Conduct Your Way to the Top with a Degree in Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing
Are you excited about the idea of becoming a professional in the commercial music industry? You probably have raw musical talent and a passion for the field. If this sounds like you, Liberty University’s Bachelor of Music in Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing degree may be the right fit for you!
When you pursue our degree in publishing and producing, you’ll receive the knowledge, skill, and practical, hands-on experience you need to excel in the commercial music industry. You’ll be ready to start your career upon graduation in areas like record production, audiovisual, artist management, music directing or coordinating, recording engineering, and music licensing.
So what are you waiting for? You’re a talented musician. You’re passionate about the field, and that’s what the music industry needs—people like you. We’re going to partner with you to provide the education you need to refine your talent and passion and turn it into a rewarding career.
Award-Winning Campus
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education that equips students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence helped us rank as the #4 Best College Campus in America by Niche.com. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Why Choose Liberty’s Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing Degree?
Choosing Liberty means choosing excellence. By choosing our program, you’re choosing to study with one of the top music schools in the nation. You’re choosing a program that’s highly-respected and recognized by other institutions and employers, due to its accreditation through the National Association of Schools of Music. You’re choosing to learn from professional and degreed professors, gain hands-on experience, and excel in your market.
One of the best assets of our music program is our professors. You’ll have access to 45 full-time faculty members who each have professional experience in the music industry and have earned degrees from some of the most prestigious music schools in the nation. They are passionate about the field, and they’re even more passionate about teaching you—the next generation of leaders in the commercial music industry.
Another great aspect of our commercial music program is the hands-on experience you’ll receive. You’ll learn practical skills like conducting, and you’ll have the chance to practice your musical talents daily. Plus, you’ll get additional experience outside the classroom with the required practicum and internship, which will guarantee that you’ll be career-ready upon graduation.
What Will You Learn in Our Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing Degree?
We understand that the music industry is a rewarding but challenging field, and that’s why we’ve created a curriculum that will match that intensity. You’ll learn a lot while you’re here with daily music practice, practicums, an internship, and required extracurricular activities like concert attendance. You’re going to gain all the skills and knowledge you need to be a successful professional in the music industry.
With your major in commercial music, you’ll study topics like harmonic practices and theory, musicianship, commercial music theory, music production and audio, as well as the Christian music community as a whole.
If you choose to pursue our publishing and producing specialization, you’ll gain further practical knowledge in:
- Basic Conducing
- Fundamentals of Sound Reinforcement
- Music History (Since 1750)
- Music Publishing and Entrepreneurship
- Principles of Audio Mixing and Production
- Pro Tools Fundamentals I
Review the Degree Completion Plan, and check out our featured courses below to learn more about what you’ll be studying!
Featured Courses
MUSC 105 – Harmonic Practices and Theory I
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- A practical introduction to harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic principles of music
- Musical elements including key signatures, scales, intervals, chords, chord construction, and chord progression, which are the foundation for harmonic analysis of traditional, contemporary Christian, popular, and jazz music
- Common practice theory
- The Nashville number system and jazz harmony practices
- In-class Praxis provides students opportunity to reinforce learned concepts through collaborative group performance-based learning projects
MUSC 218 – Fundamentals of Music Production and Audio
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Hands-on experience and training in studio production techniques
- Studio mixing for instruments and voice, digital audio workstations, console mixing, and general techniques for studio producing
- Students will collaborate to produce music demo recordings
MUSC 360 – Commercial Improvisation Techniques
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- This praxis-based course provides the opportunity for students to develop skill in strategic areas of vocal or instrumental improvisational technique
- Investigative studies include the relationship between improvisation and harmonic context in contemporary popular, rock, black gospel, and jazz idioms
MUSC 372 – Entrepreneurship in the Christian Music Community
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- An introduction to the music industry
- entrepreneurship as a freelance musician
- The impact of biblical principles for a Christian working in the music industry
- Basic principles of music performance, publishing, and distribution, as well as copyright law, song royalties and mechanicals, booking, promoting, copyright management, performance rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and CCLI), song demo creation, music producing and publishing, and market presence
Highlights of Our Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing Degree
- Access to 45 full-time faculty members with degrees from some of the most prestigious music schools in the nation.
- Our music programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
- Our Center for Music Education and Performance is housed in a 141,000-square-foot building.
- Our Center for Worship has been voted “Best of the Best in Higher Education” six years in a row by Worship Leader Magazine.
- We are designated an “All-Steinway” school.
- The Liberty University School of Music has strategic partnerships with leaders in the industry, such as Michael W. Smith. Each semester, the School of Music hosts industry professionals who share their expertise with current commercial music students and provide practical, hands-on experience for those pursuing their bachelor’s in commercial music.
- Our alumni have gone on to become Dove-award winning Christian artists and songwriters.
- All coursework is market-driven and focuses on developing your skills for the current industry.
Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing Degree Information
- Residential
- 126 total credit hours
- Transfer in up to 75% of your total degree
- This program falls under the School of Music
- View the Degree Completion Plan
- View our course catalog
Career Opportunities for Commercial Music: Publishing and Producing Graduates
- Artist manager
- Audiovisual technician
- Booking agent
- Educator in music
- Music coordinator or director
- Music licensing coordinator or publisher
- Record producer
- Recording engineer
Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees
Every application is reviewed by the admission committee on a case-by-case basis, meaning there are no set minimums for acceptance. However, all applicants must submit the following documents* for admission:
- Admission application
- Official high school transcripts
- Official college transcripts (if applicable)
- Results from the CLT, SAT, or ACT are not required for admission, but may be used in consideration for merit-based aid.
- Admission essay
*Note that additional documentation may be requested by the admission committee after your application has been received.