The Department of Music at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) was established in 1946 and is a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. The Department of Music also offers training in the Suzuki method for flute. Courses in this program meet certification guidelines of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA).

The concentrations in the Bachelor of Arts in Music (Performance, Contemporary Music Performance & Production, Music History, Composition) focus on those individuals want to major in music but want neither to be a performer nor an educator. Some of these individuals may want to choose other paths in music or simply want to get a music degree but work in areas outside of music that require a college education. The BA degree provides the opportunity to study music from a liberal arts perspective.