Certifications Embedded in Coursework
Industry-recognized credentials — Pro Tools Specialist, Dante, Wwise 101, MIDI Association — are earned through required coursework rather than pursued separately.
Virginia State University · Department of Music
A professional foundation in music production, built on real studio practice.
The Bachelor of Arts in Music, with a Concentration in Music Production Technology (MPT), prepares students in recording, mixing, sound design, and production through a curriculum built around industry certifications, multi-DAW training, immersive audio, and Trojan Soundworks, the program's student-run record label. The Department of Music has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since 1954.
- 120
- Credit-hour BA degree
- 8
- Semester course sequence
- 3
- Industry-standard DAWs
- 4
- Certifications built into coursework
The Program
What distinguishes the MPT concentration.
Music Production Technology sits at the intersection of musicianship, engineering, and creative technology, with significant instructional time in studios and labs alongside traditional coursework.
Immersive & Spatial Audio
Dolby Atmos and spatial workflows run as a consistent thread through the curriculum rather than a single elective, preparing students for a growing area of the field.
Multi-DAW Fluency
Students train across Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live, developing fluency across the industry's core platforms rather than specializing in a single tool.
Trojan Soundworks
A student-run record label providing direct experience in production, A&R, marketing, and business affairs on actual commercial releases.
Professionally Active Faculty
Instructors working professionally in the field bring current industry practice into the classroom and studio.
An NASM-Accredited Department
MPT is housed within a Department of Music accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, with a longstanding performance tradition underlying the production curriculum.
Curriculum
Four years, one continuous course of study.
The Concentration in MPT is completed within a 120-credit-hour BA in Music across eight semesters: a shared technical foundation in the first two years, followed by increasing specialization in junior and senior year. Two MPT electives are required, though open elective credit may also be filled with additional MPT coursework, and most students pursuing depth in a specific area do so.
01
Freshman Year
- Sound fundamentals: frequency, amplitude, signal flow
- Studio basics: microphones, interfaces, DAWs
- Industry awareness: producer vs. engineer vs. artist
- Professional studio etiquette & session organization
02
Sophomore Year
- Pro Tools signal flow, recording & non-destructive editing
- Live sound foundations: PA systems, FOH vs. monitor mixing
- Basic EQ & compression concepts
- Begins the Pro Tools Specialist certification track
03
Junior Year
- MIDI, virtual instruments & synthesis fundamentals
- Session leadership: mic selection, phase awareness, workflow
- Static mixing, balance, panning & bus processing
- First required MPT elective + open elective specialization
04
Senior Year — Studio Seminar
- Fall: curate a professional portfolio, propose a capstone project
- Faculty review of portfolio & project proposal
- Spring: execute the approved capstone from pre-production to delivery
- Present a finished project as the culminating demonstration of the concentration
MPT Elective Courses
A sample of the courses that fill required and open elective slots across junior and senior year.
Pro Tools 110
Applied Studio Techniques
Sound Design for Film & Video Games
Composition for Film & Video Games
Sample-Based Production
Advanced Media Sound Design (Wwise)
Music Business
Advanced Mixing
Advanced Music Production
Advanced Live Sound (Dante)
Applied Composition
Software & Gear
Trained across the platforms the industry actually uses.
The recording and production industry does not standardize on a single DAW, and the curriculum reflects that reality. Students gain working fluency in Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live, developing an informed sense of which platform best serves a given project.
- Pro Tools — recording, editing & mixing; basis of the Pro Tools Specialist certification
- Logic Pro — film scoring, sound design & virtual instruments
- Ableton Live — electronic production & clip-based arrangement
- Dolby Atmos Renderer — immersive & spatial mix authoring
- Wwise — interactive audio for games; basis of Wwise 101 certification
- Dante — audio-over-IP networking for live & installed sound
Certifications
Verified credentials, earned through coursework.
In a field where many practitioners are self-taught, these credentials verify that graduates have been trained to a recognized industry standard. Certification requirements are built into required coursework rather than pursued as work in addition to it.
Pro Tools Specialist
The industry-recognized DAW credential for recording, post-production & broadcast. Earned through Pro Tools 101 & 110 — no separate exam fee.
Dante Level 1 & 2
The dominant audio-over-IP protocol in professional live, broadcast & AV. Earned through the Advanced Live Sound elective.
Wwise 101
Audiokinetic's industry-standard interactive audio engine for games. Earned through Advanced Media Sound Design.
