Aspiring musicians in Dubai will soon be able to study for a Bachelor of Music without leaving the city, as SAE University College prepares to launch what it says is Dubai’s first accredited degree of its kind.

The three-year, full-time programme will begin in September 2026, with applications currently open. It comes as the UAE looks to expand its cultural and creative industries, with a national target for the sector to contribute 5 per cent of GDP by 2031.

According to Jan Horn, Managing Director of SAE University College Dubai, the timing reflects a gap between the growth of the country’s music and entertainment sectors and the higher education options available to young people hoping to work in them.

“Students in the UAE have historically had access to private music tuition and specialist training, but far fewer opportunities to progress into a comprehensive, industry-focused Bachelor of Music without leaving the country,” Horn told sources.

He said the way young people view music careers is also changing, with students looking beyond traditional performance roles towards songwriting, production, electronic music, content creation, artist development and music business.

“For that ambition to be sustainable, the UAE needs more than venues, events and entertainment companies,” Horn said. “It also needs a strong local talent pipeline and higher education programmes that develop the musicians, producers, songwriters, composers, entrepreneurs and other creative professionals who will contribute to that economy.”

That changing industry has influenced how the degree has been designed.

Zubin Aroz, Head of Department, Music at SAE University College Dubai, said streaming, social media and the rise of independent artists mean musicians increasingly need skills that extend beyond making music.

“The reality today is that an artist is often their own label, distributor, marketer and business, and our curriculum is built around that reality rather than around a model that no longer exists,” Aroz told sources.

Alongside songwriting, production and performance, students will study areas including artist management, contracts, intellectual property, copyright, social media, marketing and creative business development.

“A lot of gifted musicians in this region are self-taught on the creative side but were never shown how the industry works, how rights and revenue function, or how to run themselves as a business,” Aroz said.

He added that music education has traditionally placed significant emphasis on classical and instrumental training, while the new programme will focus on contemporary and electronic music alongside connections with screen, gaming and live events.

The degree will also place an emphasis on practical work from the first year.

Students will work in professional-standard studios and with digital audio workstations, while studying areas including stagecraft and live music. As they progress, they will work on briefs for clients and community projects.