Navigating the UCLA Music Industry Minor: A Comprehensive Guide

UCLA's Music Industry Minor is a popular program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in the music industry. Open to all UCLA undergraduates, the minor fosters communication and interaction between UCLA, the music industry, and the musical life of Los Angeles. It shares coursework with the BA in Music Industry, as well as with the UCLA Herb Alpert School’s departments of Music, Ethnomusicology, and Musicology. This guide provides a detailed overview of the minor's requirements, application process, and other essential information for prospective students.

Curriculum Overview

The Music Industry Minor helps prepare UCLA students for employment in the music industry. The program emphasizes critical thinking, social justice, and innovation. It also provides a wide range of experiential learning opportunities, from internships and mentorships in the industry (MI 95, 195, 195CE, 196) and apprenticeships on campus (MI 70) to a self-designed Capstone project in the senior year.

Required Courses

All requirements for the minor are listed online. The minor requires a total of 28 units, broken down as follows:

Music Industry 101: An introductory course in the fundamentals of music business.
Music Industry 195 (8 units): A culminating internship supervised by the Center for Community Engagement. Note that Music Industry 195 will not satisfy the internship requirement. Students in the Music Industry B.A. and Music Industry Minor must enroll in Music Industry 195CE in order to complete the internship requirement.
Five Additional Courses (20 units): Students choose from an expansive music industry curriculum at UCLA. A maximum of two lower-division courses may be counted toward the minor. Other UCLA upper-division courses may be applied to the minor by petition.

Elective Course Options

Students then choose 6-7 courses from the expansive music industry curriculum at UCLA, including courses in songwriting and production, entrepreneurship, digital marketing, music supervision, forensic musicology, music and data science, the global music industry, and more. Minors may also elect courses that emphasize social justice and activism, a special focus of the program.

Many courses in the School of Music, especially courses in Musicology and Ethnomusicology, can be counted toward the Music Industry Minor. These include:

Read also: Easiest Instruments to Learn

Ethnomusicology M12B, M25, 30, M35, C100, 105, 117, C155, C184
Music C176
Musicology 128, M137, 140, 164, 165, 177, 185
Music Industry 29, 55, 95, 102 through M181, M182, 188, 195, 197

Please note that not all courses listed may be offered or the description may have changed, and newly added courses may not be viewable yet.

Performance Organization Requirement

Any School of Music department ensemble can be used to satisfy the 4 Units of Performance Organization requirement for the Music Industry BA.

Application Process

Applications for all minors are opened on Monday of Week 1 in Fall and Spring quarter and close promptly at 5pm on Friday of Week 4. Interested applicants should return to this page during Week 1 of Fall or Spring quarter and click on the application of their choosing below. Please note that the applications below are only activated during Week 1 of Fall and Spring, and are closed outside of the application window. Applicants can view updated application requirements online here. Keep in mind that these may change on an annual basis.

Eligibility

Given the high interest in the program, the minor is limited each quarter in how many students may be accepted. We recommend that students complete a few courses (at least three) prior to applying to the minor.

Supplemental Application

As a current UCLA student, you do not need to reapply to UCLA formally to double major. However, the School of Music does require that all students complete all steps of our supplemental application, which is due each Fall in early December. Change of major applicants do not need to complete the UC application. Change of major applicants need only complete the supplemental application. Applicants can find details on the supplemental application here.

Read also: Internships in Boston Music

Application Timeline

Applicants are usually notified in March regarding their application decision.

How to Prepare

In order to prepare for your application, please complete a proposed degree plan that incorporates all required classes for your prospective minor with your current plan of study for your major. If you would like to see what classes are required for the minor, we recommend running a model DARS.

Application Submission

Interested applicants should attend information sessions when they are available, and subscribe to the interested applicants listserv HERE. Timeline: Interested applicants should return to this page during Week 1 of Fall or Spring quarter and click on the application of their choosing below. Please note that the applications below are only activated during Week 1 of Fall and Spring, and are closed outside of the application window.

Enrollment Information and PTEs

Demand for MI courses usually exceeds supply. Enrollment in required and very popular MI courses is deliberately controlled, with MI majors, minors, and students in the Alpert School of Music given preference. In general, faculty are discouraged from using PTEs to bypass our enrollment restrictions.

Permission to Enroll (PTE) Numbers

If a course is restricted to a major, minor, prerequisite, or year (e.g. first years or seniors), you will need to request a PTE from the instructor in order to enroll. Enrollment is not guaranteed. Instructor consent usually means there are extra steps you must take in order to enroll, such as an application or specific forms and approval you must obtain. Students who are ready to enroll should reach out to the Music Industry department to request a PTE in order to enroll. Please do not reach out to the instructor of record until you have secured an apprenticeship.

