Earn the business degree that best fits the music industry with the innovative Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Music Business from Southern New Hampshire University and Berklee College of Music. The music business is rapidly changing. New production technologies, distribution methods, and economic realities are creating new opportunities and challenging entrepreneurs who want to shape the industry. Success today depends on creative leaders who are well-versed in music business best practices that will continue to be relevant tomorrow.

The skills you learn in an MBA program apply to advanced career paths everywhere, but the teachings of traditional business especially those around leadership, innovation, strategy, and measuring success are all valuable and very applicable to the music industry. As Mike King, vice president of enrollment management and marketing and CMO of Berklee Online, explains: "SNHU is a leader in online learning with an expertise in business; Berklee is one of the most respected music colleges in the world. Together, we're helping professionals get eyes and ears on their music."

The online MBA in Music Business program includes 4 courses from the internationally respected Berklee College of Music. Each course will help you build the music-specific knowledge and skills you need to succeed in the industry. Paired with core business courses from SNHU, you'll gain the foundational, interdisciplinary experience of a comprehensive MBA. Graduates of this program will receive a co-branded diploma from both SNHU and Berklee giving you the name recognition of two major players in higher education. An innovative, high-quality music business degree, our MBA in Music Business is one of the most affordable MBAs in the nation and can be completed in about a year as a full-time student. The program is a perfect fit for executives, artists, managers, record label employees, and music entrepreneurs.

Learn how to:

- Integrate, synthesize and apply business practices in a music business context

- Analyze and interpret data for decision-making

- Develop and foster adaptable strategies for an organization

- Evaluate and implement various models and processes in the design and continuous improvement of organizations and their practices

- Cultivate globally aware and culturally responsive teams and organizations

- Create and implement plans around cultural, ethical, and legal standards, as well as sustainable practices

Plus, with multiple terms starts per year, no GRE/GMAT scores required and the flexibility to complete your coursework online with fluid deadlines, you'll be empowered to earn a reputable degree on your terms. In 2021, the curriculum for SNHU's MBA program was revised to better meet students' needs. Courses now include more multimedia content and real-world business activities that give you the opportunity to gain job-ready skills even before you graduate.

"The MBA in Music Business program is now only 10 classes. While all of SNHUs online MBA programs include required core classes, the music business focus offers different branches of the same tree," said Robert Benincasa, a graduate academic advisor for MBA music students. It is important for students to know that this is not a music degree; it is a business degree. Above all things, it is an MBA. While you'll learn traditional subjects like marketing, finance, and ethics, they'll all be woven through your courses, giving you a more efficient MBA experience. As a bonus, you'll be able to "earn as you learn," meaning the coursework gives you the knowledge to help you earn industry-recognized certifications and badges throughout your program. Additionally, as a student of the online MBA in Music Business, you'll replace one required SNHU MBA course Organizational Strategy in a Global Environment with Music Business Leadership and Ethics."

Plus, you'll have 3 concentration courses from Berklee, which explore the practical application of business principles and best practices in the music industry.

Courses include:

- Music Business Leadership and Ethics, which examines music industry leadership scenarios while exploring the characteristics of notable leaders and different leadership approaches. It also explores ethics from a wide variety of industries to gain an understanding of why ethical choices are important. You'll analyze current issues affecting the music industry, such as the treatment of artists, intellectual property rights, revenue sharing, and digital media and distribution.

- Music Business Structures and Strategies, which offers an in-depth look at the structure of the evolving music business and strategies for creating successful business models. You'll navigate through the critical areas of the music industry, including publishing and licensing; marketing, promotion, and retail; proper utilization of free music; fan funding and other forms of creative revenue for musicians; and new business opportunities. You'll learn, for example, just how important publishing is in protecting an artist's work. Plus, with new opportunities arising to license music for visual media such as film or video games, you'll discover how to use unexpected channels to reach new audiences.

- Music Marketing Strategies, which examines the tools and emerging technologies used to generate interest in music, acquire new fans, and sell content. It covers online music marketing the opportunities available, case studies on how artists are generating interest online, ways to optimize the fan experience, and the major differences between online and physical marketing campaigns. At the end of the course, you'll use everything you've learned to create a marketing plan giving you the opportunity to flesh out a strategy that excites and invites new listeners.

- Music Business Finance, which explores how to apply critical tools of financial analysis to leverage talent, assess the potential of music enterprises, and drive new music businesses. You'll take a look at nontraditional forms of music funding, such as venture capital and crowdfunding opportunities like Kickstarter. You'll specifically focus on 3 distinct components: financial calculations; money, markets, and the music business; and music funding.

Don't have a business background? No problem. Our MBA is accessible to everyone. Interested students must have a conferred undergraduate degree for acceptance, but it can be in any field. Those without an undergraduate degree in business or a related field may be asked to complete up to 2 foundation courses to get started. These foundations cover essential business skill sets and can be used to satisfy elective requirements for the general-track MBA. With foundations, the maximum length of your online MBA would be 36 credits.

Attend full-time or part-time. Students in the MBA have the option to enroll full-time (at 2 classes per term) or part-time (with 1 class per term). Full-time students should be able to complete the program in about 1 year, while part-time students could finish in about 2 years. Our SNHU students are busy, often juggling jobs, family, and other obligations, so you may want to work with your academic advisor to identify the course plan that works for you. The good news is, you can switch from full-time to part-time and back again as often as you want. Learn more about the prestigious, Boston-based Berklee College of Music the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That's why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

- Completed Application

- Undergraduate transcripts, which we can retrieve for you by submitting a Transcript Request Form Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

$150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)