Music Composition Degree For Visual Media

Program Overview

Ready to turn your musical ideas into unforgettable scores? MI’s Bachelor of Music in Composition for Visual Media gives you the creative and technical foundation to write music for film, television, animation, video games, and more.

Develop your own compositional voice through active composing projects while studying contemporary arranging, scoring, orchestration, music theory, ear training, counterpoint, and music history. You’ll also build practical skills using digital music creation tools and develop the techniques to bring your musical ideas to life for a variety of visual media.

Whether you see yourself scoring a film, creating the soundtrack for a game, or composing for the next visual project, MI gives you a place to build your portfolio and prepare for a career in music composition.

Curriculum Highlights

BACH-P125 – MUSICAL DIRECTING/CONDUCTING

BACH-M309 – MECHANICS OF SCORE PRODUCTION 1 1-6

BACH-M486 – THE BUSINESS OF COMPOSING 1

> VIEW COURSE CATALOG

Degree by the Numbers

From 10 weeks to 4 years, there's an option for you!

Bachelor of Music in Composition – 12 Quarters

MI SELECT (Individual Course) - 10 weeks in length

The MI Difference

Music and entertainment partnership logos

Fully Immersive Curriculum

Composition for Visual Media students at MI are taught by industry-experienced instructors who bring real-world perspective into every class. Some highlights include:

Training in contemporary composition, arranging, scoring, orchestration, counterpoint, and harmony across a variety of musical styles
Hands-on experience composing for visual media, including film, television, animation, video games, and other creative projects
Practical training in digital music creation and production, using technology and tools commonly used in today’s composition and scoring workflows
Scoring Sessions, in which our composers record their music with an orchestra of studio musicians.

Hollywood Location

Our campus is located in the middle of the entertainment industry, including the worlds of music, film, television and beyond. As a Composition student in Los Angeles, you'll have access to the finest live music venues, along with opportunities and possibilities to visit, intern and work at the best studios and sought after music labels in the world.

Private Lessons with Instructors

MI instructors are working composers, orchestrators, and music professionals who bring their experience into the classroom every day. Students have the opportunity for personalized one-on-one instruction, helping them refine their artistic voice and develop their signature style.

Partnerships

As an MI student, you become part of a global network of arts, entertainment, and educational companies. These partnerships and affiliates offer students direct access to the music industry and can help with their careers after graduation, including internships, job placements, gear discounts, and more.

YOUR NEXT CHAPTER

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Faculty

Musicians Institute hosts a highly skilled faculty with extensive experience in the world of contemporary music.

Christian Dubeau

3-time recipient of Gluck Fellowships for the Arts, Orchestra Society of Philadelphia

Duy Tran

Sony, Samsung, La Roche Posay

Forrest Gray

Dear White People, Bridgerton, Raising Dion, The Morning Show

Alumni Success Stories

Cody Matthew Johnson Grammy Nominated Producer/Composer (Star Wars Outlaws, Trek to Yomi, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry)

Music Composition for Visual Media

M.I. presented the opportunity and access to the tools I needed to hone my craft, separating me from my colleagues in such a competitive field. I began to find my own unique voice through the passionate direction and guidance of the staff.

READ CODY'S STORY

Alessandro Saini HBO, ABC, NBC, History Channel

Music Composition for Visual Media

MI provided me with the foundation necessary to be self-sufficient when trying to forge a career in this business. Their faculty is some of the most experienced and…learning from those who have been in the trenches was incredibly valuable.

READ ALESSANDRO'S STORY

International Students

International students make up nearly one-fourth of MI’s total student population, representing more than 50 countries throughout the world. The International Student Office is dedicated to making the transition from each student’s home country to MI’s Hollywood campus as smooth and easy as possible.

International Student Resources

Career Options

“What can I do with a degree in Music Composition for Visual Media?”

