Hip Hop Culture & the Arts, BA
A four-year Bachelor of Arts that treats Hip Hop as what it is: a global art form, a career path, and a force for change. Learn to DJ, produce, write, dance, design, and build a career doing it—all while studying the culture that shaped modern music, fashion, film, and social movements.
Department of Dance students perform “Manifesting Our Movement; Manifesting Our Dance” choreographed by Thompson Stout.
Beats. Business. Culture. Community. One Degree.
Hip Hop is a worldwide movement that includes music, storytelling, dance, design, and much more. This is the first degree in Illinois built entirely around the art form. You’ll dig into Hip Hop’s history and culture, but you’ll also get hands-on: producing beats, DJing, writing, dancing, filming, and pitching your own creative projects. By graduation, you’ll have real skills, a real portfolio, and a real understanding of how to turn your passion into a career whether in music, media, education, fashion, nonprofits, or your own business.
Department of Dance students perform “Manifesting Our Movement; Manifesting Our Dance” choreographed by Thompson Stout.
Why Study Hip Hop at Illinois?
- Learn the History, Learn the Craft — Beatmaking, DJing, emceeing, dance, and digital media, taught by working artists and producers.
- First & Only in Illinois — No other college in the state offers a full bachelor’s degree dedicated to Hip Hop culture.
- Build Your Own Path — Choose electives across creative studies, cultural studies, digital media, and entrepreneurship — this major flexes around your interests.
- No Audition Required — No Audition Required – Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate their individuality and artistry via a creative portfolio. Faculty want students to show us what the next generation of Hip Hop artists can do!
- Real-World Experience Built In — Work in local schools and communities through the Hip Hop Ambassadors program before you even graduate.
- Transfer-Friendly — Designed to work for both UIUC transfer students and students switching in from other majors.
What Classes Will I Take?
Over four years (120 credit hours), you’ll move from foundations to advanced, specialized work:
Year 1–2: Foundations
- The history and global evolution of Hip Hop
- Your first hands-on skills: beatmaking, DJing, emceeing, dance, and/or visual art
- Intro courses in Black Arts, digital media, and cultural studies
Year 2–3: Find Your Groove
- Pick electives across four tracks: Creative Studies, Cultural Studies, Digital Media, and later, Education, Engagement & Entrepreneurship
Year 3–4: Go Advanced
- Advanced studio work, capstone experience in the Hip Hop Studio
- Real community engagement through Hip Hop Ambassadors
- Enough elective room to add a minor, certificate, or second area of study
Facilities & Spaces
Where Will I Work and Learn?
The Hip Hop Lab — Your own studio space with professional gear: MPCs, turntables, Ableton Push, Pioneer DJ setups, and more. Open lab hours, no reservation needed.
The Hip Hop Xpress — A custom-built mobile recording studio on wheels that brings music production into communities across Illinois. You could be part of it.
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts — One of the best performance facilities in the country, right on campus.
What Can I Do With a Degree in Hip Hop?
Graduates go on to careers in:
- Music & media production
- Performance, choreography, and creative direction
- Arts administration and cultural organizations
- Education and community programming
- Nonprofit and social-impact work
- Entrepreneurship — launching your own label, brand, or studio
