Bandier Master’s in Music Business

Hands-on and industry facing, the Bandier music business master’s program gives you the skills, experiences and network you need to build your dream career in the music business.

The program combines the study of the business of music, media, marketing and entrepreneurship with hands-on experiences to prepare you for a successful career in the music industry. 

What Skills Will I Learn in the Bandier Music Business Master’s Program? 

Classes in the music business graduate program will prepare you for your first job in the music industry.  

Providing true multi-disciplinary education, the music business master’s program is run as a partnership between the Newhouse School and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). You will take a music theory course at VPA and business classes at the  Whitman School of Management. You will learn skills such as graphic design and video editing from the leading minds at Newhouse, the nation’s top school of communications. 

The Bandier music business program teaches the fundamental rights, royalties, and deal-making approaches of the modern music business, across the label, publishing, management, streaming and live sectors, and across all genres. The core music business instruction will get you well-versed on the basics of everything from music law and copyright to the current social media and data tools being used by top companies today. You will be challenged to learn and embrace emerging technologies such as blockchain-backed distribution methods and artificial intelligence, two sectors with emerging career opportunities.

You will also develop the professional and social skills required to communicate and succeed in this industry. 

Experiences in the Music Business

“Get your hands dirty” is a mantra in the Bandier program. Many students build their own businesses and side hustles to bring what they are learning in class to life. All students take the capstone course, which requires them to build a real-world business that generates revenue (from outside of their peer group). The practical skills you learn in the Bandier program, such as graphic design, video editing and business communication, combined with your preparation in strategic thinking and planning, will prepare you for the capstone project. You will build your own real-world business in the capstone class, mastering strategic planning, sales and marketing, and ultimately, the general skill set of moving the needle on your chosen priorities. 

Music business master’s students are required to complete two internships, at least one of which will happen during a semester in Los Angeles. 

Bandier Music Business Internships in Los Angeles

Once you have mastered the basics of the music business during your year in Syracuse, you will test your music education by moving to the music industry capital of the world: Los Angeles. Your summer and final semester of the program will be spent at the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program, which is the West Coast hub of the Newhouse School. There, you will take classes at night from music industry professionals and be embedded in the music industry during the day.  

Who Should Apply for the Bandier Music Business Master’s Program? 

If you have good business sense and are passionate about music, this program will help you learn the skills to excel in a music industry career. The Bandier music business master’s program is not intended for students who have previously studied the music business. You do not need to be a musician or to have studied music to be in this program.  

Learn more about what life is like at the @BandierProgram by following us on Instagram and TikTok. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.  

Networking in the Music Business Graduate Program 

The Bandier program puts an emphasis on professional experiences and network building. Graduate and undergraduate students are brought together to form an integrated Bandier community, forging relationships with emerging industry leaders that will last a lifetime.  

Graduate students will attend the renowned weekly Rezak Lecture Series, which brings the best leaders in the music business to campus. The Rezak Lecture Series is one of the building blocks in your network, giving you a chance to learn from music industry leaders. Students will also have an opportunity to schedule networking sessions during our speaker visits and join our weekly speaker dinner. 

Application Deadline

Application materials must be submitted by Jan. 15 for priority consideration. Applications continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the spring if space is available. 

For more information about the M.S. in music business, contact Bill Werde (bwerde@syr.edu), program director and professor of practice. 

For more information about graduate studies at the Newhouse School, contact Martha Coria (macoria@syr.edu), assistant director of graduate programs, or fill out the form below.