Read also: Your Sony Music Internship

PTEs are an abbreviation for Permission to Enroll. PTEs are codes that allow students to enroll in a course with restrictions such as instructor consent. PTEs are given out by instructors so please contact them to receive one.

Enrollment Instructions for Music Industry 195CE

For the Music Industry B.A. and Music Industry Minor, students must complete Music Industry 195CE in order to satisfy the internship requirement.

Music Industry 195CE is run through the Center for Community Engagement (CCE). Prof. Robert Fink serves as Faculty Supervisor for Music Industry 195. Please note: Music Industry 195 cannot be used to satisfy the internship requirement for the Music Industry B.A. or Music Industry Minor.

If you would like to request enrollment in Music Industry 195, please follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Generate a course contract.
- On MyUCLA, click on the “Classes” tab in the top bar.
- In the drop-down menu, choose “Contract Courses.”
- Fill in the required information. Be sure to choose the correct course (Music Industry 195) and the correct quarter (e.g. 25F, 26W). Please choose Prof. Robert Fink to be your faculty supervisor for 195.
- Once you finish generating the course contract, download it as a .pdf. You do NOT need to acquire Prof. Fink’s signature on the contract.
Step 2: Please complete and acquire signatures for the Liability Waiver and Student Learning Agreement.
Step 3: Complete the Enrollment Request Form below to submit all your completed documents for review. The DEADLINE to complete the Enrollment Request form is the last day of the enrollment period.

Enrollment Instructions Music Industry 95

If you are a 1st or 2nd year student and would like to receive academic credit for an internship, you should plan to enroll in Music Industry 95. Prof. Robert Fink serves as Faculty Supervisor for all students enrolled in Music Industry 95.

If you would like to request enrollment in Music Industry 95, please follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Generate a course contract:
- On MyUCLA, click on the “Classes” tab in the top bar.
- In the drop-down menu, choose “Contract Courses.”
- Fill in the required information. Be sure to choose the correct course (Music Industry 95) and the correct quarter (e.g. 25F, 26W). Please choose Prof. Robert Fink to be your faculty supervisor for 95.
- Once you finish generating the course contract, download it as a .pdf. You do NOT need to acquire Prof. Fink’s signature on the contract.
Step 2: Please complete and acquire signatures for the Liability Waiver and Student Learning Agreement.
Step 3: Complete the Enrollment Request Form below to submit all your completed documents for review. The DEADLINE to complete the Enrollment Request form is the last day of the enrollment period.

Enrollment Timeline:

Music Industry 195CE: After you complete an intake appointment for Music Industry 195CE and your enrollment is approved, your enrollment will be processed by the Music Industry IDP by the last day of the enrollment period. If you need to be enrolled earlier (e.g. for CPT Authorization), please alert your 195CE TA.
Music Industry 95 and 195: If your enrollment request for 95 or 195 is approved, your enrollment will be processed by the Music Industry IDP by the last day to add classes. Please refer to your Study List to check your enrollment status. Once enrolled, please refer to the information below. MSC IND 95 and 195 do NOT have a Bruin Learn site.

Important Enrollment Considerations

Your enrollment cannot be processed if you have holds on your account and/or do not have enough open units in your Study List. You should be prepared to drop a course or request for additional quarterly units, if necessary, to be enrolled in Music Industry 95 or 195.

If your enrollment in the above courses cannot be processed before the Add Class Deadline, a fee will be incurred to add the course and a petition request may be necessary.

Once Enrolled:

Music Industry 195CE: Once enrolled in Music Industry 195CE, students should gain access to the Bruin Learn course site and receive instructions from their TA. MSC IND 95 and 195 do NOT have a Bruin Learn site.

Internship Opportunities

UCLA’s Music Industry programs are unique in that they integrate the intellectually challenging curriculum of a top research university with direct access to the music industry and its workings. The program emphasizes critical thinking, social justice, and innovation. It also provides a wide range of experiential learning opportunities, from internships and mentorships in the industry (MI 95, 195, 195CE, 196) and apprenticeships on campus (MI 70) to a self-designed Capstone project in the senior year.

Internship Courses

We offer several internship courses that provide students the opportunity to receive academic credit for an internship in the music industry. Students must have an internship secured and meet the course eligibility requirements to request enrollment in an internship course. Note: Internship courses are contract courses and will display as “Closed” on MyUCLA. If a course is closed for enrollment, it will be posted here.

