The NMU Department of Music prepares music majors for professional careers in music. The department also provides instruction in music for minors and non-majors, and musical performances by students and faculty. By these means, the department provides artistic and cultural enrichment for the university and the surrounding community (2009, NMU Board of Trustees).

The Department of Music is NMU’s resource for those seeking a comprehensive music education and for all who wish to enrich their lives through involvement in, and enjoyment of, music. Its academic purpose is to advance the university mission by providing undergraduate programs for professional training in music, studies in music as a liberal art, and opportunities for the general university student in applied study, music courses, and ensemble performance. On a broader level it exists to enrich the present culture, preserve artistic heritage, and facilitate the emergence of new creative expressions.