Metropolitan State University of Denver has built a reputation as a school with unique programs. Now there's something new for people with an interest in music and culture: an individualized degree program in mariachi performance and culture.

Ashley Irvine has been playing the violin since she was a kid. She mostly played classical music. That is, until a couple years ago when she started school at MSU Denver.

"I saw that there was a group on campus, so I wanted to find out more," said Irvine.

It's the same story with Samuel Leon and Brayan Alpizar. All three are music majors who joined the mariachi club on campus. They say it's partly to honor their heritage and partly to learn mariachi, which is more than a musical style -- it's a culture of its own.

"It's just the, it's the emotion that we get to portray. It has the music style, and Mexicanos as a whole were very emotional people. And being able to portray that musically, I think it's beautiful," said Leon.

The club was started by students in 2012 and has been playing every year since because it is so popular.

That's why he university decided it was time to put together a degree program. Philip Ficsor, assistant professor of music at MSU Denver, says this program won't be just about playing mariachi music.

"How it's unique is how it contextualizes what we do in mariachi, the music," said Ficsor. "They're also required to have Spanish language proficiency. So, two semesters at least of Spanish. And then there's some business courses. So, when you get out and you're like 'Okay, how do I run a mariachi?' How do I do the taxes and all that stuff that's going to be available to you?"

Which is perfect for Samuel, who is one of the program's first enrollees who one day wants to play professionally in California or Texas.

He and his peers, who haven't quite made the jump from classical music studies to mariachi performance and culture yet, say no matter what their future holds, learning mariachi at MSU has helped them grow as people and as musicians.

"I've played with a lot of very, very amazing classical musicians, professionals. And I go to I go to school for that, for classical. But with mariachi, I realize they're just the most incredible musicians I've ever met in my life," said Irvine.