Bachelor in Music (Bachelor's)

Tuition is Tuition for the Music, B.A. programme is $6,800 per academic year for in-state students and $14,500 for out-of-state students..

The Music, B.A. programme is a full-time on-campus degree that spans four years. It includes coursework in music theory, history, composition, and performance. Students participate in ensembles such as the Marching Band and Jazz Ensemble. The programme emphasizes performance experience through recitals, concerts, and community events.

The programme requires 53 to 63 credit hours in major-specific courses. These include core music courses and general education requirements across disciplines like science, humanities, and African American Music.

Graduates pursue careers as performers, composers, musicologists, band directors, conductors, arrangers, lyricists, and music producers.

Applicants must hold a high school diploma or equivalent. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required. Submission of transcripts and a music audition are mandatory for admission.

The programme totals about 120 credit hours. on-campus, full-time, four years. For international students, tuition is well below the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 30% of applicants.

Shaw University’s campus sits in the heart of downtown Raleigh, placing students near museums, theaters, galleries, parks, lakes, restaurants, shops, and entertainment. Estey Hall, opened in 1873 as the nation’s first college building with dormitories and classrooms for African-American women, remains on campus. Raleigh also offers access to internships and career opportunities, with Research Triangle Park about 20 minutes away.

Established in 1865 as the Raleigh Theological Institute, Shaw became the first historically Black college and university in North Carolina and the American South. Its history includes pioneering medical, pharmacy, legal-studies, and teacher-training programs. The campus also played a role in the civil rights movement, with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee growing from a 1960 meeting organized by alumna Ella Baker.

Academic options include programs in the arts, sciences, business, health professions, education, and divinity. Graduate study is available in Education and Child Development and through the School of Divinity. Students can gain experience through internships, study-abroad programs, international internships, research centers, and entrepreneurship training. The Honors College offers research, writing, oral communication, leadership, and study opportunities for eligible students. Shaw’s varsity teams compete in NCAA Division II.