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Course Syllabus

MUSC 3750 Survey of Music Business

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Music
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 2; Lab: 1
  • Repeatable: Yes.
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Corequisites: None
  • Semesters Offered: Fall
  • Semester Approved: Spring 2025
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2029
  • End Semester: Fall 2030
  • Optimum Class Size: 24
  • Maximum Class Size: 35

Course Description

This course is a general overview and study of the business of making money from music. It covers the general aspects of the music industry including the major functional areas, governmental regulations, and revenue streams. It also presents a balanced focus towards discussing the practical career paths, common practices, and history of the music industry.

Justification

Many music programs around the country, and especially programs with a Commercial Music element, offer a Survey of Music Business type course. This course is offered to educate students of the many ways that money can be made with music so that they will better be prepared for success in their careers. It also educates students about how to legally protect themselves and their music from entities that may take advantage of their artistic and creative abilities.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Be knowledgeable of the role and necessity for record labels and music publishers in the music industry.
  2. Be knowledgeable of the legal protection of music including copyright, intellectual property, and contracts.
  3. Be knowledgeable of various revenue streams and types of royalties.
  4. Be knowledgeable of the multitude of career paths available to pursue in the music industry.
  5. Be knowledgeable of various ways music is marketed, sold, and promoted in the music industry.
  6. Be knowledgeable of the history of the music business and the development of record labels, music publishers, and copyright law.
  7. Be knowledgeable of entrepreneurship and business planning.
  8. Be knowledgeable of current topics/issues in the music industry.
  9. Have an advanced knowledge of at least one career path in the music industry.

Course Content

This course covers aspects of the world music industry transcending culture and genre differences. The projects/papers are variable in order to cater to the diverse backgrounds and musical tastes of students, but additional projects/papers may be presented to push students out of their comfort zones and into new and exotic styles and genres. The following topics are covered:What the Music Industry IsJobs/CareersEntrepreneurshipHistory of Record LabelsRecord Label OrganizationThe Record DealSongwritingCopyrightPublishingMusic LicensingConcert PromotionMerchandizingSerious MusicMusic in Broadcasting, Film and Theater