Hip Hop Culture and the Arts, BA
Overview
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts
The Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts is a transdisciplinary program that explores Hip Hop as a global cultural movement and artistic practice. Students investigate Hip Hop’s history and social impact while gaining hands-on experience in creative expression, performance, and cultural production. The major examines how forms of Hip Hop intersect with music production, fashion, film, theatre, digital media, and there is flexibility for students to select electives in areas of their own interest.
The program emphasizes the study of Hip Hop as a force for social change, civic engagement, and identity formation. Courses integrate perspectives from the arts, humanities, and social sciences, providing students with tools to analyze Hip Hop’s role in shaping communities, influencing industries, and addressing issues of equity and justice.
Graduates will be prepared to pursue careers in the arts, media, cultural organizations, education, and community-based initiatives, or to continue with advanced study in related fields. The major also provides a platform for entrepreneurial and creative practice, equipping students to innovate at the intersections of art, culture, and society.
Degree Requirements
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-10 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | 0-15 | |
Foundations in Hip Hop Culture & the Arts
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Requirements | 10 | |
| AFRO 228 | Hip Hop Music: History and Culture | 3 |
| FAA 101 | Arts at Illinois | 1 |
| FAA 180 | Elements of Hip Hop | 3 |
| FAA 201 | Black Arts Today | 3 |
| Creative Studies | 2 hours minimum | |
| ARTD 217 | Graphic Design for Non-Majors | 3 |
| ARTS 220 | Introduction to Fashion | 3 |
| ARTS 221 | Fashion Illustration | 3 |
| ARTS 241 | Image Practice | 3 |
| ARTS 245 | Beginning Illustration | 3 |
| ARTS 264 | Introduction to Photography: Digital | 3 |
| DANC 116 | Dance I (hip hop section) | 2 |
| DANC 216 | Dance II (hip hop section) | 2 |
| MUS 127 | Beatmaking I | 3 |
| MUS 128 | DJing I | 3 |
| MUS 129 | Emceeing I | 3 |
| SOCW 245 | Doing Good through the Nonprofit Sector | 3 |
| Other courses selected with advisor | ||
| Cultural Studies | 3 hours minimum | |
| AFRO 132 | African American Music | 3 |
| DTX 210 | Introduction to Social Design | 3 |
| EALC 230 | Popular Cultures of Contemporary East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 104 | Black Music | 3 |
| LLS 240 | Latina/o Popular Culture | 3 |
| MUS 132 | Popular Music Studies | 3 |
| THEA 263 | Introduction to African American Theatre | 3 |
| UP 160 | Race, Social Justice, and Cities | 3 |
| Other courses selected with advisor | ||
| Digital Media Studies | 3 hours minimum | |
| ART 160 | The Image World: Photography for Non-Majors | 3 |
| MACS 140 | Smartphone Cinema | 3 |
| MACS 150 | Introduction to Digital Media Production | 4 |
| THEA 151 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations | 3 |
| Other courses selected with advisor | ||
Advanced Studies in Hip Hop Culture & the Arts
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Requirements | 16 | |
| Students complete each course one time, for a total of 9 hours and complete the remaining 7 required hours by repeating any combination of the Advanced Requirements. | ||
| FAA 480 | Advanced Studies in Hip Hop | 3 |
| FAA 481 | Hip Hop Ambassadors | 3 |
| MUS 425 | Hip Hop Studio | 2 |
| MUSC 457 | Hip-Hop Collective | 1 |
| Advanced Creative Studies | 3 hours minimum | |
| ARTS 320 | Fashion and Textiles Design | 3 |
| ARTS 420 | Making Fashion: Apparel Design in Context | 3 |
| ARTS 446 | Topics in Performance Art | 3 |
| DANC 330 | Dance Documentation | 1 |
| DANC 340 | Dancing Black Popular Culture | 3 |
| DANC 424 | Collaborative Performance | 1 |
| MUS 327 | Beatmaking II | 3 |
| MUS 328 | DJing II | 3 |
| MUS 329 | Emceeing II | 3 |
| MUS 446 | Songwriting | 2 |
| UP 427 | 3 | |
| Other courses selected with advisor | ||
| Advanced Cultural Studies | 3 hours minimum | |
| ARTE 480 | Popular Visual Culture | 3 |
| EALC 369 | Hanguk Hip Hop | 3 |
| GWS 462 | Hip Hop Feminism | 3 |
| MACS 320 | Popular Culture | 3 |
| MUS 410 | Period Studies in Musicology | 3 |
| MUS 411 | Genre Studies in Musicology | 3 |
| MUS 414 | Music and Society | 3 |
| MUS 415 | Music and Media | 3 |
| MUS 416 | Anthropology of Music | 3 |
| MUS 418 | Regional Studies in Musicology | 3 |
| MUS 421 | The Music of America | 3 |
| UP 330 | The Modern American City | 3 |
| UP 473 | Housing & Urban Policy | 4 |
| Other courses selected with advisor | ||
| Education, Engagement, & Entrepreneurship | 3 hours minimum | |
| ARTD 399 | Internship in Design | 0 to 4 |
| ARTS 321 | Sustainable Fashion Development and Branding | 3 |
| ARTS 399 | Internship in Studio Arts | 0 to 4 |
| DANC 350 | Teaching Dance | 4 |
| DANC 405 | Social Impact through Motion/Media Arts + Technology | 3 |
| DANC 425 | Dance Internship | 1 to 4 |
