The Business and Entertainment (BAE) Program at American University’s Kogod School of Business has been named to Billboard’s Top Music Business Schools list for the second year in a row. Billboard’s Top Music Business Schools list, which annually spotlights the highest quality entertainment education programs around the world, is compiled through insights from industry executives, alumni recommendations, and information provided by schools.
Since launching in 2013, Kogod’s BAE program has emerged as one of the nation’s premiere programs of its kind, with more than 90% of its students going on to work within the entertainment industry at companies worldwide.
The BAE program offers business-focused courses taught by seasoned industry experts across sectors, from AI in entertainment to representing talent. The program also prioritizes hands-on, applied learning by bringing students on treks to entertainment hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and London, where they experience firsthand what it’s like to work inside film studios, record labels, talent agencies, and more. The BAE program’s commitment to providing real-world experiences is on display each year when its students help plan and produce an on-campus concert. This year’s concert at American University’s Bender Arena featured Flo Milli, a platinum-certified and BET Award-nominated recording artist.
Linda Bloss-Baum, who currently serves as Program Director of the BAE program, is a veteran in the entertainment industry, serving in corporate executive roles for over 30 years in Washington, DC. She represented Warner Music Group, Time Warner, and NBC Universal in the government affairs arena before becoming a Senior Vice President of SoundExchange.
“The extraordinary expansion of Kogod’s Business and Entertainment Program over the past decade has been prominent across the music industry,” said Bloss-Baum. “We are a relatively ‘young’ program, but our students and alumni have already had tremendous success in their professional endeavors."