---

---

There are multiple ways to study music business at UNT, but the entire program — part of the internationally respected College of Music — is recognized as one of the best in the nation. 

Assistant professor Jessica Muñiz wants every student in the college to be a part of it. 

“It is very important for every music student to take a music business course,” Muñiz said. “The music industry is 20% music and 80% business. It’s best to prepare yourself.” 

Any undergraduate music major can pursue a music business minor, while the commercial music bachelor’s degree includes a business of commercial music track. 

UNT also offers an MBA in music business, a joint initiative between the College of Music and the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. It’s now offered both in-person and online. 

“We’ve made it more accessible,” Muñiz said. “Now we can target those Yamaha and Fender employees who want to climb a corporate ladder, plus get the UNT College of Music name.” 

The college’s doctoral students often take graduate-level music business courses as well, Muñiz said. 

When the assistant professor joined the university four years ago, her goal was to create space for all types of students, from hip-hop artists to DJs to non-performers. It’s worked: music business attracts a diverse population. 

This includes aspiring tour and artist managers, entertainment lawyers, music label employees, and members of music retail companies creating the latest technology or instruments. 

Some students are “true artist-entrepreneurs” who want to be able to make responsible business decisions, Muñiz said. Others want to work in nonprofit art spaces like chamber ensembles. 

Muñiz said many of her students are interested in maintaining their independence while working in the music industry. While some aspire to fully manage their own tours, others just want to keep control of their vision and goals when another person is financing the work. 

“Once you know how to navigate the industry, it leads to sustainability,” Muñiz said. “The more you know how to protect yourself, how to make money, how to develop your portfolio career as a musician, the better.” 

Many music business students who aren’t interested in performance create products to fix a gap or issue in the industry. Muñiz’s students create entire business plans for class, “something they believe in and support.” Some students have crafted equipment like instrument adapters with 3D printers. 

Reflecting its students’ interests, the program’s faculty has diverse industry experience. The professors range from a former Atlantic, Capitol, Roc Nation and Columbia Records vice president to a music law and finance attorney. Every week, a new guest speaker “from all areas of the industry that you can think of” comes to campus, Muñiz said. 

“The relationships we’ve made with these guests have led to internships or other professional opportunities,” she said.  

The music business program has seen students become Grammy U ambassadors, while others earn National Association of Music Merchants awards to attend the world’s largest music retail conference. 

“I want to make sure that every student that comes through my program can never say, ‘I didn’t learn what I needed to know to get my feet grounded in this industry,’” Muñiz said.