Songwriting Across Genres
Online Certificate Course
The “song” is music’s most powerful vessel, carrying creativity and connection across eras and cultures. Whether writing pop, country, hip-hop, or jazz, world-class songwriters draw upon universal building blocks such as melody, harmony, lyrics, rhythm, and process, while infusing each piece with their own spirit. Led by Juilliard’s celebrated faculty, Songwriting Across Genres is your hands-on guide to crafting timeless songs and honing your voice as a composer for any style or instrument.
100% Online. On Your Schedule.
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Industry Experts
Ed Barnes
Faculty, Juilliard ExtensionComposer, LA Opera & Lincoln Center Theater Company
Elio Villafranca
Faculty, The Juilliard SchoolComposer, Cinque
Fellow, Guggenheim Foundation
Nicole Odremán-Valenciano
Vocalist, Juilliard Jazz Ensemble 
Jahaan Sweet
Producer, Taylor Swift & Eminem 
Kurt Crowley
International Music Supervisor, HamiltonSupervising Vocal Conductor, Moana 2
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Program Overview
Real-World Examples
Learn from prestigious Juilliard faculty with on-demand video lessons. Develop real-world skills and original works with guidance from industry experts.
Get Started Now
100% online and on-demand course materials allow you to complete the certificate program on a schedule that works best for you.
Build Expertise
You’ll learn directly from Juilliard faculty and study legendary compositions while learning insider strategies for creative success.
Set Yourself Apart
Earn a Certificate of Completion from the world-renowned Juilliard Extension. Add it to your profile and resume to stand out in the music industry.
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Curriculum
Make your mark as a songwriter in any genre and on any platform. On YOUR schedule.
The program includes five online modules with related skill-building activities. Each module is 3-5 hours, broken into shorter lessons for maximum flexibility. Assignments and hands-on projects reinforce key concepts and build your professional portfolio.
Earn a non-credit certificate of completion from Juilliard Extension.
| Unlock the “DNA” of a song, melodies you will carry for life. Learn step-by-step techniques for creating catchy, memorable melodic lines, including hooks, repetition, and tension and release. Analyze iconic melodies from artists such as Irving Berlin, Dolly Parton, Lady Gaga, and Bruno Mars. |  |
| Add color and power to songs by building supportive harmonies and chord progressions. Explore how different chords shape emotion and complexity, with examples from Ed Sheeran, Timbaland, and The Police. |  |
| Iconic lyrics turn melody into magic. This module covers developing a point of view, rhyming schemes, storytelling, and workshopping lyrics with Juilliard faculty. Learn from stand-out work by Chuck Berry, Adele, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. |  |
| Explore how rhythm shapes every element of a song: beat, groove, atmosphere, and movement. Build skills for introducing rhythmic concepts to any genre, and see innovations from Stevie Wonder, George Gershwin, and Taylor Swift. |  |
| There’s no single path to a hit song. Discover varied creative processes, from theme development to getting unstuck, collaborating, and navigating music business essentials like licensing and publishing. |  |
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