A professor teaching a class with sheet music on the projector

Undergraduate Certificate

Public Musicology

About the Program
Bridge Music and Community

The Public Musicology Certificate is the only program of its kind in the United States. The program prepares you to pursue careers at the intersection of music, business, and public engagement. You will gain real-world experience through partnerships with organizations, applying classroom knowledge to public-facing projects. The program is also embedded as a track within the Bachelor of Arts in Music program.

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Just the Facts

Total Credit Hours:
12 Hours

Delivery Format:
On Campus, Hybrid and Online

Completion Time:
2 years

Additional Resources

View the Program of Study

View Admission Requirements

Program Highlights
Your Academic Experience

This is the only public musicology program in the United States.
Develop a professional portfolio and resume through completed projects.
Learn industry-relevant skills:
- Music encoding, archival software, and preservation practices.
- Gain public-facing writing, public speaking, and digital/print accessibility skills.
- Work on grant writing, arts administration, and community engagement projects.
100% of classes have less than 25 students.
95% of graduates are accepted to graduate school or obtain a job before graduation.

students in class learning to write sheet music

Since 2023, 100 percent of students in the program who applied to Eastman School of Music’s Summer Leadership Academy were accepted each year, which includes full-tuition coverage.

Students in the program curated the Crossroads: Chattahoochee Valley Blues and Folk Music exhibit at the Columbus Museum. They have also written children’s books on topics in the exhibit that were illustrated by students in the CSU art department.

22 students have had their work published in score prefaces by a German music publisher.

Dr. Reba Wissner (program coordinator) is a prominent public musicologist who has presented her public-facing work at The Library of Congress, several Smithsonian-affiliated museums, contributed to DVD commentaries and magazines/blogs, and is editing The Oxford Handbook of Public Musicology (under contract with Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2026).

What Can You Do With This Degree?

Explore job trends, average salaries, and growing opportunities so you can see how your degree connects to meaningful career pathways and the future of your field.