Typically, music programs concentrate on the historical, theoretical and technical aspects of music and performance. An interdisciplinary field, music is as much for the ambitious academic as it is for the aspiring professional musician.

An associate degree is an undergraduate degree offered in the US and a few other countries. Associate degrees are a qualification below a bachelor's degree. Many students earn associate degrees during their first few years of higher education. Since they usually require about two years of study, these degrees can act either as job qualifications or as precursors to more advanced degrees.