Following in the non-traditional spirit of MI, graduates with a certificate in the music composition for visual media program have found careers in diverse settings across the music industry. We strive to prepare graduates for mastery in any opportunities that arise in music, like:

FILM & TV COMPOSER

Composers create original music that supports the story, emotion, pacing, and overall vision of film and television productions.

VIDEO GAME COMPOSER

Game composers create original music and themes that help shape the atmosphere, identity, and immersive experience of video games.

ORCHESTRATOR

Orchestrators transform musical ideas into detailed arrangements for ensembles, orchestras, and recording sessions, bringing a composer’s vision to life.

ARRANGER

Arrangers adapt and develop musical material by shaping instrumentation, harmony, structure, and style for recordings, performances, and visual media.

MUSIC EDITOR

Music editors prepare, edit, and organize music to fit the timing, structure, and creative needs of film, television, games, and other productions.

SOUND DESIGNER

Sound designers create and shape audio elements that help build the sonic world of film, games, animation, and other visual experiences.

Career Development

Artist & Career Services

Artist & Career Services (ACS) is an extensive resource center designed to offer students and alumni active professional & personal development to succeed in today’s competitive entertainment industry.

ACS provides help in career development like resume building, workshops, industry mentors, discounted gear, internships and more.

Accelerate Your Career

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Don’t let finances get in the way of your dreams. MI has a range of scholarships available for incoming students of all kinds. Scholarships available to Music Composition for Visual Media students include:

MUSICIANSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

Musicianship Scholarships are available to new and current students enrolling in the Bachelor of Music, Associate of Arts, or Certificate in Performance Programs.

MI DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Musicians Institute offers the MI Development Scholarship to newly enrolling students to encourage the educational development of musicians and music industry professionals.

Explore Tuition Assistance

Student walking with laptop in Hollywood

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

Courses in Contemporary Arranging, Scoring and Orchestration
Skills that will translate to music composition work in television, film, video games and beyond
Music theory, ear training and music history
Professional training in the use of digital tools for music production
Supportive classes in Apple Logic, the Business of Composing, Counterpoint, Keyboard Proficiency and more

COURSE CATALOG

For a detailed look at all of MI’s program offerings, you can find the course catalog here.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Musicians Institute offers many opportunities for scholarships in all of our programs. Please visit our Scholarship page for more information.

FINANCIAL AID

Please visit MI’s Financial Aid page for all the details on how you can qualify.

FACILITIES

Full production sound stages and recording studios
Fully equipped practice facilities and computer labs with the latest industry standard equipment
Concert Hall access, with full audio/video recording capabilities
Multiple performance and recording studios available for student practice

What is the Music Composition for Visual Media program?

This Bachelor of Music program trains composers to write musical soundtracks for film, television, animation, and video games, combining music theory, arranging, and production with scoring-specific technique.

How long does the Music Composition program take?

It’s a Bachelor of Music degree, MI’s standard 12-quarter (3-year) full-time bachelor’s track, with a 14-quarter option if paired with a minor.

What will I learn in the Music Composition program?

Training covers composition and orchestration technique, scoring to picture, music technology and production tools, and the business side of licensing music for visual media.

What can I do with a Music Composition for Visual Media degree?

Graduates pursue careers as film, TV, game, and animation composers, orchestrators, and music editors for visual media productions.

Ready to start your Music Composition for Visual Media journey?

The first step in applying to our on-ground or online program is to complete an Application for Admission, and get started with the best music college!

Apply Now

Can’t make it to Hollywood? You can enroll in our Music Composition for Visual Media program from anywhere in the world through MI Online!

Study Online

Upcoming Events

ON CAMPUS OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM (Pacific Time)

Find out for yourself why thousands of musicians from all over the world have made MI the launching pad for their careers.

MI ONLINE INFO SESSION

Thursday, December 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Meet the MI Online team as they guide you through the MIO platform, the diverse program offerings, and the steps needed to apply.

FINANCING YOUR EDUCATION

Thursday, December 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Learn about the financial aid process, key documents, and funding sources to help you manage costs.

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