Power of Music Course at UC Irvine | Transforming Education & Society

Please rotate your device to landscape to continue

Landscape view not supported. Please rotate your device to its vertical position to continue.

The Power of Music at UC Irvine

Music is present in every culture across the world and may even predate language. Music connects our minds, bodies, and communities in powerful, often unseen ways. While its role in human expression and social change has long been celebrated, a new wave of research is uncovering music’s extraordinary impact on brain development, health, learning and collaboration. UC Irvine’s Power of Music & Social Change course invites students into this groundbreaking field to think outside the box and explore how music not only reflects the world but can transform it.

A New Approach to the Science of Music and Social Impact

As part of its mission to integrate music into everyday life and careers, the Glasser Center launched the “Power of Music & Social Change” course, open to all UC Irvine students. This interdisciplinary class explores how music mobilizes communities, improves health outcomes, promotes justice, and drives social transformation. The course examines music’s connection to neurological development, education, mental health, sustainability, and activism—offering a comprehensive perspective beyond performance and theory. Unlike traditional music programs, the Glasser Center focuses on music’s influence on culture, health, and social impact. It serves as a hub for students, researchers, and professionals to explore how music can shape careers in education, healthcare, public policy, and beyond. Through innovative coursework, research, and community engagement, the Glasser Center is redefining how we understand and apply music—as a powerful force for personal, professional, and societal change.

This has been my favorite class I've had the privilege of taking during my time at UCI. Overall, I feel like this class has so much to offer the students at UCI simply through its exposure to every aspect of music and its impact on our cultures

Logan Balenquah Ash

I loved this course! I especially enjoyed having the guest lectures, as it was so different from regular classes and expanded my knowledge a lot.

Alexandra Marie Bolden

Prior to this class, I knew music could be powerful, but never knew it was backed by science. I also learned there are a lot of ways to make a career out of music aside from performing.

Ricardo Josue Almanza Lopez

Music is a universal language that is one of the few constants of every society and culture. It fosters identity, records history and inspires change.

Quinn Acevedo

I learned how the power of music plays a huge role in social movements, healing, science, relationships, etc. I learned about the intersectionality of music and how it’s shaped by generations and cultures.

Melanie Vasquez