The IMC Program Needs a Music Specialization

By Clay Hale

IMC Student

It’s time for the Integrated Marketing Communications program at the University of Mississippi to add music to its ever-growing roster of specializations.

The program already has a handful of art-related specializations—fashion immediately comes to mind, for instance. So, why stop there?

One thing I really love about Ole Miss is how supportive it is of musical paths for students.

It was Rebel Radio at the Student Media Center that gave me my first opportunity to build knowledge on the musical side of the media world. Shortly after, The Daily Mississippian would provide me the chance to write about all things music.

IMC is a broad program as it is. With a music specialization, the possibilities are limitless. One could pursue a future as a radio DJ or an artist publicist, or even work for a record label in star-studded Nashville.

On top of that, there’s not a doubt in my mind that there would be a surplus of students to support the specialization. To be in the IMC program is to be right-brained, or creative and leaning toward art.

If most of the students in the program are right-brained, then it shouldn’t be too big a leap to think that a wide majority of them are interested in pursuing something with a musical bent down the road.

It’s also not like this would be changing the Constitution. Other specializations require the addition of a few more courses to a student’s degree path. Most likely, those could be scored throughout a student’s first four years at the University.

These certain courses could offer skills on how to promote songs to big players like Spotify and radio, as well as showcase ways to bring an artist to their full potential in the industry. A basic music class may also be worth taking.

It’s hard for me to find a scenario where this project would fail. It’d be fairly easy to accomplish, draw substantial support and fit well in with the other IMC specializations.

So, let’s make it happen.