Certificate in Hip-Hop Studies

Develop a foundational knowledge of the richness, complexity and vitality of hip-hop as theory and practice.

Hip-hop arose in communities of color in the 1970s amid political abandonment and economic devastation. Today, hip-hop is practiced in nearly every corner of the globe and is one of the most important through-lines in human culture. To understand hip-hop is to understand the world in which we live.

The undergraduate certificate in hip-hop studies is designed to emphasize the theory and practice of the interdisciplinary form that is hip-hop. Classes immerse students in hip-hop culture and support students in developing the skills and theoretical context necessary for understanding hip-hop’s socio-historical development and political efficacy.

  • Gain knowledge of one of the most important American cultural forms to have emerged in the last half-century.
  • Develop skills in a cultural dialogue that occurs across dance, music, visual and verbal arts, as well as history and theory.
  • Understand hip-hop’s socio-historical development and political efficacy.

 

Top Green College

(Princeton Review, 2025)

 

No. 46 among public universities in the country

(U.S. News & World Report, 2026)

 

5 Nobel Laureates

Since 1989

Build a strong foundation in hip-hop that blends theory and practice.

Join a community that values virtuosic innovation as much as historic and self-knowledge.

Learn under the guidance of experienced hip-hop artists and leaders.

Be successful.

Be prepared to expand your creative repertoire by applying your critical-thinking skills and inventive practice in a variety of related careers.

 

Work in the arts or music industry.

 

Dancer, actor, coach and stage manager are common job opportunities for dance and theatre graduates.

 

Overall employment of dancers and choreographers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

Academic Plan & Requirements

The undergraduate certificate in hip-hop studies is open to all current undergraduate students at CU Boulder. Students must submit a one-page statement of intent to formally enroll.

To earn this certificate, students must complete a total of 18 undergraduate credit hours composed of both practice-based movement courses and writing/research-based theory courses.