INFORMATION FOR
At William Paterson University, the popular music and digital music creation programs offer a contemporary and dynamic curriculum, covering genres like rock, pop, jazz, and electronic music. Led by industry professionals, students explore music production, songwriting, and performance. Emphasizing creativity and collaboration, the program prepares students for success in the ever-evolving world of popular music, providing cutting-edge facilities and recording studios for hands-on experience.
A & R (artist and repertoire), advertising, advocacy, agents, artist development, artist relations, arts administration, arts programming, booking, branding, budget, children’s music, concert production, consulting, copyright, criticism, entrepreneurship, festivals, management, merchandising, mobile media, music journalism, new media, promotion, publicity, social media, technology development, etc.
The Bachelor of Arts with popular music emphasis examines contemporary popular music from a global perspective and through the study of social media and songwriting. Students who have completed this program will have an in-depth and working knowledge of the music and entertainment industry, the role of social media in this industry, a global perspective of popular music, and the basics of songwriting and arranging.
"Studying popular music at William Paterson was a great decision for me. I have learned so much over the years because this program offers important classes, but also the flexibility one needs in order to fine tune the major to fit one’s needs. For me, I was able to focus on songwriting and performing, and it has made me a better musician and songwriter. The ability for this program to be molded into what you want is amazing, and if you have a vision and you want to accomplish something within this program, as long as you try hard enough, it seems like anything is possible"—Brielle Liebmann, Senior
"This is really the ideal major for anyone who wants to be involved in the music business. As a singer/songwriter, I searched for a program that included both performing as well as the business side of music, such as songwriting, promotion, and social media. It is so important to be well-educated in those departments and the Popular Music Studies program is the most innovative major to be apart of. I'm loving every minute of it. It presented me with an internship opportunity my freshman year at a recording studio, and this year I'm in the Pop Ensemble performing with my fellow classmates/artists as well as refining my skills in songwriting and music theory. So many amazing things are happening in this program, and I'm so excited to be a true pioneer in this new major."—Melanie Rodriguez, Sophomore
"I love the Popular Music Studies program so much because I am learning real-world relevant information that I can apply to my own musical endeavors. The program has taught me that as a musician, my career does not start after I graduate—it starts now."—Danny Spadaro, Sophomore
