This course includes discussions of social networking, digital distribution platforms, “permission” marketing, and psychographics. The deliverable for this course in a comprehensive marketing plan for a product or service, one that could be a major part of a larger comprehensive strategic plan.

Prerequisite: MUIN M201 Arts & Ent Legal Issues I

MUIN M320 Networking: The Search for New Ideas 3 crs.

This course will provide practical skills and training pertinent to professional networking, as well as real-world opportunities for practice and execution of said skills to students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree in the Music Industry Studies program. The course will provide students with the tools and skill sets necessary to brand themselves, identify conversational inroads and needs, and execute professional conversations within the music industry so that they may expand their professional network as well as their perspective on today’s music industry.

Prerequisite: MUIN M110 Intro to Music Industry Studies

MUIN M321 Festival Production 3 crs.

Festival Production is an overview of the practices used in the festival and live concert production industry. Topics covered include legal requirements, talent buying, promotion, technical production, human resources, festival operations, vendors, and financial planning.

Prerequisite: MUIN M110 Intro to Music Industry Studies

MUIN M322 Business of Songwriting 3 crs.

This class is an overview of the business of songwriting from a real world perspective. Methods involving lyrics, melodies, song structure, demo recording, song exploitation, administration, royalty collections will be studied. Students will write original songs, make demo recordings of original songs and pursue the exploitation of those songs.

MUIN M323 The Great American Songbook 3 crs.

This course surveys the genre of music known as the Great American Songbook, a genre often described by critics as "America's classical music", and the golden age of American popular song (roughly 1927 until the mid 1960s). Major composers of the period will also be examined.

MUIN M330 Merchandising and Sales 3 crs.

Merchandising & Sales is an overview of areas of market research, product manufacturing, retailing, resource and location planning, retail trade organizations, service retailing, store image and branding, promotions, pricing, and retailing in the future related to the arts and entertainment industry.

Prerequisites: MUIN-M110 Intro to Music Industry Studies

MUIN M400 Arts & Entertainment Entrepreneurship 3 crs.

This course will introduce students to the historic and current ways of doing business in the entertainment industries and provide them information on the general business principles necessary to allow them to move with confidence when developing business. Other aspects of this course include: the relation of ethics to entrepreneurship, how entrepreneurs contribute to the local, regional, national and global economy, and fundamental issues related to entrepreneurship. The same ideals that guide higher art also guide business and law.

Prerequisites: MUIN-M310 Arts & Ent. Finance

MUIN M415 Arts Administration 3 crs.

This course concerns the management of nonprofit side of the music and arts businesses, including symphony orchestras, schools, theatre, opera, museums, foundations, and other not for profit institutions related to music and the arts. All aspects of what defines a successful arts program will be considered: grant research and writing, organizational structures, strategic and business planning, sponsorship proposals, special events production, marketing, and legal issues.

Prerequisite: MUIN M110

MUIN M420 Contemporary Issues in Arts & Entertainment 3 crs.

This is an umbrella course that changes each year to accommodate new developments and trends in the music industry.

MUIN M420-051 Craft/Business of Songwriting 3 crs.

This class is an overview of the business of songwriting from a real world perspective. Methods of the craft and business of songwriting involving lyrics, melodies, song structure, demo recording, song exploitation, administration, royalty collections and more will be studied and practiced. Students will write original songs, make demonstration recordings of original songs and pursue the exploitation of those songs-- lots of hands-on exposure to what is currently relevant to the business of successful commercial songwriting.

MUIN M450 Music Industry Senior Seminar 3 crs.

This is the capstone course for seniors in the various Music Industry Studies tracks: BBA, BM and BS. This is the capstone course for seniors in the various Music Industry Studies tracks. The course is a summation of the student's experience in the program, and will bridge the gap between the academic pursuits of the student and the next step towards a career goal. In this course students will develop a business idea and be prepared to launch it by the end of the semester.

Prerequisite: MUIN M400

MUIN M475 Arts & Entertainment Internship 2 crs.

The purpose of this course is to provide academic credit in accordance with graduation requirements for students pursuing degrees in Music Industry, Popular and Commercial Music, and Filmmaking. The course will provide students with the tools and skillsets necessary to intern in companies and organizations within the entertainment industries, whether local, national, or international. Credit will only be granted to students enrolled in the course at the time of participation in approved internships, which total no less than 120 hours.

Prerequisite: MUIN M201 Arts & Ent Legal Issues I

MUIN M480 Popular Music Capstone Course 4 crs.

This is the final course of the curriculum for the BA in Popular and Commercial Music. This course brings together all of the threads of the curriculum. This is very much an applied learning course, an experiential learning course. The student will have already been involved in the production, performance and monetization of music. The deliverable for the course is a website with music, videos, a blog, an e-commerce solution, and a store. The student’s publishing and production companies must be registered and have operating agreements. PRO and copyright registrations must be up to date. Students will create a detailed career plan either as a player or in whatever field that they choose. Students must perform a senior recital as well.    

Prerequisites: Senior standing in BA in Popular and Commercial Music program

MUIN M499 Independent Study Credits Vary

A student may apply for an independent study only in the following two cases: the student needs a course for graduation which is not presently being offered, or the student desires to study a topic(s) not covered in courses offered by the college. An overall GPA of 2.0 is required in order to be eligible to enroll in independent study. In general, students applying for independent study should possess at least junior standing. Exceptions must be discussed with and approved by the associate dean. Students must also complete a formal application prior to registration and obtain approval from the desired tenured instructor and the associate dean.

For related courses in Music Industry Studies please see MUGN courses.