Professional Music Certificate Programs

While there are more opportunities than ever for music professionals to earn a steady income from their craft, the job market for musicians and songwriters is still highly competitive. An online professional music certificate program offers musicians the opportunity to hone their skills and earn valuable job qualifications. Even for experienced music professionals, certificate programs offer the chance to develop the new talents necessary to land jobs as music directors, teachers, or arrangers.

Professional Music Certificate Programs Online

Professional music certificate programs offer students access to expert instructors who can give critical feedback about songwriting, harmony, and recording. In a subjective business where few professionals have time to offer critiques, professional music certificate programs provide a valuable way for students to get the kind of advice that can help turn them into masters of their craft.

Berklee College of Music

Advance your career with certification from BerkleeMusic

Sell yourself and your talents better by getting certified from a world class provider of music education.

Arranging | Producing | Songwriting | Music Theory, Ear Training

Gain in-depth knowledge and a thorough background in your area of interest. By enrolling in one of these 5-course programs, and studying for a year with the faculty and curriculum of Berklee College of Music, you will develop a deep awareness and expand your expertise in your chosen field. Courses are offered completely online! Choose your area of study.

Get more information from Berklee Music!

Online Professional Music Certificates

Professional Certificate in Music Arranging

The Professional Arranging certificate helps you to learn basic arranging for the rhythm section, as well as more advanced orchestration techniques including 2, 3, 4 & 5 part writing. You'll master the mechanics of chord progression patterns and find the notes that work best with each chord in the progression.

Arranging 1
Getting Inside Harmony 1
Arranging 2
Style Writing for Performers and Arrangers
Arranging 3

To be completed in 1 year (15 credits)

More information and sample courses from Berklee Music

Electronic Music Production and Sound Design

With the Professional Electronic Music Production and Sound Design certificate, you'll learn how synthesizers work, master sound design concepts, and move on to more advanced sound creation and manipulation techniques that you can transfer to any hardware or software synthesizer. You'll also become adept at producing electronic-sounding arrangements, as well as arrangements with a more natural, organic feel, using MIDI sequencing software including Logic and Reason.

Desktop Music Production
Sampling and Audio Production
MIDI Sequencing Intermediate
Sound Design for the Electronic Musician
Production Workshop

To be completed in 1 year (14 credits)

More information and sample courses from Berklee Music

Studio Production

Learn to create, produce and record music using the software and sequencers in Pro Tools, Abelton Live, and Reason. You'll learn to re-arrange live samples on the fly, develop your Pro Tools proficiency, and thoroughly explore the capabilities of MIDI sequencing.

Pro Tools 101
Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools
MIDI Sequencing Intermediate
Producing Music with Ableton Live
Critical Listening

To be completed in 1 year (14 credits)

More information and sample courses from Berklee Music

Professional Certificate in Songwriting

Become a truly accomplished songwriter, learn to develop creative song ideas and overcome writer's block, enhance the emotional intent of your lyrics, and create strong, focused songs that perfectly blend your lyrical ideas with powerful melodies. Utilize constructive feedback on your songs from your classmates and professor, and learn to master the skills that allow you to express your ideas in more compelling and original ways.

Songwriting Workshop: Hit Song Forms
Lyric Writing: Tools and Strategies
Lyric Writing: Writing Lyrics to Music
Songwriting Workshop: Melody
Songwriting Workshop: Harmony

To be completed in 1 year (14 credits)

More information and sample courses from Berklee Music

Harmony & Ear Training

The Professional Harmony and Ear Training certificate presents a combination of activities and lessons designed to help you internalize music and develop a firm understanding of the inner workings of harmony and ear training. You'll come to better understand the relationships between notes using the solfege method.