West Virginia University is expanding its offerings to help students transcend the boundaries of what it means to be a musician with a Bachelor of Arts offering in music industry, which was approved by the WVU Faculty Senate at its May 9 meeting.

Additionally, the College of Creative Arts will be offering a new major in integrative and contemporary performance.

As the only degree program of its type in the state, the Bachelor of Arts in music industry program will provide a strategic course of study for students interested in pursuing music industry as a primary field of study. The curriculum will equip students with the fundamental analytical, regulatory, and creative knowledge and skills needed in the music industry.

“The music industry is a vibrant, multi-billion dollar global industry, vast in scope and reach, offering a product that is deeply ingrained into the fabric of every country and culture, across social strata,” said Darko Velichkovski, director of WVU’s music industry program at the College of Creative Arts.

“It offers extensive professional opportunities to those who are trained, knowledgeable, and versed in its systems, methods, and practices,” he added. “This new Bachelor of Arts will directly address these competencies and professional opportunities for WVU students.”

The new major in integrative and contemporary performance will also offer additional opportunities for students interested in the study of music, as they will have the added focus of music composed and performed since 1970 and, within an integrative curriculum, tailor their coursework to include electives from the areas of art, theatre, dance, industry, and philosophy.

“The goal is to offer an opportunity for students to focus on the study of contemporary music performance within a curriculum that emphasizes cross-disciplinary study between the arts,” said Michael Ibrahim, associate professor of saxophone in WVU’s School of Music.

For more information on the new major and program, please contact James Froemel, coordinator of undergraduate admissions at 304-293-4339 or james.froemel@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

dw/4/11/16

CONTACT: David Welsh, WVU College of Creative Arts
304-293-3397; David.Welsh@mail.wvu.edu

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