Undergraduate Degree Program
Bachelor of Professional Studies
Interdisciplinary Music Studies (Create Your Own Major) Degree
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.
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
Curriculum
(120 Credits)
-
Required and Specified Elective Courses (63 Credits - 21 Courses)
Online courses are 12 weeks in length. They are taught by our world renowned faculty in intimately-sized classes of 20 students or fewer.
- Complete three of the following Music Business courses:
- OMBUS-110Music Business 101
- OMBUS-125Music Marketing 101
- OMBUS-220Music Venue Management
- OMBUS-235Artist Management
- OMBUS-240Music Business Trends and Strategies
- OMBUS-250Touring 101
- OMBUS-270Music Publishing 101
- OMBUS-274Modern Music Marketing: Music Promotion, Fan Relationships, and Direct-to-Fan Strategies
- OMBUS-320International Music Marketing: Developing Your Music Career Abroad
- OMBUS-360Music Business Leadership and Ethics
- OMBUS-380Legal Aspects of the Music Industry
- OMBUS-385Copyright Law
- OMBUS-391Creative Entrepreneurship
- OMBUS-475Music Business Finance
- OMBUS-495Music Supervision 1
- OMBUS-496Music Licensing
- OMBUS-497Music Supervision 2
- Complete three of the following Music Production courses:
- OMPRD-162Critical Listening 1
- OMPRD-160Music Production Analysis
- OMPRD-180Pro Tools 101
- OMPRD-202Sound Design for the Electronic Musician
- OMPRD-210Audio Fundamentals for Recording
- OMPRD-221Pro Tools 110
- OMPRD-227Recording and Producing in the Home Studio
- OMPRD-262Advanced Audio Ear Training for Mix Engineers
- OMPRD-273Producing Music with Logic
- OMPRD-275Producing Music with Reason
- OMPRD-279Producing Music with Cubase
- OMPRD-278Ableton Live Fundamentals
- OMPRD-287Live Sound: Mixing and Recording
- OMPRD-295Introduction to Game Audio
- OMPRD-342Audio Mastering Techniques
- OMPRD-345Game Audio Production with Wwise
- OMPRD-355Microphone Techniques
- OMPRD-365Vocal Production
- OMPRD-380Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools
- OMPRD-385Remixing
- OMPRD-386Programming and Producing Drum Beats
- OMPRD-389Audio Post Production for Film and TV
- OMPRD-420Art of Mixing
- OMPRD-425Advanced Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools
- OMPRD-475Creative Music Production Skills
- OMPRD-208Learn to DJ with Traktor
- OMPRD-282Ableton Live Techniques: Sampling
- OMPRD-379Ableton Live Techniques: Synthesis and DSP
- OMPRD-402Creative Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for Music and Visuals
- OMPRD-382Mixing and Mastering for the Electronic Musician
- OMPRD-281Performing with Ableton Live
- OMPRD-480Sylvia Massy: Creative Approaches to Recording and Producing Music
- OMPRD-250Music Video Editing with Final Cut Pro
- OMPRD-205Music Writing and Production with the iPad
- OMPRD-383Ableton Live Techniques: Non-Linear Creative Strategies and Composition
- OMPRD-341Introduction to Procedural Music Software with Max
- Complete 14 additional courses in OCDAN, OCMUS, OCTHR, OLINT, OMUTH, OPERF, OMBUS, OMPRD, OCOMP, OGUIT, OBASS, OPIAN, OVOIC, OPERC, OCWPR, OHARM, OEART, or OSONG that align with your individual education plan. At least 7 of those courses must be at the three-hundred level or above.
- OIDMS-480 Interdisciplinary Music Studies Capstone
-
Core Music Courses (15 Credits - 5 Courses)
- Complete one Harmony course (OHARM) from the following:
- OHARM-100Music Foundations
- OHARM-101Music Theory 101
- OHARM-110Getting Inside Harmony 1
- OHARM-201Music Theory 201: Harmony and Function
- OHARM-211Getting Inside Harmony 2
- 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 one Ear Training (OEART) course from the following:
- OEART-115Basic Ear Training
- OEART-120Ear Training 2
- OEART-119Ear Training 1
- OEART-320Harmonic Ear Training: Recognizing Chord Progressions
- OEART-215Ear Training for Live Performance
- Complete one Piano/Keyboard (OPIAN) course from the following:
- OPIAN-100Berklee Keyboard Method
- OPIAN-150Keyboard for the Electronic Musician
- OPIAN-220Blues and Rock Keyboard Techniques
- OPIAN-230Pop/Rock Keyboard
- OPIAN-315Jazz Piano
- Complete an additional two courses from OHARM, OEART, OPIAN, or the following:
- OCMUS-105Time and Rhythm 1
- OCWPR-130Arranging 1: Rhythm Section
- OCOMP-250Counterpoint
- OCWPR-332Arranging: Advanced Horn Writing
- OCWPR-250Arranging: Contemporary Styles
- OCWPR-231Arranging: Small Ensemble and Horns
- OCWPR-333Arranging: Woodwinds and Strings
- OCWPR-334Contemporary Vocal Arranging
- OCWPR-335Jazz Arranging
-
General Education/Liberal Arts Courses (42 Credits - 14 Courses)
- Complete both of the following:
- OLSOC-180Project Management for Musicians
- OLART-100Developing Your Artistry
- Complete one History (OLART) course from the following:
- 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
- OLART-170Rock History
- OLART-220History of Film Music
- Complete one Composition/Writing (OLART) 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 any three Arts/Humanities courses from the following:
- OCDAN-103Introduction to Iconic Dance and Urban Movement
- OCTHR-103Script Analysis for Theater
- OLART-160Introduction to Digital Cinematography
- OLART-111Introduction to College Writing
- OMPRD-250Music Video Editing with Final Cut Pro
- OLART-205Game Design Principles
- OLART-231Art History
- OLART-216Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
- OLART-201Creative Writing: Literature Studies for Musicians
- OLART-215Creative Writing: Poetry
- OLART-233Music History of the Western World 1: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque
- OLART-234Music History of the Western World 2: Classical, Romantic, and Modern
- OLART-170Rock History
- OLART-400Career and Job Success in the Music Industry
- OLART-220History of Film Music
- Complete three Social Sciences (OLSOC) courses from the following:
- OLSOC-226New Media Economics: Music, Mobile, Gaming, and Online Markets
- OLSOC-307Music Cognition
- OLSOC-200Business Communications
- OLSOC-150The Language of Film and TV
- OLSOC-210Music, Self, and Society
- Complete four Math and Physical/Natural Sciences (OLMSC) courses:
- OLMSC-215Acoustics
- OLMSC-101Music Production 101
- OLMSC-130Applied Mathematics for Musicians
- OLMSC-260Sampling and Audio Production
- OLMSC-150Introduction to Computer Programming for Musicians
- 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
- Attach your official transcripts
- Ask for two letters of recommendation
Read more undergraduate admissions requirement details here.
Save
65%
Online undergraduate degree tuition vs. campus tuition
Affordable Tuition
Online undergraduate degree tuition is $59,880 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.