Music Industry Arts

Start your music industry career - learn the world of audio production and the business of music.

  • Delivered in a condensed format of three consecutive 14-week terms over 12 months
  • Study inside a studio environment using industry standard equipment
  • Book personal time in the studio spaces to work on your own projects

Program Availability and Schedule

Availability

Open

Closed

Waitlisted

Start Term

Availability

International
Availability

Competitive?

Fall 2025

No

Schedule

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Program Summary

Credential

Ontario College Diploma (42 Weeks)

Program Delivery

Program Code

Area of Interest

Creative Media and Communications

School

School of Media and Design

Campus

Ottawa

Work Integrated Learning

This accelerated two-year Music Industry Arts Ontario College Diploma program, delivered over three academic periods (semesters), prepares you to start your music industry career. You learn how to work as an audio professional, performing artist, business professional, or entrepreneur in the music industry....(read more)

Overview

Start your music industry career - learn the world of audio production and the business of music.

This accelerated two-year Music Industry Arts Ontario College Diploma program, delivered over three academic periods (semesters), prepares you to start your music industry career. You learn how to work as an audio professional, performing artist, business professional, or entrepreneur in the music industry.

As a student, you produce multi-track recordings in a real studio environment where you learn the full range of audio engineering and music production skills including:

  • digital audio workstations
  • multi-track recording
  • signal flow
  • music production and mixing

You also build music business and entrepreneurship skills to assist artists and songwriters in preparing for their career in this creative industry including:

  • royalties and copyright
  • music publishing
  • social media marketing
  • emerging music technologies

Elective courses provide an opportunity for you to focus your development on the technical side or on the creative side of the music industry.

During the program, you work in small studio lab classes to gain hands-on experience in the recording studio with guidance from faculty. Individual time in the studio lets you experience what it is like to lead your own recording session. Independence in the studio, working on school or personal projects, builds your confidence with the equipment and the techniques introduced in class.

In this program, you will be provided with opportunities to work with industry in settings such as audio production facilities, festivals, special events, and music organizations.

As non-semester diploma program, this program is equivalent to a 2-year diploma but is condensed to three consecutive semesters, offered over 12 months. As a result, this program is fast-paced, allowing you to develop time management and organizational skills that are of value in the music industry.

There are many different career paths in the industry after graduation. You may find employment in:

  • live production facilities
  • recording studios
  • royalty and/or arts administration
  • creative fields

Opportunities exist for graduates wishing to pursue their own production companies, music businesses, or creative ventures.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who have:

  • A broad background in music.
  • Knowledge and appreciation for all types of music.
  • A passion for the arts and entertainment.
  • An interest in the recording industry and its role in today`s entertainment field.
  • A strong work ethic.
  • Experience with computers.

Courses

Programs at Algonquin College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with virtual learning activities. Upon registration, each full-time student is provided an Algonquin email account which is used to communicate important information about program or course events.

Careers & Pathways

Careers

Graduates may find employment as recording engineers, live sound engineers, producers, performing artists, songwriters, DJs, personal managers, music publishers, arts administrators and concert promoters. Opportunities may also exist for graduates wishing to start their own production companies or music businesses.

Pathways

Please use our Pathways tool to search for pathway options.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  1. Produce recordings using multi-track recording systems with effective signal flow using audio engineering and music production skills in a professional audio environment.
  2. Prepare marketing, recording, production, career, and budgeting plans that support artist development.
  3. Perform work related to music business contracts and music publishing in compliance with copyright, legal guidelines and industry standards.
  4. Record audio using appropriate microphone types and techniques to achieve optimal sound quality for a desired outcome.
  5. Produce professional music and post-production sound for various creative media industries with appropriate recording interface.
  6. Apply music theory concepts in order to read, compose and analyse contemporary music.
  7. Assess the acoustical characteristics of an environment to make informed decisions for audio techniques required to support a desired outcome.
  8. Develop strategies to maintain currency within evolving music industry trends, technologies and practices to support professional development and career planning.
  9. Apply industry-level skills in the operation and safe execution of live sound production.
  10. Analyse the historical and current state of the music industry in order to respond to inclusion gaps and address systemic barriers and challenges to success.
  11. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Tuition & Fees

Get an idea of how much each semester will cost with our Tuition and Fee Estimator.

2024/2025 Academic Year

Tuition and related ancillary fees for this program can be viewed by using the Tuition and Fees Estimator tool at www.algonquincollege.com/fee-estimator.

Further information on fees can be found by visiting the Registrar`s Office website at www.algonquincollege.com/ro.

Fees are subject to change.

Additional program related expenses include:

  • Equipment and supplies cost approximately $3,000.
  • Students must purchase their own Apple MacBook Pro laptop computer, which is included in the equipment cost estimate.
  • Some equipment and supplies can be purchased directly from Algonquin`s Connections Store at educational discounted rates.

Admissions Requirements

All applicants must satisfy both College Eligibility and Program Eligibility requirements.

College Eligibility

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent. Applicants with an OSSD showing senior English and/or Mathematics courses at the Basic Level, or with Workplace or Open courses, will be tested to determine their eligibility for admission; OR
  • Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) certificate; OR
  • General Educational Development (GED) certificate; OR
  • Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and without a high school diploma at the start of the program). Eligibility may be determined by academic achievement testing for which a fee will be charged.

