Music Management and Marketing
The strategy of sound
What jobs can you do with a
music management and marketing degree?
Make a living doing what you love.
Talent Manager
Production Manager
Concert/Event Promoter
Box Office Manager
Social Media and Content Manager
What’s the Difference at DWU?
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Performance-Grounded, Not Just Theory
You'll complete 8 semesters of applied music and a senior recital to understand the artist experience — not just the business side of music.
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Balanced Integration of Music and Business
Unlike programs housed only in a business school, this degree intentionally blends core music training (performance, theory and history) with foundational business and marketing coursework.
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Strong Emphasis on Marketing and Digital Strategy
Coursework in marketing, communication and social media will prepare you for modern music promotion, audience engagement and brand development.
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Music Technology and Production Literacy
Classes featuring music technology, scoring and arranging will help you prepare to work with recording software, digital content and collaborative production environments.
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Applicable Beyond the Music Industry
Your business, management, marketing and social media skills will directly translate to art organizations, nonprofits, venues, media and other marketing roles.
Music Scholarships
At Dakota Wesleyan University, all students — regardless of major — are welcome to participate in our music ensembles, and you may be eligible for a Performing Arts Scholarship.
If you’re interested in a music scholarship, we’d love to hear you audition! Students who receive a scholarship are asked to stay involved in at least one ensemble each semester while the scholarship is active.
Audition Guidelines:
Vocal Scholarship:
- Prepare one solo piece — something you would sing at a contest, in voice lessons, or for an audition. You may bring your own accompanist, or one can be provided.
Piano Scholarship:
- Prepare one solo of your choice — something you would play at a recital, for a contest, or in lessons. Choose a piece that highlights your technique and musicality.
Instrumental Scholarship:
- Prepare one appropriate solo, such as something you’d perform at a contest, in lessons, or for all-state. Pick a piece that showcases your musicianship and skill on your instrument.
Planning to submit an audition video?
- Record your audition video using your phone or other device. A simple setup is perfectly fine!
- Upload your video to a platform like YouTube, Google Drive, or Vimeo.
- Make sure the video is set to “public” or “anyone with the link can view.”
- Complete the Performing Arts Scholarship Form and include your video link.
Audition Tips and Tricks:
- Choose music that best highlights your musical ability, tone quality, technique, and expression.
- Pop music, while fun, typically doesn’t show the full range of your skills. We encourage you to select classical, jazz, or other traditional solo literature commonly used for contests, lessons, or auditions.
- Be sure to warm up ahead of time and arrive early if you’re auditioning in person.
- If you need an accompanist, just let us know — we’re happy to help!
Music Management and Marketing Courses
Check out the courses you'll complete on your way to receiving your degree.
BUS 101 Introduction to Business
BUS 220 Principles of Management
BUS 371 Principles of Marketing
Prerequisite: Sophomore status
DMD 330 Communication and Social Strategy
ENT 224 The Entrepreneurial Mindset
MUS 115 Fundamentals of Music
MUS 116 Keyboard Skills I
MUS 141 Music Appreciation
This course is a breadth of knowledge course as designated by Dakota Wesleyan’s general education program. Breadth of knowledge courses expose students to knowledge and concepts that Dakota Wesleyan University believes all its graduates should possess.
MUS 220 Introduction to Music Technology
MUS 250 World Music
MUS 320 Scoring and Arranging
MUS 350 Conducting
MUS 426 Preparing for a Career in the Arts
Get to Know Your Professors
Learn music from our talented professors. Our low student-to-teacher ratio offers
valuable one-on-one interaction.
Clinton Desmond, DMA
Elizabeth Soladay
Erin Desmond, M.M.Ed.
Jason Laczkoski
Performance Opportunities
Choral Ensembles
- Dakota Wesleyan Choir – As our largest choir, Dakota Wesleyan Choir is open to all who wish to raise their voice in masterworks from the Renaissance to the 21st century.
- The Highlanders – As a select auditioned ensemble, the Highlanders perform top quality vocal chamber music from Renaissance polyphony to vocal jazz.
Instrumental Ensembles
- LyricWood String Orchestra – LyricWood is an intergenerational strings ensemble where you will get to meet and perform with community members, young and old.
- Wesleyan Band – All DWU students, of any major, are invited to join the Wesleyan Band. You will have the opportunity to study, rehearse and perform a diverse repertoire of challenging music.
- Wesleyan Bells – As the only collegiate handbell choir in the state, Wesleyan Bells gives you the chance to be one part of a larger musical group made up of your friends and classmates.
- Wesleyan Jazz Band — a formalized ensemble bringing the opportunity for interested students to study and perform jazz in front of audiences on familiar instruments like piano, bass, guitar, drum set, trumpet, trombone, and saxophone.
Perform
Locally – Each semester we have two major concerts. Multiple ensembles perform beautiful collages of music from many genres. Outside of these two concerts, we sprinkle in performances for events in the community, specialty concerts with our small ensembles, and service opportunities with local nursing homes.
Regionally and Beyond – The Highlanders and Wesleyan Bells tour each spring, and are joined by the Dakota Wesleyan Choir and other ensembles every other year. On these tours, experience music on the road, performing in a variety of venues and meeting people from all walks of life.
Musical Theatre – No matter your involvement at DWU, you are able to participate in musical theatre productions. Spread your wings on stage. Our students have been in productions like “Les Misérables,” “Rock of Ages,” “Mamma Mia!” and more.
Related Majors & Minors
Business Administration
As a business administration major at DWU, you’ll prepare for limitless career choices in the professional world.
Music
Join Dakota Wesleyan’s musical family as a vocalist or instrumentalist. Study and perform whether you are a major, a minor or you just need a little bit more music in your life.
Music Ministry
Combine faith and music in meaningful ways. Our Music Ministry major educates students to lead worship, direct choirs and ensembles, and use music to engage and uplift communities.
Theatre
Turn your love for acting, storytelling, and performance into a theatre career, either on stage or behind the scenes.
