Undergraduate Degree Program
Bachelor of Arts
Interdisciplinary Music Studies (Create Your Own Major) Degree
• $75 application fee waived through November 12
Create your own major to better align with your interests and career path.
The music industry is undergoing enormous change, and as a result, musicians increasingly need knowledge of, and skills in, a number of different areas in order to succeed in their career. The Interdisciplinary Music Studies major provides you with considerable flexibility in choosing coursework across a number of disciplines to align with your personal career goals. With the help of an academic advisor, you create a personalized education plan, which includes three courses of your choosing in both music business and technology (two critical areas driving change in the music industry), in addition to a series of core music and liberal arts courses. You then choose additional courses in music production, composition, arranging, songwriting, performance, or other areas to strengthen your skill set specific to the career you are seeking. The program culminates with a capstone experience in which you complete an in-depth project that demonstrates your readiness for professional work or advancement in the music industry.
Upon completion of the Interdisciplinary Music Studies major, you will be able to:
- Analyze the structure of the music industry and opportunities for creating new business models amidst change
- Evaluate new music technologies as they relate to the principles and practices of creating, distributing, and promoting music
- Synthesize acquired knowledge into an intellectual frame of reference in your chosen area of concentration
- Evaluate quality using both musical and technical criteria, and apply those criteria to your own work and to the work of others
- Lead a creative project from conception to completion, demonstrating mastery in your chosen area of concentration
- Develop a career advancement plan that articulates clear steps for securing and maintaining professional work in the music industry
Curriculum
(120 Credits)
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Concentrate Courses (39 Credits)
Complete three Music Business (OMBUS) courses (9 credits):
- OMBUS-110Music Business 101
- OMBUS-126Music Marketing 101
- OMBUS-220Music Venue Management
- OMBUS-235Artist Management
- OMBUS-240Music Business Trends and Strategies
- OMBUS-250Touring 101
- OMBUS-270Music Publishing 101
- OMBUS-320International Music Marketing: Developing Your Music Career Abroad
- OMBUS-360Music Business Leadership and Ethics
- OMBUS-381Music Business Law for Artists
- OMBUS-385Copyright Law
- OMBUS-391Creative Entrepreneurship
- OMBUS-475Music Business Finance
- OMBUS-495Music Supervision 1
- OMBUS-497Music Supervision 2
- OMBUS-496Music Licensing
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Complete three Music Production (OMPRD) courses (9 credits):
- OMPRD-110Music Video Production
- OMPRD-160Music Production Analysis
- OMPRD-162Critical Listening 1
- OMPRD-180Pro Tools 101
- OMPRD-185Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Production 101
- OMPRD-202Sound Design for the Electronic Musician
- OMPRD-205Music Writing and Production with the iPad
- OMPRD-208Learn to DJ with Traktor
- OMPRD-210Audio Fundamentals for Recording
- OMPRD-221Pro Tools 110
- OMPRD-228Writer, Engineer, Producer in the Home Studio
- OMPRD-250Music Video Editing with Final Cut Pro
- OMPRD-251Creative Video Editing with Adobe Premiere
- OMPRD-262Advanced Audio Ear Training for Mix Engineers
- OMPRD-273Producing Music with Logic
- OMPRD-275Producing Music with Reason
- OMPRD-278Ableton Live Fundamentals
- OMPRD-279Producing Music with Cubase
- OMPRD-281Performing with Ableton Live
- OMPRD-282Ableton Live Techniques: Sampling
- OMPRD-285Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Mixing 201
- OMPRD-287Live Sound: Mixing and Recording
- OMPRD-295Game Audio 101
- OMPRD-341Max Programming: Introduction to Procedural Music
- OMPRD-442Audio Mastering Techniques
- OMPRD-345Game Audio Production with Wwise
- OMPRD-355Microphone Techniques
- OMPRD-365Vocal Production
- OMPRD-379Ableton Live Techniques: Synthesis and DSP
- OMPRD-380Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools
- OMPRD-382Mixing and Mastering for the Electronic Musician
- OMPRD-383Ableton Live Techniques: Non-Linear Creative Strategies and Composition
- OMPRD-385Remixing
- OMPRD-386Programming and Producing Drum Beats
- OMPRD-389Audio Post Production for Film and TV
- OMPRD-402Creative Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for Music and Visuals
- OMPRD-320Art of Mixing
- OMPRD-425Advanced Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools
- OMPRD-375Creative Music Production Skills
- OMPRD-480Sylvia Massy: Creative Approaches to Recording and Producing Music
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Complete OLSOC-180 Project Management for Musicians (3 credits)
- OLSOC-180Project Management for Musicians
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Complete one Music Theory course (OHARM, OCOMP) from the following (3 credits):
- OHARM-100Music for Beginners or OHARM-101Music Theory 101 or OHARM-104Music Theory Fundamentals or OHARM-105Music Application and Theory or OHARM-110Getting Inside Harmony 1 or OHARM-201Music Theory 201: Harmony and Function or OHARM-211Getting Inside Harmony 2 or OHARM-212Harmony 2 or OHARM-301Music Theory 301: Advanced Melody, Harmony, Rhythm or OHARM-412Reharmonization Techniques or OCOMP-110Music Theory and Composition 1 or OCOMP-111Music Theory and Composition 2 or OCOMP-210Music Theory and Composition 3 or OCOMP-211Music Theory and Composition 4
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Complete one Ear Training (OEART) course from the following (3 credits):
- OEART-115Basic Ear Training or OEART-119Ear Training 1 or OEART-120Ear Training 2 or OEART-215Ear Training for Live Performance or OEART-320Harmonic Ear Training: Recognizing Chord Progressions
