Florida State University\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0College of Music is expanding with a new degree\u00a0offering\u00a0for students interested in a behind-the-scenes career within the music\u00a0industry.<\/p>\n The\u00a0College of Music<\/a>\u00a0announced earlier this month the introduction of its\u00a0bachelor\u2019s\u00a0of arts degree in\u00a0music business<\/a>, which gives students the opportunity to explore the business-related side of the evolving entertainment industry.<\/p>\n \u201cThe purpose of the new bachelor\u2019s in music business is really aimed towards students that may want to be in a career\u00a0that’s\u00a0meant to support artists as opposed to being on stage,\u201d FSU College of Music specialized teaching faculty member Alan Blanchard, who will lead the program, told the Tallahassee Democrat during a Feb. 23 phone call.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope students would want to go into entertainment law\u00a0or\u00a0maybe into\u00a0concert promotion for digital marketing. They can even work\u00a0at a record label\u00a0or a booking agency,\u00a0or\u00a0in\u00a0artist\u00a0management.\u201d<\/p>\n FSU College of Music specialized teaching faculty member Alan Blanchard.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The possibilities in the music entertainment industry are countless, Blanchard said. Also, the College of Music’s continued growth with more degree offerings for students comes as the school is celebrating its 125th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary of being\u00a0established\u00a0on FSU\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n The College of Music has over 30 degree offerings. Besides music business, it also introduced a community music degree<\/a> in December, which made it the first degree program of its kind in the nation to offer a specific bachelor of arts degree.<\/p>\n Given the college\u2019s expansion during the milestone anniversary,\u00a0Blanchard \u2013 an FSU\u00a0alumnus\u00a0with a background in artist management who has also released GRAMMY-Award winning albums \u2013\u00a0expressed\u00a0how beneficial the new opportunity will be for current and incoming students.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing back here teaching, it’s just great to be able to see new opportunities for the students and different ways that we can help make an impact in the greater music industry,\u201d\u00a0Blanchard said.\u00a0During his career, he helped guide the marketing campaign for the album “How Love Begins” by jazz singer-songwriter Nicole Zuraitis, which won a 2024 GRAMMY Award.<\/p>\n The 120-credit-hour music business degree program offers a curriculum that integrates music, business, law, marketing, technology and management\u00a0\u2013 topics that\u00a0foster the\u00a0College of Music\u2019s\u00a0partnership\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Herbert Wertheim College of Business<\/a> and the\u00a0Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe College of Music at FSU continues to be a leader in the field, offering innovative degree programs that are student-centered and providing a pathway for all students who want to pursue music as part of their career goals,\u201d FSU College of Music Dean Todd Queen said in a prepared statement.<\/p>\n Todd Queen, dean of FSU’s College of Music.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n With the creation of\u00a0the\u00a0new degree, it comes\u00a0as a result of\u00a0increasing student interest and industry demand for graduates who combine musical knowledge with business, entrepreneurial and technological skills, according to the university.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve met a bunch of students already here on campus who are studying marketing or business, or something else, hoping to get into the music industry,\u201d Blanchard said. \u201cThe College of Music is interested in expanding and offering more courses that can help bridge the gap for so many students.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said music business is “certainly a degree that is rising in popularity” and named some prominent universities that offer the program \u2212 including Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, New York University and the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music.<\/p>\n The new degree\u00a0is offered under\u00a0music\u00a0industry, which is a new\u00a0overarching\u00a0area\u00a0of study within the College of Music that also includes the college’s commercial music degree program.\u00a0While Florida A&M University<\/a>\u00a0does not offer a music business degree, its campus houses The\u00a0Julian “Cannonball” and Nat Adderley Music Institute<\/a>, which develops research in music and entertainment industry studies.\u00a0At the same time, it offers courses related to recording arts with an emphasis on production, composition, business management and marketing.<\/p>\n Applications for FSU’s new music\u00a0business degree program are currently open with a March 1 deadline\u00a0for admission in the fall. There is no cap for the number of students who will be accepted.<\/p>\n Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network \u2013 Florida. She can be reached at\u00a0tjean@tallahassee.com<\/a>. Follow her on X:\u00a0@tarahjean_<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU College of Music launches new bachelor’s degree in music business<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>