Associate in Applied Science in Music Industries: Music Business

Music Business
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Learn more about the Music Industry Studies program.

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Course Sequence

Field of Interest

Field of Interest: Visual and Performing Arts

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Music Industries: Music Business is designed to provide aspiring music industry professionals with a broad background in music management, production, and entrepreneurship activities. The program combines theoretical and applied learning experiences to help students gain a strategic understanding of commercial music as both an art and profession. Students will choose a focus area among business and marketing, commercial performance, and music production. They will employ analytical and communication skills and explore aesthetic, cultural, and historical perspectives relevant to the music industry.

Details

Details icon Important information you’ll need when applying for admission:

Field of Interest
Visual and Performing Arts
Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Music Industries: Music Business (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3017
Total Credits Required
61-70
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Available Online
Yes
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

What You’ll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Analyze the values, ethics, and key factors, including economic, legal, policy, audience, and consumer that influence the creation of music-related media products.
  2. Utilize applications and tools to manage business and creative activities in the music industry.
  3. Create a project plan applying project management skills.
  4. Demonstrate interpersonal skills in building relationships and networking with clients, colleagues, and organizations.
  5. Identify opportunities for expanding creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial skills in the music industry.
  6. Analyze and synthesize musical content for social, cultural, aesthetic and historical significance.
  7. Evaluate branding, marketing communications, and sales skills to build a music brand.
  8. Investigate intellectual property law, rights management, publishing, licensing, and contracts.
  9. Differentiate operating structures and business types.
  10. Analyze metrics and revenue data to improve business processes.
  11. Use effective written, oral, and visual communication skills for diverse audiences and outcomes.
  12. Assess the music industry and its role in the gig economy.

Career Opportunities

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Maricopa County-based annual median wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Advertising and Promotions Managers

$100,483

Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes

$58,335

General and Operations Managers

$94,323

Instrumental Musicians

$55,740

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

$71,962

Marketing Managers

$133,431

Music Composers and Arrangers

$46,876

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below, with links to salary information for the United States as a whole (if available):
  • Business Operations Specialists, All Other
  • Media and Communication Workers, All Other
* Career and wage information provided by Lightcast using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources and Lightcast’s proprietary analytical processes. Lightcast’s data covers multiple classes of workers including QCEW, non-QCEW, and those who are self-employed. Disclaimer

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC109 Music Business: Content Creation and Copyright Critical course Gateway course 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MUC242 or
MHL155		 Music Genres and Styles or Survey of American Music None or C, H, HU 2–3
MAT14+ College Mathematics Critical course MA 3–6
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC110 Music Business: Marketing and Monetization Critical course 3
MTC180 or
MUC180		 Computer Literacy for Musicians or Computer Literacy for the Music Business Note: Students who have not already completed MTC180 must take MUC180 CS or CS 3
MKT271 Principles of Marketing 3
RE Restricted Elective 3
ENG102 or
ENG108 or
ENG111		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL or Technical and Professional Writing ENG102 or ENG108 is recommended for students who intend to transfer FYC or FYC or L 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
General Elective Select courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum total program credits required for this degree. Consult with an Academic and/or Program Advisor. 0–1

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC209 Music Industry Entrepreneurship 3
MUC293 Self Promotion for Music 1
MGT253 Owning and Operating a Small Business 3
MKT110 Marketing and Social Networking 3
RE Restricted Elective 3–4
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication Consult with an academic advisor about specific COM requirements if intending to transfer SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC290AA or
MUC296WA or
MUC298AA		 Music Business Internship or Cooperative Education or Special Projects 1
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design MHL course recommended.
Courses used to satisfy a requirement in Required Courses may not be used to satisfy this requirement. 		HU 3
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 3
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC109 Music Business: Content Creation and Copyright Critical course Gateway course 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC110 Music Business: Marketing and Monetization Critical course 3
ENG102 or
ENG108 or
ENG111		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL or Technical and Professional Writing ENG102 or ENG108 is recommended for students who intend to transfer FYC or FYC or L 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC242 or
MHL155		 Music Genres and Styles or Survey of American Music None or C, H, HU 2–3
MAT14+ College Mathematics Critical course MA 3–6

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MTC180 or
MUC180		 Computer Literacy for Musicians or Computer Literacy for the Music Business Note: Students who have not already completed MTC180 must take MUC180 CS or CS 3
MKT271 Principles of Marketing 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC293 Self Promotion for Music 1
MKT110 Marketing and Social Networking 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design MHL course recommended.
Courses used to satisfy a requirement in Required Courses may not be used to satisfy this requirement. 		HU 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC209 Music Industry Entrepreneurship 3
MGT253 Owning and Operating a Small Business 3
General Elective Select courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum total program credits required for this degree. Consult with an Academic and/or Program Advisor. 0–1

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
RE Restricted Elective 3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication Consult with an academic advisor about specific COM requirements if intending to transfer SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MUC290AA or
MUC296WA or
MUC298AA		 Music Business Internship or Cooperative Education or Special Projects 1
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
RE Restricted Elective 3–4
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4

Restricted Electives

Students should work with their program advisor to select 12-13 credits from courses that align with the academic/career goals and further their development in the areas of music business and marketing, music production, and commercial performance. Courses from required courses area may not be used.

Business and Marketing
GBS+++ Any GBS General Business course
MKT+++ Any MKT Marketing course
MUC+++ Any MUC Music: Commercial/Business course

Music Production
MTC+++ Any MTC Music: Theory/Composition course
MUC+++ Any MUC Music: Commercial/Business course

Commercial Performance
MTC+++ Any MTC Music: Theory/Composition course
MUP+++ Any MUP Music: Performance course

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Program Information

Learn more about and find contact information for the Music Industry Studies program.

General Help

Ask general questions over the phone at 480-461-7400 or via online chat.

Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • C = Cultural Diversity in the US
  • CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • MA = Mathematics
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SG = Natural Sciences General
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, meet with an academic advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=15992687).

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Music Industries: Music Business