Overview

The University of Miami School of Law and UM's Frost School of Music – consistently ranked one of the top music business schools by Billboard Magazine - offer the first ever joint degree program in law and music industry. Upon completion of this program, a student earns the Juris Doctor degree from the School of Law and a Master of Arts in Music Industry degree from the Frost School of Music.

In this specialization, students not only learn the essentials of law, but also the common practices of music industry– essential skills for becoming a successful attorney in the music industry.

Through this joint program, students can complete both degrees in less time (3 to 4 years) while studying at a top law school and one of the best music schools in the country.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to the graduate studies for the Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Music Industry degree are:

  • Applicants may apply before they begin the J.D. program OR they may apply during their first or second year of Law School.  (Students must be accepted to the J.D. program before they are eligible for acceptance into the J.D./M.A. program.)
  • Students should let Professor Serona Elton know that they are applying to the M.A. program.
  • Students will find an application for the joint degree program here.
  • Only the LSAT exam is required.
  • Students who apply to the joint degree program are giving permission for the M.A. program admissions staff and faculty to review their complete J.D. application.
  • Students already enrolled in the M.A. program are not eligible to apply to the joint program.
  • All the requirements of the J.D. and M.A. programs must be fulfilled.

Curriculum Requirements

  • Students will complete the first-year law school curriculum in its entirety before taking any M.A. courses.
  • All other J.D. requirements must be met. Six credits will be satisfied by two M.A. courses. These courses must be completed before the J.D. degree will be conferred.
  • Twenty-one credits of M.A. courses are required and cover topics such as music copyright law, music industry agreement, music publishing and licensing, recorded music operations, marketing and promotion, and others.  More information about courses in the M.A. curriculum can be found in the UM Academic Bulletin.
  • Nine School of Law credits will be applied to the M.A. degree in the areas of intellectual property, business, and tax law topics. The M.A. degree will not be conferred until these nine credits are completed.
  • Student are encouraged to fashion a balanced upper-class law school curriculum which prepares them to provide legal services to clients in the business and entertainment industries including specific offering regarding arts and entertainment law, as well as more general offerings in domestic and international aspects of fields such as antitrust, business associations, commercial law, intellectual property, tax and torts.
  • If a student in the joint program wants to take music elective course (e.g., Musicology, Psychology of Music, Audio for Producers, etc.) arrangements will be made to accommodate the request.
  • Students are able to complete the joint degree program within three years if summer courses are taken.  Students may also choose to complete the program within three and ½ years or four years. 

JD/MA in Music Industry

JD REQUIREMENTS73
LAW ELECTIVES IN FULFILLMENT OF BOTH DEGREES *9
Please select from the following or others with approval:
Business Associations
Copyright Law
International Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Problem Solving
Labor Law
Applied Topics in Advanced Music Copyright Law
International Copyright
Law and the Media
MA IN MUSIC INDUSTRY REQUIREMENTS
MIN 673Music Publishing3
MIN 752Music Licensing3
Electives
Approved MIN Electives6
Final Project
Choose from:3
Music Industry Practicum
MIN Elective
Cumulative Exit Exam
MIN COURSES IN FULFILLMENT OF BOTH DEGREES
Please choose from the following or others with approval:
MIN 750Music Industry Agreements3
MIN 774Music Copyright Law3
Total Credit Hours103

* To fulfill joint degree requirements, credit must be earned with a grade of B or higher. 

Sample Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredit Hours
LAW 11 Civil Procedure I 3
LAW 12 Contracts 4
LAW 13 Elements 3
LAW 15 Torts 4
LAW 19 Legal Communication and Research I 2
 Credit Hours16
Spring
LAW 14 Property 4
LAW 16 Criminal Procedure 3
LAW 17 U.S. Constitutional Law I 4
LAW 29 Legal Communication and Research II 2
Law Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Summer
Upper Level Law Courses 6
 Credit Hours6
Year Two
Fall
Upper Level Law Courses 10
MIN 673 Music Publishing 3
MIN 774 Music Copyright Law 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
Upper Level Law Courses 13
MIN 752 Music Licensing 3
 Credit Hours16
Summer
Upper Level Law Courses 6
 Credit Hours6
Year Three
Fall
Upper Level Law Courses 6
Approved MIN Elective 3
MIN 750 Music Industry Agreements 3
 Credit Hours12
Spring
Upper Level Law Courses 9
Approved MIN Elective 6
MIN Cumulative Exam  
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours103