Located in the heart of the city, the University of Colorado Denver provides a traditional college experience in a hip urban setting. Within the College of Arts & Media, the Department of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies offers an accredited Bachelors of Science Degree in Music, designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in the arts and entertainment industries.

The Music and Entertainment Industry (MEIS) Department is well known for one-of-a-kind programs focused on contemporary music styles, commercial music business, and music production. Students choose from four degree emphasis areas:

• Music Business
• Music Performance
• Recording Arts
• Singer/Songwriter

Music and Entertainment Industry Studies offers both non-audition track programs (Music Business & Recording Arts) and audition track programs (Music Business, Recording Arts, Music Performance, and Singer/Songwriter). The non-audition track programs are designed for students who hope to work behind-the-scenes in the music industry, while the audition track programs are designed for students who want to master an instrument and be a performer.

All MEIS faculty members are industry professionals who help to richen the learning experience. Students develop their strengths in performance ensembles, private lessons, recitals, senior portfolios, capstone projects, and because of a big city location, have many opportunities to pursue internships within music and entertainment settings.

The Recording Arts program is the only one of its kind in the Rocky Mountain Region, with access to Denver and the region thriving music industry. MEIS students perform and work in some of the city’s most well-known concert venues, and their work has a noted impact on Denver’s booming creative scene.

New in 2019, CU Denver’s MEIS Department is offering one of the first Electronic Digital Instrument (EDI) Programs in the country! Students now have the choice of focusing on electronic music for performance instead of a tradition instrument. Students who choose this track will receive weekly lessons from a faculty member in electronic music (using Ableton Live, Logic, etc) and have lots of electronic music ensemble and performance opportunities. Check out our website for more information.

Facilities include:

• five recording studios
• large inventory of microphones and outboard equipment
• 16-station piano lab featuring Apple Macintosh iMac computers
• eight performance teaching studios
• twelve practice suites
• King Academic and Performing Arts Center
• 500-seat Concert Hall
• 250-seat Recital Hall
• 350-seat Rawls Hall
• Production Studio (black Box) with a full-size scene shop, and recording facility

CU Denver participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Tuition Savings Program. All students from the Western states automatically qualify for WUE at CU Denver. WUE makes college more affordable for students in participating states by limiting the cost of attendance to no more than 150% of the cost of in-state tuition.