NGU Launches New Degree in Music Industry
Posted on: August 7, 2026
Tigerville, SC—Students at North Greenville University (NGU) can now earn a bachelor of music in music industry, training with industry professionals and developing the skills required for a number of career paths in performance and production.
The new 128-hour program in the Cline School of Music begins this fall, but has been in the works for years.
“Music is a complex process and business,” said Dr. Web Drake, dean of NGU’s College of Communication and Fine Arts. “NGU students will be able to bring their training, commitment, and worldview into that world in ways that will maximize impact and create opportunity. The new music industry program will allow our students entry into the music world in a variety of exciting and pivotal roles.”
Dr. David Cudd, who will initially lead the program, said NGU’s location and a growing need in the market made this the right time to introduce the program.
“At North Greenville, we have had a very traditional music program with music education, music performance, and music worship studies,” he said. “We wanted to try to address some current needs in the music industry with this degree. In some conversations with local studio owners and professionals who are active in the industry, we identified this as a need.
“Greenville has a number of music venues that are either under construction or in the planning phases,” he continued. “There’s a conscious effort to make Greenville a music city, which creates a lot of opportunities for students graduating in the music field.”
NGU designed the new program to pair musical training with business acumen, entrepreneurship, and hands-on production technology, all built on a Christian worldview.
“Students will have the opportunity to specialize within the degree in the areas that interest them most, whether that’s music production, mixing, or preproduction and postproduction work.” Cudd said. “We are going to have instructors who are currently active in the industry. Technology changes so fast that if you step away from it, you end up teaching the way things were done the last time you were active.”
Students in the program will study music theory, history, and performance alongside music technology, recording techniques, and business and communication skills tailored to the industry, through courses like Introduction to Music Industry, Music Entrepreneurship, and a senior internship, along with applied lessons and ensemble participation.
For more information on the program and its requirements, visit go.ngu.edu/music-industry.
