Explore Our Programs
The School of Music offers undergraduate degrees in six concentrations. Whether you wish to be a professional musician, public school music teacher, composer, sound recorder, or music management professional, the School of Music can provide world-class training for you.
Arts Administration, B.I.S.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Arts Administration
The Arts Administration concentration provides students with a broad-based knowledge of business and the arts and positions graduates for managerial positions in galleries, theaters and other arts organizations, especially in the nonprofit sector. The program allows students with an interest in the arts to develop widely marketable skills. Students take courses in nonprofit management, business communication and marketing with electives in business administration, creative media industries study, entrepreneurship, marketing and nonprofit management.
There are four thematic concentrations: Art History Administration, Music Administration, Studio Administration and Theatre Administration.
Students can pursue their interest in the arts in one of these four areas while also taking courses in nonprofit management, business communication and marketing.
An internship course is required for Art History Administration and Theatre Administration or can be taken as an elective in Music Administration and Theatre Administration. Other possible electives include business administration, creative media industries and world languages courses.
Our campus is in the heart of downtown Atlanta. We are part of a thriving, vibrant arts scene with many arts administration opportunities in art, music and theatre.
Bachelor of Music, Concentration in Composition, B.Mu.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Composition, Teaching
This concentration prepares students for graduate study in composition, careers as professional composers and teachers of composition. Successful applicants demonstrate success in undergraduate theory and aural skills classes, have a portfolio of compositions and successfully pass an entrance jury. A portfolio of compositions with accompanying recordings for review as well as completion of Theory IV and Aural Skills IV is required.
Freshman and sophomore students may enroll in Composition Seminar to develop the portfolio. Completion of Theory I and Aural Skills I is required for admission into the Composition Seminar.
The mission of the School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university. Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations such as performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.
Bachelor of Music, Concentration in Jazz Studies, B.Mu.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Jazz Performance, Arranger, Composer, Music Performance, Teaching
College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Jazz Performance, Arranger, Composer, Music Performance, Teaching
This concentration develops competence in jazz performance, improvisation and knowledge of jazz history, develops professional competence in establishing, organizing and maintaining a high school or college-level jazz program and nurtures the creative talents of students in jazz arranging and composing.
The Jazz Studies program provides opportunities for students to participate in quality jazz organizations such as large jazz bands and jazz combos. In addition to the performance groups, students may supplement their playing by participating in some of the academic jazz courses such as jazz improvisation, jazz arranging and jazz pedagogy, etc.
The mission of the School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university. Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations such as performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.
Bachelor of Music, Concentration in Music Education, B.Mu.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Music Education
The Music Education Faculty believes all cultures should be represented and that both traditional and novel settings should be used to teach music. You will take traditional method classes but will also learn to improvise, use electric instruments, compose and much more. You will learn to be the best possible ensemble/choral director in addition to being able to design novel student-centered instruction. Most important, you will learn to channel your passion for music through effective instruction.
Music Education prepares you to teach music in schools or other group settings from early childhood through adulthood. After graduation, you qualify for a Georgia teaching certificate in K-12 music. In addition to performance, you will study child development and learning, as well as methods of teaching music. Applicants should have a strong background in music performance and music reading and should have a particular interest in sharing their love of music with others.
The mission of the School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university. Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations such as performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.
Bachelor of Music, Concentration in Music Performance, B.Mu.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Music Performance, Orchestral Instruments and Performance
College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Music Performance, Orchestral Instruments and Performance
Music Performance (Bachelor of Music) prepares students for careers as performing musicians or studio teachers. A strong background in music reading and performance (including participation in school bands, choirs, or orchestras, performance experience in small groups and as a soloist and private study) is required. Many students in this concentration have excelled in community groups such as youth orchestras and have performed in public concerts and recitals. Graduates in performance from Georgia State have gone on to have major careers in some of the world’s most prestigious venues.
An audition is required for admission.
The mission of the School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university. Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations such as performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.
Bachelor of Music, Concentration in Music Technology (Recording), B.Mu.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Music Management and Technology
Music Technology (Recording/Music Production) prepares students for work in artistic, technical or producer/director capacities in music and music-related media industries. Students are aesthetically and practically trained for work as audio engineers and music technologists. Auditions are required.
The mission of the School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university. Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations such as performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.
Music Industry/Management, B.S.
Bachelor's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Music Management and Technology
Music Management (Bachelor of Science) prepares students for a variety of management-related careers in the music industry, including profit and non-profit sectors. The curriculum is founded on basic knowledge of music, experiences in performing and courses in business and music management. Graduates may work in a range of capacities at record labels and distributors or in artist and concert management, retail sales or music publishing. Students complete at least one internship with a commercial firm or non-profit agency as part of their programs.
The mission of the School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university. Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations such as performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.
Music, Dual B.Mu./M.Mu. Program
Master's
College/School: College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Composition, Conducting (Choral, Orchestral, Wind Band), Jazz Performance, Arranger, Composer, Music Performance, Orchestral Instruments and Performance, Vocal Performance
Music, Dual B.Mu./M.Mu. Program
Eligible for the Dual Undergraduate/Graduate Program
College of the Arts
Locations: Atlanta Campus
Interest Area: Composition, Conducting (Choral, Orchestral, Wind Band), Jazz Performance, Arranger, Composer, Music Performance, Orchestral Instruments and Performance, Vocal Performance
The School of Music offers a dual Bachelor of Music and Master of Music program for all Performance concentrations, Jazz Studies, Composition and Piano Pedagogy. The dual-degree opportunity enables qualified students to enroll in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program and apply the coursework toward both the bachelor’s and master’s programs. The program is designed to take five years to complete.
Students must be formally accepted into the dual-degree program by the school and the College of the Arts to be able to take graduate courses as an undergraduate. Acceptance into the dual program does not constitute admission to the master’s program. Students must fulfill regular graduate admissions requirements and apply for the master’s program following college processes.
Through the dual-degree programs, highly talented and qualified students will have the opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in as little as five years. If determined to be qualified by typical admission measures, students can begin taking coursework toward the designated master’s degree program while still completing their final year of bachelor’s work. Admission to the graduate program is provisional, contingent upon successful completion of the bachelor’s degree, maintenance of the required 3.5 GPA and performance in the graduate-level courses taken during the bachelor’s degree.