Advanced Certificate of Achievement Commercial Music

Digital technology has transformed commercial music, making it possible to produce commercial music projects without huge budgets, expensive studio set-ups or large crews. Whether the goal is to fulfill a personal artistic vision, market a product or advance a cause, the fundamental need for commercial music remains a powerful one.  

In this seven course, nineteen-unitadvanced certificate program, students receive direct, hands-on experience creating commercial music that is entertaining, emotional, sophisticated and compelling.  The program builds on the elements learned in the basic certificate program, covering advanced aspects of commercial music production, including writing, directing, performing, producing, editing and marketing.  

The Advanced Certificate provides a deeper study of commercial music production as well as more advanced industry skills, processes and practices.  It gives students crucial musical and audio engineering tools.  Students emerge with commercial music for their personal or professional portfolio.

The program meets a need in the geographic area and does not cause undue competition with an existing program at another college.  Need was determined by Labor Market Analysis (see LMI attached and Program Goals and Objectives above), Advisory Committee (see Advisory Committee meeting minutes attached), Enrollment and Completer Projections (see chart below) and Enrollment Data (see chart below).  

Enrollment and Completer Projections:

                                                     Enrollment                                   Completers

The US Bureau of Labor projects the number of jobs in radio production and broadcasting has grown since 2014 and is expected to grow 8% through 2022.   In the Inland Empire/Desert and Los Angeles/Orange County areas combinedthe number of jobs in each of these areas created or vacated annually justifies the creation of a new radio production certificateat College of the Desert.  

Building on skills and concepts acquired from the Basic Certificate of Achievement in Commercial Music, theAdvancedCertificate of Achievement in Commercial Music takes students further as they learn in greater detail howto write, direct, perform, produce and edit and mix commercial music even more effectively.  Again, using traditional andcurrent digitaltechnologies, studentscontinue their immersion in the commercial musicproduction process from writing through marketing. Their competencyin creating commercial musicand their understanding of how it reaches and affects an audiencedeepens.  Students continue, through electives, to apply these skills to specific areas of interest.  

Required Core (11 units): 

MUS 78C Digital Audio III (3) (Fall); MUS 78D Digital Audio IV Capstone (1) (Spring); MUS 13 Songwriting (2) (Fall); MUS 21B Piano II (2) (Fall); BUMA 027 Marketing (3) (Fall, Spring)

Electives (6 units):

MUS 01 Theory (4) (Spring); MUS 02 Theory (4) (Fall); MUS 03 Theory (4) (Spring); MUS 21C Piano III (2) (Fall, Spring); MUS 23 Commercial Vocals (2) (Fall, Spring); MUS 50A Jazz/Rock Guitar I (2) (Fall, Spring); MUS 50B Jazz/Rock Guitar II (2) (Fall, Spring); FILM 02A Film Production I (3) (Fall, Spring); MUS 95A MUS Work Experience (1-2) (Fall, Spring)

Certificate Total: 17 units

Proposed Course Sequence: Fall = 7 + Electives; Spring = 6 + Electives