Program Eligibility

  • English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent).
  • Mathematics, Grade 12 (MCT4C) is recommended.
  • Completion of a Supplemental Form and MP3 Recording. Submission details can be found on the Algonquin College Additional Admission Requirements website: www.algonquincollege.com/admissionspackages.
  • Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject-specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
  • IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT) Overall 80, with a minimum of 20 in each component: Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20; OR Duolingo English Test (DET) Overall 110, minimum of 110 in Literacy and no score below 95.

Not sure if you meet all of the requirements? Academic Upgrading may be able to help with that: https://www.algonquincollege.com/access/.

Should the number of applicants exceed the number of available places, applicants will be selected on the basis of their proficiency in English.

Application Information

MUSIC INDUSTRY ARTS
Program Code 1405X04FWO

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should notify their Guidance Office prior to their online application at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants please visit this link for application process information: https://algonquincollege.force.com/myACint/.

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar`s Office
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax: 613-727-7632
Contact: https://www.algonquincollege.com/ro

Additional Information

Program Resources

Instructions and further detail on the completion of a Supplemental Form and MP3 Recording will be sent to applicants after the ontariocolleges.ca application has been processed.

Contact

Brian Asselin

Program Coordinator

asselib1@algonquincollege.com

613-727-4723

View Bio

Brian Asselin

Program Coordinator

asselib1@algonquincollege.com

613-727-4723

Brian Asselin holds a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education. Over the past 15 years, he has toured Europe, the United States, and Canada with various bands, including The Commotions, The Legendary Funk Brothers, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The JW-Jones Blues Band. In the last 10 years, Brian has been sharing his expertise, teaching students subjects such as saxophone, jazz improvisation, music theory, and songwriting. Currently, he serves as a professor at Algonquin College in the Music Industry Arts program. In addition to his role as a saxophonist, Brian is a dedicated songwriter. Following his time in teachers’ college, he penned a song dedicated to inspiring teachers worldwide. This song has garnered over 4 million views on YouTube and is embraced by choirs globally. Brian has expanded his presence with a successful YouTube channel and has released albums under his name and his Soul project, The Commotions. The Commotions boast three releases to date and have been featured on notable shows such as The Fosters (ABC), The Neighborhood (CBS), Snowfall (FX), and All Rise (OWN).

Jason Jaknunas

Professor

jaknunj@algonquincollege.com

View Bio

Jason Jaknunas

Professor

jaknunj@algonquincollege.com

Jason Jaknunas has been a prominent figure in the Canadian music scene for over 25 years, with extensive experience in audio engineering and music production and teaching. Jason worked as Engineer at Raven Street Studios from 1995 to 2002, and during this time worked with numerous artists from a variety of musical genres, including classical, blues, rock, electronica, and jazz. He has written published articles on recording technology, and enjoys building studio equipment and studio furniture.

Jason has been fortunate to have produced 3 Juno Nominated records by the Souljazz Orchestra, Resistance, 2016, Solidarity, 2013, and Rising Sun, 2010, and engineered tracks from the Grammy nominated Ladies’ Man by Pinetop Perkins in 2004.

Always ready to embrace current trends in recording technology, Jason Jaknunas enjoys working in both the digital and analogue domains. In 2005, he established Ottawa’s Metropolitan Studios, a hybrid analogue/digital facility that he currently owns and operates.

Wayne Hawthorne

Professor

hawthow@algonquincollege.com

View Bio

Wayne Hawthorne

Professor

hawthow@algonquincollege.com

Wayne started his technical entertainment life as a house technician at the Heritage & The Lester B. Pearson Theatres in Brampton, Ontario. As these venues catered to a diverse array of content, the in-house technical staff had to be well versed in many technical roles, including stage management, stagecraft, lighting and audio. This adaptability became an asset in Wayne’s next role in the Entertainment Technical Services shop at Paramount Canada’s Wonderland. While there, Wayne worked within and also as lead role, from ride audio and background music and paging systems, to high-level touring concerts and in-park laser-light and fire spectaculars. During this time, Wayne completed his Electrical Engineering education, and later earned his designation as a Professional Engineer. Combining this engineering background with his prior experience in entertainment & audio became an asset as he participated in the design and implementation of acoustic DSP (Digital Signal Processing) sensor systems and audio/video recording systems for the defense market. Wayne’s passion for live entertainment never waned and the inception for Click Track Audio began. Click Track features one of Canada’s few professional mobile production studios, and, in his role as owner/operator, Wayne has been involved in live recordings and broadcasts for content producers such as Musi-Plus, Live Nation, VRAK TV, Rogers Television, CTV, Astral Radio, Sirius Radio, and PBS, and has had the pleasure to provide both 5.1 and Stereo audio mixes for national broadcasts such as the Canada Day festivities on Parliament Hill, Winterlude and Canada AM Live. His events have featured personalities such as France D’Amour, Billy Talent, The Sam Roberts Band, K-OS, Blue Rodeo, Michael Franti & Spearhead, the Gypsy Kings and Feist.

Mike Bond

Professor

bondm@algonquincollege.com

View Bio

Mike Bond

Professor

bondm@algonquincollege.com

Mike has been an active member of the Ottawa music scene since the mid ’90s as a producer, recording engineer, live sound technician and musician. His casual yet professional demeanor makes him a favorite among musicians of all genres, giving Mike experience with a wide variety of artists and musical styles. A background as a drummer, guitarist, bassist, song writer and band coach makes him a valuable asset to any recording or pre-production session, allowing Mike to connect with clients on multiple levels and provide advice and artistic input as needed.

A graduate of the TARA program at Raven Street Studios, Mike is currently Co-Owner / Chief Engineer of Wolf Lake Studios and owns mixing / mastering suite The Bond Cave.

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