The Popular Music Studies minor, offered on-campus beginning in fall 2019 or online via OSU’s award-winning Ecampus, creates an opportunity for students to examine popular music as a highly influential cultural, social and economic practice. The minor provides students with historical knowledge in several popular music genres of their choice, including rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, film music, reggae, women in music, musical theatre, entrepreneurship, business, music technology and jazz. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge with creative projects and select an independent study with professional faculty.

The minor does not require an audition or ability to read music. 

Popular music studies courses offered include:

Lower Division
Select 12 credits from the following:

  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Hip Hop. Theory and Practice)
  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Film Music. Theory and Practice)
  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Musical Theater)
  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Rock and Roll)
  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Jazz)
  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Reggae)
  • MUS 102 *MUSIC APPRECIATION II: PERIODS AND GENRES (Introduction to Popular Music Theory and Practice)
  • MUS 103 *MUSIC APPRECIATION III: GREAT COMPOSERS (The Beatles)
  • MUS 103 *MUSIC APPRECIATION III: GREAT COMPOSERS (Bob Marley [Reggae])
  • MUS 103 *MUSIC APPRECIATION III: GREAT COMPOSERS (Bob Dylan [Folk] )
  • MUS 103 *MUSIC APPRECIATION III: GREAT COMPOSERS (Madonna and Video Culture)
  • MUS 108 *MUSIC CULTURES OF THE WORLD


Upper-Division
Select 15 credits from the following:

  • MUS 402 INDEPENDENT STUDY
  • MUS 410 INTERNSHIP
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (Advanced Studies in Popular Music Theory and Practice)
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (Women in Popular Music )
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (Advanced Studies in Hip Hop)
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (Regional Studies in World Popular Music [India, Indonesia, Africa, Latin America])
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (Advanced Studies in Rock and Roll)
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (The Blues and African American Music)
  • MUS 442 GENRE STUDIES (Music Video, MTV and American Culture)
  • MUS 443 THEORY AND COMPOSITION STUDIES (Advanced Studies in Film and Gaming Music)
  • MUS 493 BASIC RECORDING TECHNIQUES

Total Hours: 27*

Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

Minor Code: 253