It is jointly administered by the School of Engineering and the School of Arts & Sciences.

Courses that comprise the Music Engineering program include music theory and composition, music technology, acoustic and electronic instrument design, music recording and production, analog and digital electronics, computer programming, fluid mechanics, acoustics, vibration, automation, materials engineering, and sound sculpture.

Students can participate in the program by taking individual courses, by engaging in research projects, and/or by taking the Music Engineering Minor. Students should declare the Minor in their junior year, but students interested in it need to talk to one of the advisors for the program early in their undergraduate career so that they can be sure they have all the required courses. The Minor is open to all undergraduate students.

The Music Engineering program was originally launched in 1998 as the Musical Instrument Engineering program, and was funded in part by Steinway & Sons and Selmer Instruments, with an emphasis on research in acoustic musical instrument design and manufacture. In 2011, the program was expanded to include two other tracks: Music Recording and Production, and Electronic Instrument Design.

Steinway & Sons in 2011 once again provided funding for the program, specifically supporting undergraduate research projects in music engineering. From 2014 to 2016 Avedis Zildjian. Inc. provided funding for research projects. In 2018 and 2019 funding was received from QRS Inc.

The Co-Directors of the Music Engineering program are Prof. Paul Lehrman and Prof. Chris Rogers.