Internship Eligibility

Most Music Industry related internships are eligible for Music Industry 195CE, 195, and 95. Internships are also advertised by instructors through the Music Industry department Listservs. If you are interested in interning in a specific field, we recommend you speak with a UCLA instructor in a related field. Please reach out to the Music Industry SAO if you are unsure if your internship is eligible.

Ineligible Internships

Examples of ineligible internships:

Participation in a club or student organization within UCLA cannot be used for internship credit.
Internships must be held in a place of work or be remote. They cannot be held in someone’s home or home studio.
Part-time jobs cannot be used for internship credit.

Internship Enrollment Dates

SPRING 2026 Enrollment Dates:

Music Industry 195CE: Weeks 8 - 10 of Winter: February 23 - March 13, Weeks 1 - 2 of Spring: March 30 - April 10
Music Industry 195: March 30 - April 10
Music Industry 95: March 30 - April 10

ATTENTION: International students seeking enrollment in MSC IND 195 or 95, who need CPT Authorization, should include a request for early enrollment in their Enrollment Request Form submission.

Common Questions About Internships

I am a second year student who has secured an internship. Can I enroll in Music Industry 195CE? No, Music Industry 195CE is an upper division course. Only students who have reached Junior and Senior standing will be considered for enrollment during the regular academic year (Fall, Winter, Spring). First and second-year students will only be considered for enrollment in Music Industry 195CE during Summer Sessions.
I am planning to apply to the Music Industry minor and have secured an internship. Can I still enroll in Music Industry 195CE? Yes, it is possible to enroll in Music Industry 195CE as a prospective Music Industry minor, space permitting. Priority enrollment will be given to Music Industry majors and declared Music Industry minors.
Can I enroll in Music Industry 195CE during the summer? Yes, typically Music Industry 195CE is offered during the summer in Summer Session A10.
What is the difference between 195CE and 195? Music Industry 195CE is run by the Center for Community Engagement. Students in the Music Industry B.A. and Music Industry Minor must enroll in Music Industry 195CE in order to complete the internship requirement. Completing Music Industry 195 will NOT satisfy the internship requirement.

Double Majoring

Steps to Double Major

Step 1: In order to apply to add a major at the School of Music or to switch to one of our majors, you are required to complete our supplemental application when they go live in October of Fall quarter.
Step 2: After your application is reviewed by faculty in early December, you will be notified if you are invited to audition or interview for the program.

To formally request to add a double major, School of Music students should submit a Progress Petition. This petition must be signed by the advisor for your intended double major. Once you have decided that you would like to add a double major, please schedule an appointment with your advisor to discuss whether it is possible considering your existing degree requirements.

Additional Resources and Opportunities

Study Abroad: UCLA students can study abroad with UCEAP and UCLA Travel Study. Music Industry does not have a dedicated UCEAP program at this time.
Contact Information: If you cannot find contact information for one of our part-time lecturers, contact the Chair’s Assistant for Music Industry, who can either give you a contact or pass on a message.
Classroom and Theater Reservations: Here is the link for classroom reservations and here is a link for theater reservations. Practice room reservations are only available to School of Music majors and minors.
Recording Studio and Music Technology: Here is the recording studio information page. Here is music technology support page.
Prospective Student Visits: Prospective students who are visiting the UCLA campus can contact Admissions to arrange a tour of the Schoenberg Music Building and a meeting with a student affairs representative. It is unlikely that an in-person meeting with the Chair will be feasible, but we encourage prospective students to contact the Music Industry program to arrange a virtual interview.

Is the Music Industry Minor Right for You?

The Music Industry Minor helps prepare UCLA students for employment in the music industry. By declaring a minor, you can study things that interest you on a more personal level, broaden your skills and become more diverse. Minors can also give you a leg up on the competition when it comes time to look for a job.

UCLA offers more than 100 minors, many of which you can pair in unexpected ways with majors. For instance, the food studies minor can be a nice complement to majors in chemistry, biology, communication and many more things.

The Music Industry BA is designed for professionally oriented students with a strong interest in the business side of music, seeking a managerial or entrepreneurial career in the music industry. It provides a custom-designed liberal arts curriculum with limited, non-traditional training in musicianship and music theory, music history of popular music. Strong focus on business skills, experiential learning, creativity, social justice issues, and career building.

UCLA does not offer a conservatory-style program in popular music performance or composition. We do have courses in songwriting and production, but the requirements for the degree emphasize management and business skills, cultural literacy, and conceptual thinking about music and culture.

tags: #UCLA #music #industry #minor #requirements