BS in Commercial Songwriting
Middle Tennessee State University
Key Information
Campus location
Murfreesboro, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 1,178 / per credit *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* in-state tuition per credit hour: $385 | out-of-state tuition per credit hour: $1,178
Scholarships
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Introduction
Music is an important part of life, and for many, music means songs—a magic combination of lyrics and melody that makes a difference ranging from lifting a mood to driving a movement. Located only a few miles from Nashville, the nation’s songwriting mecca, MTSU offers students exceptional opportunities through its Commercial Songwriting program in Recording Industry. With talented faculty members who have ties to all parts of the industry and the only college chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), students enter a crowded field with valuable advantages. Among award winners who had their start at MTSU are Luke Laird, whose songs have been recorded by the likes of Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins, and Tim McGraw; Laura Rogers, one of the successful Secret Sisters, known for their distinctive style; and Erin Enderlin, who has written songs for Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack.
Admissions
Curriculum
Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.
Students should see their advisors develop their individual schedules. Certain prerequisites and sequences in particular major concentrations and minors require special attention.
Freshman
- COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
- ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
- MATH 1710 - College Algebra 3 credit hours (Math) or higher
- RIM 3000 - History of the Recording Industry 3 credit hours
- RIM 3600 - Survey of the Recording Industry 3 credit hours
- RIM 3010 - Audio Fundamentals 3 credit hours or
- RIM 3011 - Survey of Audio Technology 3 credit hours
- RIM 3115 - Songwriting Instrumentation: Guitar 3 credit hours or
- RIM 3116 - Songwriting Instrumentation: Piano 3 credit hours
- RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) or
- JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) or
- EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
Subtotal: 30 Hours
Sophomore
- ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
- RIM 1230 - Commercial Musicianship 3 credit hours
- RIM 3020 - Commercial Songwriting 3 credit hours
- RIM 3700 - Entertainment Intellectual Property I 3 credit hours
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
- Natural Sciences (2 rubrics) 8 credit hours
- Minor course 3 credit hours
- RIM CS elective 3 credit hours
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 32 Hours
Junior
- RIM 3900 - Music Publishing 3 credit hours
- RIM 4020 - Advanced Commercial Songwriting 3 credit hours
- RIM 4700 - Entertainment Intellectual Property II 3 credit hours
- RIM CS elective (RIM 4025 highly suggested) 3 credit hours
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
- Minor course 3 credit hours
- Electives 6 credit hours
- RIM 3300 - Digital Audio Technology 3 credit hours or
- RIM 4190 - Introduction to MIDI and Sound Synthesis 3 credit hours or
- RIM 4210 - Desktop Music Production 3 credit hours or
- RIM 4400 - Recording Studio Techniques 3 credit hours
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 30 Hours
Senior
- RIM CS electives 9 credit hours
- Minor courses 9 credit hours
- Electives 7 credit hours
- Minor course or elective 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 28 Hours
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Created with input from music industry professionals and the leading industry associations, MTSU’s innovative Recording Industry curriculum is a cutting-edge program that helps blaze a tailor-made path for its students into any of the many rewarding careers of Tennessee’s robust music industries. Examples include
- Arranger
- Artist
- Musician
- Producer
- Singer
- Songwriter
English Language Requirements
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