Music Majors

World-class training that prepares students to excel as versatile, 21st century musicians.

What You'll Study

As a student in the Dana School of Music (DSM), you’ll have extraordinary artistic and educational opportunities. You’ll study with world-class faculty, participate in diverse ensembles that program repertoire from nearly every genre of music, and study and perform in superb venues.

The Dana School of Music offers 8 undergraduate and graduate majors and programs in 14 areas of study. Our degrees integrate advanced musical training with professionally oriented experiences and provide opportunities for students to diversify their studies with a variety of elective courses, minors, and skills they will use throughout their professional lives. No matter where your aspirations lie, you’ll connect with a community of mentors and colleagues who are committed to helping you succeed.  

Numerous Opportunities to Perform

Dana School of Music has a wide range of performance opportunities—for majors from all colleges. Most music majors will perform in ensembles each semester, and our ensembles have a long history of musical excellence and provide real-world preparation. The breadth of our ensemble offerings will enable all students to experience a wide range of musical genres and styles, including those in other academic programs. There are a multitude of ways for you to express yourself musically at YSU.

Our Alumni Excel

Our highly accomplished Dana alumni may be found in fulfilling and broadly diverse careers across the globe and are Grammy® Award winners, Billboard chart-topping songwriters and producers, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra members, award-winning composers, arrangers, and producers, and featured international soloists. They also hold positions in orchestras, military ensembles, and jazz groups, as well as academic faculty positions around the world. Dana School of Music graduates may be found in every segment of America’s musical life. Our graduate and undergraduate degrees will further your success and prepare you to thrive within the ever-evolving field of the musical arts.

Begin Your Journey

To learn more about our degree programs and scholarships or to schedule a campus visit, contact Cliffe College Program Coordinator of Admissions and Recruitment at sawaltman@ysu.edu or 330.941.2346. We would love to hear about your interests, introduce you to our outstanding faculty and students, show you our exceptional facilities, and become an important part of your future.

Undergraduate Programs

Minors

  • Music Minors

    You can add a music minor to your degree—even if you’re not a student in DSM. You can tailor our music minors to fit your interests and may include studio lessons and participation in ensembles. 

    • The Minor in Interdisciplinary Game Studies Minor is offered by the Departments of Art and Computer Sciences and Information Systems and the Dana School of Music. The curriculum allows students can focus on their area of interest while also broadening their collaborations with colleagues in other areas. 
       
    • The Minor in Music provides opportunities to develop musical knowledge and skills at a basic collegiate level. Evolving economic, demographic, and technological conditions provide increased incentive for creativity and leadership in society. Students electing applied study and/or ensembles should contact Shannon Holdridge at smholdridge@ysu.edu for audition information. 

Graduate Program

  • Master of Music (M.M.)

    The Master of Music (M.M.) degree offers exceptional advanced training for performers, teachers, composers, and scholars. The M.M. provides individualized instruction that focuses on the professional development and unique career goals of each student. Students develop advanced competencies in their degree majors—which includes an M.M. in Performance, Education (100% web-based), Composition, and Jazz Studies—and have opportunities to diversify their portfolios with elective courses and specializations across other areas that are relevant to their field.