MBA in Music Business Degree Online

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

Take advantage of some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, plus financial aid for those who qualify. We also make it easy to transfer to SNHU by accepting up to 12 credits from your previous institution.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 100,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 200,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

Opportunities

Combining SNHU's networking power with Berklee College of Music, students will have access to some of the brightest minds in the music business. Berklee is recognized as the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Countless Berklee alum have gone on to win some of the highest accolades in the industry, including Grammys, Emmys, Tonys and Academy Awards. As a student of the program, you'll learn from experts with decades of combined industry experience who know what it takes to succeed in a competitive and ever-changing field.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU.² Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Part of our mission to expand 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 — with no GRE or GMAT required.

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

You can also choose to take your MBA core courses on campus (day or evening) while completing concentration courses online. To apply for the evening program or the 100% online MBA, use the online application.

Simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options, answer all your questions, and walk you through the application process, which includes:

• Completing a graduate application
• Providing undergraduate transcripts

Technology has radically transformed every aspect of the music industry, from production and distribution to promotion. As the music business has shifted to a digital model, it has also ushered in exciting new opportunities.

From the advent of peer-to-peer file sharing, to the rise of popular streaming services and a growing interest in licensing for film, television and video games, music professionals must nimbly seek new avenues to put their music out into the world.

Students of the MBA in Music Business program at SNHU and Berklee Online are artists, producers, managers, promoters and more. Some are just getting their foot in the door, others are music vets accessing the tools they need to remain relevant in a fast-changing industry.

Some of the most common career paths you can pursue with an MBA in Music Business are:

• Artist & repertoire (A&R) manager. Represent musical artists by planning, organizing, directing and negotiating on their behalf.
• Booking agent: Manage the many different aspects of event booking for musicians, including contract negotiation, marketing, event planning and more.
• Publicist: Manage media relations and spin stories that help shape an artist's public image.
• Tour manager: Nail down the logistics of putting an artist on tour – from transportation and accommodations to scheduling, merchandise and finances.
• Music publisher: Review contractual agreements to help ensure artists are paid and their work is protected.
• Promoter: Work with artists and venues to organize tours and special events.

The music industry attracts people with passion, creativity and drive. Those who succeed in the music industry understand business.

Whether it’s managing finances, negotiating contracts, booking events or reviewing publishing agreements, it's not enough to have talent. You need the acumen to handle yourself on the business side of a music-related career. Even composers and performers can benefit from an MBA in music business.

“The MBA remains the premier degree for business students,” said Dr. Mark F. Hobson, SNHU’s senior associate dean of business. “It provides learners with the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and abilities that employers seek in generalists, specialists, strategists or entrepreneurs.”

Vivek Paul ’13MBA wrote a business plan for an independent artist while working toward his master’s in music business. “I think there’s a huge amount of gap for the whole creative industry to be educated,” he said.

Paul stresses aspects of the industry like rights and trademarks, while viewing the music business through the lens of an entrepreneur. “The big transformation for me was that a song is intellectual property, an artist is a brand, and if you put them together it’s a startup.”

There are unexpected places the online MBA in Music can take you, too. As a program that emphasizes the role of technology in distributing and selling music, many graduates are putting their own signature on the business.

"I had one student who was really interested in the algorithm of a popular streaming service," said Mike King, VP of enrollment management and marketing and CMO of Berklee Online. "He was a composer who created these ambient playlists that people would listen to as they'd fall asleep. Rain and waves and sounds like that."

The plan struck King, as it not only displayed exceptional understanding of the intersection between technology and music – it also became a way for his student to make money.

"It was a really clever idea – and ended up becoming really profitable, too" King said.

In the end, the message is clear: Knowing how to market, manage and monetize a business is a crucial skill set for any music industry professional.

As with any business degree, you have many options when it comes to pursuing a music business degree online, including specialized music business schools.

SNHU’s online MBA in Music Business, offered in partnership with Berklee School of Music, is the only one of its kind in the U.S. The program consists of 8 core courses online through SNHU and 4 courses through Berklee Online.

Because it’s an MBA, you’ll gain skills and knowledge you can apply across a diverse range of industries. Yet, with its focus on music, this program builds your expertise in the music industry.

Robert Benincasa, a graduate academic advisor for MBA music students, said, “Although our students have a variety of backgrounds, they are mostly on the creative side and want to use the knowledge gained to strengthen their business side.”

Carin Nuernberg, Berklee's VP of academic strategy, notes that this online music degree combines “SNHU’s core strength in business and what Berklee does best in Berklee Online.”

Generally speaking, it takes 2 years to complete an MBA in Music Business. But the answer to this question often comes down to the individual, plus three common factors in everyone's life: time, cost and work/family obligations.

At SNHU, most graduate students complete the 36-credit program in 2 years. If you’re motivated to finish faster, we recommend taking two of your 8 core business courses per each of SNHU’s five 10-week terms. By completing your 4 Berklee Online courses at the same pace, you can wrap up your studies within 18 months.

And if you need more than 2 years? You have the option to do that, too. We understand that life isn't always predictable – and our online courses are designed to work for you. So if you need to take terms off in between courses, just let us know. With multiple term starts per year, you have the flexibility to create a schedule that fits your needs.

¹ RIAA, Year-End 2019 RIAA Music Revenues Report, on the internet at https://www.riaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/RIAA-2019-Year-End-Music-Industry-Revenue-Report.pdf (viewed July 1, 2020)

² According to more than 9,200 SNHU online students in survey responses from the fall of 2019.