BA Music History and Industry at University of California, Los Angeles

Programme overview

The BA in Music History and Industry is not a technical or business degree; it is a liberal arts degree in musicology whose subject is the music industry, combining the focus on music as an art form with practical training and experiential learning based in the music industry. It includes courses that help students develop their skills in popular music creation and production as well as practical skills appropriate to the fiscal, entrepreneurial, and legal needs of the contemporary music world.

Faculty: Herb Alpert School of Music | Department: Musicology | Study mode: full-time | Intake: Fall | Location: Los Angeles, CA, United States

What you will study

The Major: Complete 12 courses as follows: (Required Courses; Music History and Industry Capstone Sequence; Upper-Division Music Industry Electives). Preparation for the Major (Required Courses; Performance Organizations; Lower-Division Elective).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applies to students entering the major (college-level admission to UCLA is separate): Admission: The Music History and Industry major assumes that students have some musical background before entering UCLA, although Western art music is not privileged. Auditions are not required, but prospective majors should be sufficiently competent on an instrument, in production, or in voice to participate in a performance group, as required by the program. Transfer Students: Transfer applicants to the Music History and Industry major with 90 or more units should complete one year of music theory and musicianship prior to admission to UCLA. Experience in group music performance (any genre) is strongly recommended. Transfer students are required to take Musicology 12W at UCLA.

Fall quarter only; UCLA does not offer early action or early decision.

Transfer students are admitted for fall quarter only.

Most graduate departments and schools have deadlines in November and early December for the following fall term.

Fall 2027 first-year and transfer: UC application opens August 1, accepts submissions October 1-November 30 (deadline November 30) via the UC application. First-year decisions late March; transfer decisions late April. UCLA is test-free and does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships. Application fees can be waived for up to four campuses for eligible students.

Transfer applicants must submit the Transfer Academic Update by the January 31 priority deadline; Statement of Intent to Register due June 1. First-year Statement of Intent to Register due May 1.

Apply through the official page: https://admission.ucla.edu/apply

Explore more study programmes

Arts & Humanities