The music history program examines composers and their music, within their social and cultural context, as well as the grammar and rhetoric of music. Courses cover the range from medieval to contemporary, and from world music to jazz. Opportunities to perform music are offered in jazz and a cappella groups sponsored by the Performing Arts Office, and through the Department of Theatre.

Suffolk offers three choices for the academic study of music: the BA in Music History, alone or as a double major with, for example, business or English; a music history minor combined with another major of the student’s choice; or elective music courses in the student’s area of interest.