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Music + Accelerated MPA Program

Student playing an instrument in a class.
Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts and Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs

Overview

Combine your passion for music with the advanced leadership and policy skills of public administration. Virginia Tech’s Music + Accelerated MPA pathway is designed for students who aspire to make a meaningful impact in cultural policy, nonprofit leadership, and public service. This integrated program offers a unique opportunity to earn both your Bachelor of Arts in Music and your Master of Public Administration in less time, positioning you for leadership roles at the intersection of arts and public affairs.

Career Outcomes and Salary Potential

Aspire to make a meaningful impact in cultural policy, nonprofit leadership, and public service. This integrated program offers a unique opportunity to earn both your Bachelor of Arts in Music and your Master of Public Administration in less time, positioning you for leadership roles at the intersection of arts and public affairs.

Program Highlights

Graduates with a Music + MPA degree are prepared for roles such as:

  • Arts and Cultural Program Director
  • Nonprofit Executive or Development Officer
  • Public Affairs Specialist
  • City or County Arts Administrator

According to the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), MPA graduates earn an average starting salary of $55,000–$70,000, with higher earnings in leadership roles. Combining this with a background in music opens doors to leadership in arts councils, education policy, and cultural institutions.

Why choose Virginia Tech?

  • State-of-the-art music and performance facilities
  • Interdisciplinary training in policy, leadership, and the arts
  • Personalized mentorship and advising
  • Opportunities for internships and capstone projects in arts and public service organizations
  • Unlock the power of a top-25 public university.

Accelerated Program Highlights

  • Streamlined pathway to earn both a B.A. in Music and a Master of Public Administration
  • Accelerated curriculum—complete both degrees in as little as four years
  • Take up to 12 graduate credits senior year that count toward both degrees.
  • Interdisciplinary training in policy, leadership, and the arts
  • Personalized mentorship and advising from faculty
  • Internship and capstone project opportunities in arts and public service organizations

Program Timeline

Standard 4+1 Pathway

Earn your degree in Music in four years and your MPA in a fifth, taking up to 12 graduate credits during your senior year (6 credits count toward both degrees).

Accelerated 3+1 Pathway

Entering with at least 12 Advanced Placement (AP) credits allows you to complete your undergraduate degree in music performance, technology or creative technologies in three years and your MPA in the fourth. If you do not have AP credits, you can follow the 3+1 path by completing 12 credits of summer coursework. Up to 14 summer or winter session courses can be taken, offering a cost-effective alternative to a traditional fifth year.

Graduate Admission Requirements

  • Current enrollment as in a Virginia Tech Music B.A. degree program
  • Minimum 3.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA
  • 75 credit hours of the undergraduate degree completed at time of application to the M.P.A. program

How to Apply to the MPA Graduate Program

  • Indicate your interest in the Accelerated MPA pathway during or after your first year
  • Meet with an academic advisor to develop your personalized degree plan
  • Apply for the MPA program during your junior or senior year, following specific program guidelines
  • Prepare required materials
  • Graduate School application form
  • CV or resume
  • Personal statement of motivation for graduate studies & career objectives
  • Official undergraduate transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation (at least two academic references)
  • Writing sample of 5-10 pages, optimally an academic paper from an upper division course in political science, sociology, PPE, or history, but papers from other fields may be submitted

    Visit the Accelerated MPA webpage to learn more