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Ministry-approved program title: Music Business Administration (two-year)/Music Business Management (three-year)
The Music Business/Music Business Management programs prepare students to enter any field of the music industry equipped with a solid foundation of relevant knowledge and business practices, and plenty of hands-on experience. Students learn to manage revenue streams, book tours, draft and negotiate contracts, manage artists and venues, plan and execute events, design websites, market and promote artists and merchandise, build a network, and much more. Graduates enter the industry ready and eager to become astute music industry executives, well-informed musicians/songwriters, or both!
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This unique business-based program provides plenty of experiential learning opportunities and in-depth knowledge of all areas of the music business, preparing you for a wide variety of music industry careers spanning:
You will develop skills in management, marketing, promotion, and small business operations, while learning and practicing the essentials of copyright law and music publishing, event production, live sound reinforcement, and media and business communications. Challenging careers are available for skilled administrators and managers, as well as aspiring musicians and songwriters, who can market and manage entertainment events and revenues; maximize social media; manage tours; work directly with performers as booking agents or managers; prepare promotional materials; plan and organize itineraries; and negotiate, interpret and enforce contracts.
The Music Business Practicum (MBP) course is unique; here, your textbook is life itself and you are the author. You will have a job and it will be your homework.
This course, which you take for four semesters, provides you with hands-on, practical, networking and business experience similar to what you will encounter in the music industry. MBP offers you the chance to learn by doing. In the process you will learn plenty of useful and important things about the industry and yourself.
In MBP first and second-year students work together and with the community to operate our own music industry. There are several enterprises to which you can apply in order to become a valued team member and get a great learning experience. These include record labels, artist management companies, the campus radio station, a recording studio, a music magazine, a merchandising company, an event production company, a publicity and promotion company, photography and video production, and more.
In order to pass each MBP course, you are required to:
You will continually gain real-world experience for your resumé, which will greatly improve your job prospects. Employers want people with experience and MBP gives you a great opportunity to get exactly that, in and outside of the classroom.
The Mike Shulga Memorial Award is granted annually to a student in the third year (Semester 5) of the Music Business Management advanced diploma program. Applicants must submit proof of relevant work promoting independent live music. Ideas include performance and venue contracts, artists’ affidavits, evidence of promotion (e.g. social media, posters, ads) venue and promoter contact info, etc. Mike "Star" Shulga was an active force in the Oshawa music scene for more than 40 years. He had a passion for rock n' roll and vinyl, and promoted local artists through his own label and live shows. Community members and friends of Mike are providing this scholarship as a tribute to him, a consummate music fan.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2023-2024 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.
More than 75% of this program is delivered in-person.
The rest of the coursework will be delivered using hybrid, flexible or online formats. Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
One of the key strengths of the Music Business Management program is the field placement component, which offers students the opportunity to apply their new academic knowledge in a supervised workplace setting. For both semesters of the third year, students work for an industry organization two days a week for a total of 210 hours per semester. This is an excellent opportunity for students to apply what they have learned in the program, gain the basic skills necessary to compete for entry-level positions in a highly specialized field, and to make all-important industry contacts.
Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.
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