| DANC 455 | Supervised Teaching | 1 to 4 |
| DTX 300-499 (any 300-or 400-level DTX course) | ||
| MACS 463 | Public Relations and the Entertainment Industry | 3 |
| MUS 336 | Service Learning in Music Education | 3 |
| MUS 401 | Out-of-the-Box Recording Studio Techniques | 2 |
| MUS 402 | In-the-Box Recording and Production Techniques | 3 |
| MUS 427 | Digital Content Production | 2 |
| MUS 428 | Music Monetization | 2 |
| MUS 429 | Hip Hop, Schooling, and Music Education | 2 |
| MUS 437 | Popular Music Pedagogy | 2 |
| MUS 438 | Designing Musical Experiences | 2 |
| MUS 447 | Advanced Music Ed Technology | 2 or 4 |
| MUS 459 | Professional Internship | 0 to 12 |
| SOCW 321 | Social Entre & Social Change | 3 |
| SOCW 445 | Social Enterprise Lab | 3 |
| UP 327 | International Creative Placemaking | 3 |
| UP 390 | Planning Internship | 3 |
| UP 478 | Community Development Workshop | 4 |
| UP 479 | Community Engagement in Planning | 3 |
| Other courses selected with advisor | ||
Summary of Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Foundational Requirements | 10 | |
| Foundational Electives | 8 | |
| Advanced Requirements | 16 | |
| Advanced Electives | 9 | |
| Free Electives | ||
| Total hours | 120 | |
A minimum of 40 credits at the 300- or 400-level must be completed for this degree | ||
At least 45 semester hours of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign credit | ||
At least 21 hours must be 300 or 400 level courses of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign credit | ||
Sample Sequence
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
First Year
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| FAA 101 - Arts at Illinois | 1 |
| AFRO 228 - Hip Hop Music: History and Culture | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Composition I or Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 1 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Creative Studies course | 2 |
| FAA 201 - Black Arts Today | 3 |
| FAA 180 - Elements of Hip Hop | 3 |
| Composition I or Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
Second Year
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Digital Media Studies course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Cultural Studies course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
Third Year
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| FAA 480 - Advanced Studies in Hip Hop | 3 |
| Advanced Creative Studies | 3 |
| FAA 481 - Hip Hop Ambassadors | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| FAA 481 - Hip Hop Ambassadors | 4 |
| Advanced Cultural Studies | 3 |
| Education, Engagement, & Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 2 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
Fourth Year
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| MUS 425 - Hip Hop Studio | 2 |
| MUSC 457 - Hip-Hop Collective | 1 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| MUS 425 - Hip Hop Studio | 2 |
| MUSC 457 - Hip-Hop Collective | 1 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| Semester Hours | 15 |
Total Hours
Total hours for all requirements: 120
Learning Outcomes
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts
- Foundations: Students will demonstrate understandings of the history and evolution of Hip Hop culture and its varied artistic practices, including the cultural, political, and social contexts and influences leading to the development of Hip Hop as well as the contemporary and emerging contexts of Hip Hop as a global phenomenon.
- Creativity: Students will generate original work in at least one artistic practice relevant to Hip Hop culture. Students will complete this work individually and collaboratively in a variety of forms and within a variety of settings and communities.
- Culture: Students will engage with a variety of scholarship related to Hip Hop, including critical consideration of multiple perspectives on ethics, philosophies, and sociocultural issues. Students will connect these critical cultural understandings to inform their own work as emerging artists, scholars, and professionals.
- Digital Media: Students will develop skill sets and understandings around digital media to engage globally and locally in contemporary Hip Hop culture.
- Education, Engagement, and Entrepreneurship: Students will gain experience and cultivate opportunities to demonstrate value for their work related to Hip Hop via revenue streams and/or social impact.
Contact Information
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Hip Hop Culture and the Arts
Hip Hop Innovation Center
Instagram: @illinoishiphop
Directors: Professor Lamont Holden, Dr. Adam Kruse, Prof. Pete Shungu
Major Contact: Dr. Adam Kruse, akruse@illinois.edu
FAA Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Course Registration Information
FAA Career Services
FAA Student Resource Guide
College of Fine & Applied Arts
Admissions
Overview of the College of Fine & Applied Arts Admissions & Requirements
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions
admissions@illinois.edu