Overview

The Music - Popular Music BA program from Arizona State University welcomes and accommodates 21st century musicians interested in popular music, music industry studies and entrepreneurship. This includes but is not limited to singers and songwriters, laptop performers, producers, composers, instrumentalists, vocalists and musicians whose practices and playing styles are representative of varied popular music idioms.

Students in this concentration develop general musicianship and are invited to specialize in areas of study which include songwriting, production, composition, performance, engineering, sound design, events, music business, education and advocacy work. Students participate in individual applied study in chosen specializations, as well as a variety of group performances and production opportunities. All students gain a working knowledge of the music industry and music business, and the entrepreneurial skills necessary to gain meaningful employment upon graduation.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts in music with a concentration in popular music prepares students for potential careers in the popular music industry that involve creativity and creating new work, being a flexible musician, collaborating with others in the community and having knowledge of music business and music marketing. Possible jobs include:

concert management and promotion
entrepreneurship
music marketing
music performance in the popular music sector
music publishing
nonprofit arts related work
teaching a private studio
work in music related fields

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Music History
Popular Music and Race
Popular Music Industry
Opera and Music Theater
Concerts in the 20th Century
Jazz Musicians as Composers
Music and Film

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-11 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00
Starting 2027-08-20 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-05 00:00:00

Language

English

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Tempe, United States
Phoenix, United States

Disciplines

Music Musicology Liberal Arts View 382 other Bachelors in Musicology in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

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98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

All auditioning students must submit an artist statement explaining both their current work and vision of their future work in popular music. A minimum of 250 words is required.
Live auditions or recorded auditions are required. A live audition consists of a 15-minute performance or presentation consisting of three to five selections of live or digital music performance.
Complete the undergraduate application for admission.
Submit the nonrefundable application fee (Arizona residents: $50; Domestic nonresidents: $70; International nonresidents: $85).
Request your official transcript and examination results be sent directly from your school(s) or exam board to Admission Services.
Provide evidence of English language proficiency.
Submit your ACT or SAT scores.
All international students planning to attend Arizona State University will need to first apply for an I-20 in order to apply for an F-1 or J-1 student visa.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

37202 USD / year

≈ 37202 USD / year
Out-of-State

34014 USD / year

≈ 34014 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

11822 USD / year

≈ 11822 USD / year

Living costs

Tempe

United States

900 - 1350 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Music - Popular Music.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Career Opportunities

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Tempe

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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