This list is focused on popular and commercial music programs that include voice performance elements in the curriculum. There are generally other curriculum elements such as songwriting, music business, and music technology.

The list does not include music technology/industry/business programs with no performance elements, nor jazz programs or commercial programs that are basically just jazz studies with some music technology tacked on.

Artist Development

• California

  • Azusa Pacific University

    • BM in Commercial Music

  • California Institute of the Arts

    • BFA, MFA, DMA in Performer-Composer

  • Cal State LA

    • BM, MM in Commercial Music

  • Concordia University

    • BA in Music, Commercial Music Concentration

  • Musicians Institute

    • Multiple certificates/degrees in Independent Artist

    • Multiple certificates/degrees in Vocals

  • University of Southern California – Thornton

    • BM in Popular Music

• Colorado

  • University of Colorado – Denver

    • BS in Commercial Voice

• Florida

  • University of Miami

    • BM in Musicianship, Artistry Development, and Entrepreneurship (MADE)

    • BM or MM in Music Business & Entertainment, Commercial Voice track

    • Minor in Creative American Music

• Illinois

  • Columbia College – Chicago

    • BM in Contemporary Urban and Popular Music

  • Greenville College

    • BA in Commercial Music, emphasis in performance

  • Millikin University

    • BM in Commercial Music

• Massachussets

  • Berklee

    • BM in Performance

    • BM in Professional Music

• Michigan

  • Detroit Institute of Music Education

    • BA or Certificate in Creative Music Performance

• New Mexico

  • Santa Fe University of Art and Design

    • BA in Contemporary Music

• New York

  • The New School

    • BFA in Jazz and Contemporary Music

  • New York University

    • BFA in Recorded Music

    • Steinhardt

• North Carolina

  • Catawba College

    • BA in Music with a concentration in Popular Music

  • College of St. Rose

  • Elon University

    • BS in Music Production and Recording Arts

• Ohio

  • Tiffin University

    • BA in Commercial Music

      • Concentration in Performance & Entrepreneurship

      • Concentration in Production & Engineering

• Oklahoma

  • University of Central Oklahoma

    • AAS in Contemporary Music

• South Carolina

  • Francis Marion University

    • BS in Music Industry, Performance Track

  • University of South Carolina

    • Minor in Commercial Music

• Tennessee

  • Belmont University

    • BM and MM in Commercial Music

  • Commercial Music Center

    • Artist Track, 1 semester of study

  • Lipscomb University

    • BM, BA, Minor in Commercial Music

  • Tennessee State University

    • BM in Music with concentration in Commercial Music

• Texas

  • University of Texas – El Paso

    • BM in Commercial Music

• Utah

  • Brigham Young University

    • BM in Commercial Music

  • Utah Valley University

    • BM in Commercial Music

• Virginia

  • Liberty University

    • BM in Artist Development

  • Shenandoah University

    • MM in CCM Voice Pedagogy

• Washington

  • Cornish College

• Wyoming

  • Western Wyoming Community College

    • AA in Popular Music, Voice

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Songwriting

• Colorado

  • University of Colorado – Denver

    • BS in Songwriting

• Illinois

  • Greenville College

    • BA in Commercial Music, emphasis in songwriting

• Massachussets

  • Berklee

    • BM in Songwriting

• Michigan

  • Detroit Institute of Music Education

    • BA or Certificate in Commercial Songwriting

• Minnesota

  • McNally Smith

    • BM in Songwriting

• Missouri

  • Webster University

    • BM in Songwriting

• Tennessee

  • Middle Tennessee State University

    • Commercial Songwriting

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A Note about Jazz Programs:

For now, I’m distinguishing popular/commercial music from jazz. I’ve included programs that mesh the two. My initial studies about these academic programs and their curriculums show that most popular/commercial programs are often noticeably different from most jazz programs. Please feel free to share your thoughts about this decision in the comments.

Did we miss one? Let us know in the comments!