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Complete one Piano/Keyboard (OPIAN) course from the following (3 credits):
- OPIAN-100Berklee Keyboard Method or OPIAN-150Keyboard for the Electronic Musician or OPIAN-200Piano Technique 101 or OPIAN-210Intermediate Keyboard or OPIAN-220Blues and Rock Keyboard Techniques or OPIAN-230Pop/Rock Keyboard or OPIAN-240Piano Scales 101 or OPIAN-245Piano Chords 101 or OPIAN-300Latin Piano Styles or OPIAN-305Piano Technique 201 or OPIAN-310Piano and Keyboard Techniques for Session Musicians or OPIAN-315Jazz Piano or OPIAN-400Advanced Jazz Piano or OPIAN-405Keyboards for Live Performance: Techniques and Technology
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Complete an additional two courses from OHARM, OEART, OPIAN, or the following (6 credits):
- OCMUS-105Time and Rhythm 1
- OCOMP-110Music Theory and Composition 1
- OCOMP-111Music Theory and Composition 2
- OCOMP-210Music Theory and Composition 3
- OCOMP-211Music Theory and Composition 4
- OCOMP-250Counterpoint
- OCWPR-130Arranging 1: Rhythm Section
- OCWPR-231Arranging: Small Ensemble and Horns
- OCWPR-250Arranging and Producing Contemporary Music Styles
- OCWPR-332Arranging: Advanced Horn Writing
- OCWPR-333Arranging: Woodwinds and Strings
- OCWPR-334Contemporary Vocal Arranging
- OCWPR-335Jazz Arranging
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Complete OIDMS-480 Interdisciplinary Music Studies Capstone (3 credits)
- OIDMS-480 Interdisciplinary Music Studies Capstone
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Elective Courses (39 Credits)
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Complete 13 courses that align with your individual education plan. At least 6 of those courses must be at the three-hundred level or above. Choose from courses in OMBUS, OMPRD, OCOMP, OGUIT, OBASS, OPIAN, OVOIC, OPERC, OCWPR, OHARM, OEART, OSONG, OCDAN, OCMUS, OCTHR, OLINT, OMUTH, or OPERF. (39 credits)
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Liberal Arts Courses (42 Credits) +
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Complete one Composition/Writing (OLART) course from the following (3 credits):
- OLART-111 College Writing or OLART-201 Creative Writing: Literature Studies for Musicians or OLART-215 Creative Writing: Poetry or OLART-216 Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
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Complete one History (OLART) course from the following (3 credits):
- OLART-170 Rock History or OLART-220 History of Film Music or OLART-231 Art History of the Western European Tradition or OLART-233 Music History of the Western World 1: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque or OLART-234 Music History of the Western World 2: Classical, Romantic, and Modern
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Complete any four additional Arts/Humanities (OLART, OMPRD, OCDAN, OCTHR, OAFST) courses from the following (12 credits):
- OLART-100 Developing Your Artistry
- OMPRD-110 Music Video Production
- OAFST-110 Black Creative Expression: An Introduction to Africana Studies
- OLART-111 College Writing
- OLART-160 Digital Cinematography Fundamentals
- OLART-170 Rock History
- OLART-201 Creative Writing: Literature Studies for Musicians
- OLART-205 Game Design Principles
- OLART-215 Creative Writing: Poetry
- OLART-216 Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
- OLART-220 History of Film Music
- OLART-231 Art History of the Western European Tradition
- OLART-233 Music History of the Western World 1: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque
- OLART-234 Music History of the Western World 2: Classical, Romantic, and Modern
- OLART-400 Career and Job Success in the Music Industry
- OMPRD-250 Music Video Editing with Final Cut Pro
- OMPRD-251 Creative Video Editing with Adobe Premiere
- OCDAN-103 Iconic Dance and Urban Movement
- OCTHR-103 Script Analysis for Theater
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Complete four Social Sciences (OLSOC) courses from the following (12 credits):
- OLSOC-100 Wellness for Artists: Music, Movement, and Mindfulness
- OLSOC-150 The Language of Film and TV
- OLSOC-180 Project Management for Musicians
- OLSOC-200 Business Communications
- OLSOC-210 Music, Self, and Society
- OLSOC-226 New Media Economics: Music, Mobile, Gaming, and Online Markets
- OLSOC-307 Music Cognition
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Complete four Math and Physical/Natural Sciences (OLMSC, OMPRD, OMBUS) courses from the following (12 credits):
- OLMSC-101Music Production 101
- OLMSC-130Applied Mathematics for Musicians
- OLMSC-150Computer Programming Fundamentals
- OLMSC-215Acoustics
- OLMSC-250Music and Neuroscience
- OLMSC-260Sampling and Audio Production
- OMPRD-210Audio Fundamentals for Recording
- OMBUS-475Music Business Finance
How should I set up my schedule, based on the above requirements?
Check out this handy planning guide to help you understand which courses you should take during which semester.
View Sample ScheduleHow to Apply
• Get a decision within 1 week
• $75 application fee waived until Nov 12
- Fill out the online application (15 minutes)
- Create a 500-750 word essay, or a 3-5 minute video essay
- Attach your official transcripts
- Ask for two letters of recommendation
Read full undergraduate admissions requirement details here.
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Online undergraduate degree tuition vs. campus tuition
Affordable Tuition
Online undergraduate degree tuition is $62,150 for 120 credits (includes associated fees). To get started, this degree program includes a non-refundable $75 application fee.
Read full tuition and associated program fee details for this, and all other undergraduate programs here.
Available Financial Aid
Ready to Return to Berklee or Transfer in Credits from Another Institution to Complete Your Degree?
Students transferring in from an accredited institution can carry over up to 60 credits, and students with previous Berklee experience may be able to transfer even more.
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