MIDI Association Certification
MIDI fundamentals and applied practice, useful across production, performance, and software-instrument work.
The MPT Student Record Label
Trojan Soundworks.
Trojan Soundworks connects classroom skills directly to professional practice — real releases, real clients, and real creative and business decisions, carried out under faculty supervision rather than as classroom simulation. It is the MPT program's student-run record label, structured to mirror the organization of a working label.
- Records & releases VSU ensemble and student projects
- Provides production, distribution & promotion to regional artists and community partners
- Manages the full release cycle — pre-production through royalty tracking and post-release analytics
- Produces Dolby Atmos mixes for releases where applicable
- Artists retain ownership of their masters; the label earns a modest revenue split in the artist's favor
- All net revenue is reinvested into student scholarships, gear, and program development
Creative & Production
A&R, engineers, producers & creative direction
Business Affairs
Contracts, split sheets & royalty management
Marketing & Promotion
Digital campaigns, playlist pitching & analytics
Live & Community
Live sound, event streaming & touring logistics
Career Paths
Where MPT graduates work.
Graduates often pursue several of these paths concurrently. Careers in audio are frequently structured as a portfolio of work rather than a single salaried position, particularly early on, and the curriculum is designed with that professional reality in mind.
Recording & Mixing Engineer
Tracking and mixing in studios or freelance for independent artists, bands & ensembles.
Classical & Orchestral Recording
On-location recording of orchestras, chamber groups, choirs & soloists.
Film Scoring & Music for Media
Composing & producing music for film, TV & advertising in Logic Pro.
Music Producer
Shaping records start to finish; genre-specialized and relationship-driven.
Sound Designer
Audio for film, games, interactive media & immersive experiences.
Immersive / Spatial Audio Specialist
Dolby Atmos and spatial mixing for music, film & media.
Live Sound Engineer
FOH and monitor mixing for concerts, theater, houses of worship & touring.
AV Integration & Systems
Design, installation & operation of professional AV systems.
Broadcast & Post-Production
Audio for TV, streaming, podcasts & online media.
A full breakdown of day-to-day work in each path is available in the MPT Student Welcome Packet, available from the program advisor.
Faculty & Advising
Program advising and faculty contacts.
Dustin Painter
Program Coordinator, Music Production Technology
Davis Hall 215
dpainter@vsu.edu
804-524-5647
Degree planning, program requirements, and aligning electives & certifications with student goals.
Corey Brown
Music Production Technology
Davis Hall 103
cbrown@vsu.edu
804-524-5402
Semester-by-semester planning, Studio Seminar & capstone guidance.
Dr. Tim Thompson
Music Theory & Composition
tthompson@vsu.edu
804-524-5119
Applied composition study for students pursuing film, game & media composition.
FAQ
Common questions.
What degree do I actually earn?
A BA in Music with a Concentration in Music Production Technology — a 120-credit-hour degree combining music coursework, production technology, general education, and a two-course Studio Seminar capstone in senior year.
Do I need to already play an instrument or know a DAW?
No prior production experience is assumed. The first year is designed to build conceptual literacy and basic studio confidence; incoming students are expected to engage seriously with the fundamentals, not to arrive already proficient.
I'm transferring credits from another school — how does that work?
A transfer student's starting point depends on which foundational courses and music theory have already been completed. Students are encouraged to meet with the program coordinator early to map transfer credit against the sequence, as the lab and software components often make MPT courses difficult to substitute one-for-one.
How much does earning the certifications cost?
The Pro Tools Specialist certification carries no separate exam fee; it is completed through required coursework. Current details on Dante, Wwise, and MIDI Association certification costs are available from the program advisor.
How do I get studio time?
Freshman and sophomore MPT students receive one dedicated studio hour per week for coursework. Once a student reaches junior status, any available studio may be booked independently via Canvas booking links (24 hours' advance notice required, using a VSU student email address).
What is Trojan Soundworks, exactly?
The MPT program's student-run record label. Students rotate through its operating departments — Creative & Production, Business Affairs, Marketing & Promotion, and Live & Community — working on actual releases for student and regional artists rather than classroom simulations.
Follow the Program
Recent from Instagram.
A few recent posts from the MPT program's Instagram — @vsu_musicproductiontechnology.
Get in Touch
Request more information.
Prospective and current students may request additional information below. The program coordinator will follow up with curriculum details, elective planning, and next steps.
- Email dpainter@vsu.edu
- Phone 804-524-5647
- Office Davis Hall 215, Virginia State University