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.
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“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 Khaleej Times.
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.”
When the artist is also the business
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 Khaleej Times.
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.
From the studio to live projects
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.
In their final year, students will undertake work-integrated learning through industry projects and complete a major production project.
“By the end of three years, releasing music, performing and collaborating on live industry projects isn’t an aspiration, it’s what they’ve been doing throughout,” Aroz said.
The programme has been developed with industry partners including Melody House, Muzikminds and songwriter and music producer Miklos Malek.
What about AI?
Artificial intelligence will also form part of the programme as AI tools increasingly enter songwriting, production and audio engineering.
Aroz said students will first be taught fundamentals including music theory, songwriting, production techniques and critical listening before exploring emerging technologies.
“Our position is that AI is a powerful tool and a creative collaborator, not a replacement for the artist, and the difference between the two comes down to craft and judgment,” he said.
Students will encounter computer-assisted and augmented-intelligence tools through an Emerging Creative Technologies unit, while also studying issues surrounding copyright, ownership and originality.
“The aim is a graduate who can harness AI confidently and responsibly while their own creative voice remains firmly in command,” Aroz added.
How is the degree accredited?
The Bachelor of Music will be delivered by SAE University College Dubai, an international campus of SAE University College Australia.
According to Horn, the Australian institution is regulated by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and holds self-accrediting authority and degree-awarding powers in Australia.
In the UAE, SAE University College Dubai is licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), and operates within the country’s higher education quality-assurance framework, including the Commission for Academic Accreditation.
Horn said the qualification is attestable for use in the UAE and can be used internationally, subject to the recognition and attestation requirements of individual countries, institutions or employers.
The programme is initially expected to draw a significant number of UAE-based students, although SAE also hopes to attract students from across the GCC, wider Middle East and internationally.
Applications are open for the September 2026 intake, with further intakes planned for February and May 2027. SAE is also offering scholarships and financial benefits of up to Dh50,000, with awards assessed based on factors including academic achievement, talent and individual eligibility.
