Undergraduate Degree Program
Bachelor of Professional Studies
Guitar Degree
Develop the skills to become a professional guitar player. Through private lessons with Berklee's renowned faculty and a rigorous program of study that spans contemporary music styles, you will develop your unique sound, improve your technique, increase your musicianship, and harness technology to create professional-sounding recordings.
The guitar program begins with your home studio and gear, teaching you how to effectively leverage these tools to deliver high-quality results. You'll also strengthen your understanding of harmony, ear training, and improvisation. From there, you'll dive into the technical challenges of professional performance, including scales, reading, chords, tone, fingerstyle technique, arranging, performing in an ensemble context, and advanced improvisational techniques.
Through elective coursework, you can choose to immerse yourself in a specific style or study several different ones, such as blues, rock, jazz, R&B, and more. Additionally, you will learn the fundamentals of how today's music industry works. Each semester, you'll work one-on-one with a Berklee professor in private guitar lessons that require the same proficiencies as the campus-based program. Your experience will culminate with a 60-minute performance and a demo reel geared toward securing professional work that aligns with a variety of career goals, including freelance musician, session player, touring musician, educator, and more.
Credit Transfer / Degree Completion
Berklee Online will accept up to 60 academic credits earned from an accredited institution, or earned from our certificate programs or individual courses.More about degree completion
Admission Requirement: Recorded Video Audition
For the Guitar major, students are required to submit a recorded video audition, in which the student performs a prepared piece (original or cover) on guitar. The performance should be an unedited take, approximately 3-5 minutes in length, in any style that demonstrates the student's instrumental proficiency and overall musicianship. The video should be uploaded to a website like YouTube, with a link provided for review by the Board of Admissions.
Curriculum
(120 Credits)
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Required Online Courses (30 Credits)
Online courses are 12 weeks in length. They are taught by our world renowned faculty in intimately-sized classes of 20 students or fewer.
- OGUIT-110Music Technology for Guitarists
- OGUIT-120Guitar Chords 101
- OGUIT-121Guitar Scales 101
- OGUIT-222Blues Guitar
- OGUIT-223Getting Your Guitar Sound
- OGUIT-320Guitar Chords 201: Chord Melody and Inversions
- OGUIT-340Solo Guitar: Performance, Accompaniment, and Arranging
- OGUIT-350Acoustic Guitar Techniques
- OGUIT-420Guitar Improvisation Techniques
- OGUIT-460Guitar Ensemble Techniques
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Specified Elective Courses (15 Credits)
Complete five courses from the following:
- OGUIT-210Fundamentals of Classical Guitar
- OGUIT-224 Country Guitar (coming soon)
- OGUIT-225Classic Rock Guitar
- OGUIT-226Rhythm and Groove Guitar
- OGUIT-227Metal Guitar
- OGUIT-327Jazz Guitar 101
- OGUIT-328Funk/Rock and R&B Guitar Soloing
- OGUIT-351Acoustic Blues Guitar
- OGUIT-352Advanced Blues Guitar
- OGUIT-415Steve Vai Guitar Techniques
- OGUIT-427Jazz Guitar 201: Advanced Jazz Guitar Improvisation
- OMBUS-240Music Business Trends and Strategies
- OPERF-312Gary Burton: Jazz Improvisation
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Private Guitar Lessons (18 Credits)
Complete nine semesters of private guitar lessons, each worth two credits. Learn more about private guitar lessons.
- OPLGT-101Private Guitar Lesson Level 1
- OPLGT-102Private Guitar Lesson Level 2
- OPLGT-201Private Guitar Lesson Level 3
- OPLGT-202Private Guitar Lesson Level 4
- OPLGT-203Private Guitar Lesson Level 5
- OPLGT-301Private Guitar Lesson Level 6
- OPLGT-302Private Guitar Lesson Level 7
- OPLGT-401Private Guitar Lesson Level 8
- OPLGT-402Private Guitar Lesson Level 9
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Five Core Music Courses Based on Placement (15 Credits)
Based on placement exam, these five courses must include at least two theory/harmony courses, two ear training courses, and an improvisation course.
- Complete two harmony courses (OHARM) from the following:
- OHARM-110Getting Inside Harmony 1
- OHARM-211Getting Inside Harmony 2
- OHARM-100Music Foundations
- OHARM-101Music Theory 101
- OHARM-201Music Theory 201: Harmony and Function
- OHARM-301Music Theory 301: Advanced Melody, Harmony, Rhythm
- OHARM-412Reharmonization Techniques
- OCOMP-110Music Theory and Composition 1
- OCOMP-111Music Theory and Composition 2
- OCOMP-210Music Theory and Composition 3
- OCOMP-211Music Theory and Composition 4
- Complete two ear training courses (OEART) from the following:
- OEART-115Basic Ear Training
- OEART-119Ear Training 1
- OEART-120Ear Training 2
- OEART-215Ear Training for Live Performance
- OEART-320Harmonic Ear Training: Recognizing Chord Progressions
- Complete one Improvisation course from the following:
- OPERF-110Basic Improvisation
- OPERF-312Gary Burton: Jazz Improvisation
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General Education Courses (42 Credits)
- Complete the following:
- OLART-100Developing Your Artistry
- Complete one composition/writing course from the following:
- OLART-111Introduction to College Writing
- OLART-201Creative Writing: Literature Studies for Musicians
- OLART-215Creative Writing: Poetry
- OLART-216Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
- Complete one history course from the following:
- OLART-170Rock History
- OLART-220History of Film Music
- OLART-231Art History
- OLART-233Music History of the Western World 1: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque
- OLART-234Music History of the Western World 2: Classical, Romantic, and Modern
- Complete three arts/humanities courses from the following:
- OCTHR-103Script Analysis for Theater
- OCDAN-103Introduction to Iconic Dance and Urban Movement
- OLART-111Introduction to College Writing
- OLART-160Introduction to Digital Cinematography
- OLART-170Rock History
- OLART-201Creative Writing: Literature Studies for Musicians
- OLART-215Creative Writing: Poetry
- OLART-216Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
- OLART-220History of Film Music
- OLART-231Art History
- OLART-233Music History of the Western World 1: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque
- OLART-234Music History of the Western World 2: Classical, Romantic, and Modern
- OMPRD-250Music Video Editing with Final Cut Pro
- Complete four social science courses (OLSOC) from the following:
- OLSOC-150The Language of Film and TV
- OLSOC-180Project Management for Musicians
- OLSOC-200Business Communications
- OLSOC-210Music, Self, and Society
- OLSOC-226New Media Economics: Music, Mobile, Gaming, and Online Markets
- OLSOC-307Music Cognition
- Complete four math and natural & physical sciences (OLMSC/OMPRD) from the following:
- OLMSC-101Music Production 101
- OLMSC-130Applied Mathematics for Musicians
- OLMSC-150Introduction to Computer Programming for Musicians
- OMPRD-210Audio Fundamentals for Recording
- OLMSC-215Acoustics
- OLMSC-260Sampling and Audio Production
- 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
- Fill out the online application (15 minutes)
- Create a 500-750 word essay, or a 3-5 minute video essay
- Prepare a recorded audition
- Attach your official transcripts
- Ask for two letters of recommendation
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65%
Online undergraduate degree tuition vs. campus tuition
Affordable Tuition
Online undergraduate degree tuition is $64,380 for 120 credits. To get started, this degree program includes a $75 (non-refundable) application and a one time comprehensive fee of $350.
Available Financial Aid
Already started your degree, or want to transfer credits to complete your degree?
We will accept up to 60 academic credits earned from an accredited institution, or earned from our certificate programs or individual courses. Learn more here.