Undergraduate Degree Program
Bachelor of Professional Studies
Music Composition for Film, TV, and Games Degree
Gain the practical skills to compose, arrange, and orchestrate effective dramatic music for visual media, including film, television, and interactive media. The Music Composition for Film, TV, and Games program begins with a set of core music and technology courses to provide both the conceptual foundation in music theory and the technical foundation in a digital audio workstation to record, sequence, and mix music for visuals. On your way to earning this music composition degree, you’ll work through a series of composition and orchestration courses designed to develop your ability to write (and write often!) for film, television, and interactive media. Upon graduation, you’ll have a portfolio of diverse compositions to prepare you for securing work as a film composer, music editor, film arranger, orchestrator, 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: Demonstration of Musicianship
For the Music Composition for Film, TV, and Games major, students are required to submit ONE of the following:
- A portfolio of at least two original compositions. Students should submit musical notation for each composition as PDF files. Though not required, it is also helpful to submit a sound recording (MP3 file) of each piece. Students will not be evaluated on the production quality of the recordings, but rather on the compositional ideas expressed in the recordings.
- A recorded video audition, in which the student performs a prepared piece (original or cover) in any musical style on his/her principal instrument. The performance should be an unedited take, approximately 3-5 minutes in length, in any style, which demonstrates the student's instrumental proficiency and overall musicianship.The video should be uploaded to a website like YouTube or Vimeo, with a link provided for review by the Board of Admissions.
Curriculum
(120 Credits)
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Required Courses (30 Credits - 10 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.
- OCWPR-260Film Scoring 101
- OCWPR-101Music Notation and Score Preparation Using Finale or OCWPR-103Music Notation and Score Preparation using Sibelius Ultimate
- OCOMP-285Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 1
- OCWPR-365Orchestration 1
- OCOMP-385Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 2
- OCOMP-490Music Composition for Film and TV 1
- OCOMP-492Interactive Scoring for Games
- OCOMP-491Music Composition for Film and TV 2
- OCOMP-493World Music Composition Styles
- OCOMP-495 Music Composition for Film, TV, and Games Capstone
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Specified Elective Courses (15 Credits - 5 Courses)
- Choose two of the following courses:
- OMBUS-110Music Business 101
- OMBUS-240Music Business Trends and Strategies
- OMBUS-274Modern Music Marketing: Music Promotion, Fan Relationships, and Direct-to-Fan Strategies
- OMBUS-380Legal Aspects of the Music Industry
- OMBUS-391Creative Entrepreneurship
- OMBUS-495Music Supervision 1
- OMBUS-496Music Licensing
- Choose three additional courses from the following:
- OLSOC-180Project Management for Musicians
- OCOMP-320Creative Strategies for Composition Beyond Style
- OCWPR-366Orchestration 2: Writing Techniques for Full Orchestra
- OMPRD-389Audio Post Production for Film and TV
- OCWPR-397Composing and Producing Electronic Music 1
- OCWPR-398Composing and Producing Electronic Music 2
- OMPRD-295Introduction to Game Audio
- OMPRD-345Game Audio Production with Wwise
- OSONG-380Songwriting for Film and TV
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Core Music & Technology Courses (36 Credits - 12 Courses)
- Complete all of the following:
- OCOMP-110Music Theory and Composition 1
- OEART-115Basic Ear Training or OEART-119Ear Training 1
- OLMSC-101Music Production 101 or OMPRD-180Pro Tools 101
- OMPRD-210Audio Fundamentals for Recording
- OCOMP-111Music Theory and Composition 2
- OCOMP-250Counterpoint
- OCOMP-210Music Theory and Composition 3
- OMPRD-273Producing Music with Logic or OMPRD-221Pro Tools 110 or OMPRD-279Producing Music with Cubase
- OEART-320Harmonic Ear Training: Recognizing Chord Progressions
- OCOMP-211Music Theory and Composition 4
- Choose one of the following:
- OMPRD-380Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools or OMPRD-382Mixing and Mastering for the Electronic Musician or OMPRD-420Art of Mixing
- Choose one of the following piano/keyboard courses:
- OPIAN-100Berklee Keyboard Method
- OPIAN-230Pop/Rock Keyboard
- OPIAN-220Blues and Rock Keyboard Techniques
- OPIAN-150Keyboard for the Electronic Musician
- OPIAN-315Jazz Piano
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General Education Courses (39 Credits - 13 Courses)
- Complete the following:
- OLART-100Developing Your Artistry
- Choose any one Composition/Writing Course from the following:
- OLART-201Creative Writing: Literature Studies for Musicians
- OLART-111Introduction to College Writing
- OLART-215Creative Writing: Poetry
- OLART-216Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice
- Choose any one History course from the following:
- OLART-170Rock 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-231Art History
- OLART-220History of Film Music
- Choose three Arts/Humanities electives from the following:
- OCTHR-103Script Analysis for Theater
- OCDAN-103Introduction to Iconic Dance and Urban Movement
- OLART-231Art History
- OLART-205Game Design Principles
- OLART-111Introduction to College Writing
- 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
- OLART-170Rock History
- OLART-400Career and Job Success in the Music Industry
- OLART-220History of Film Music
- Complete four Social Sciences (OLSOC) courses from the following:
- OLSOC-200Business Communications
- OLSOC-307Music Cognition
- OLSOC-180Project Management for Musicians
- OLSOC-150The Language of Film and TV
- OLSOC-226New Media Economics: Music, Mobile, Gaming, and Online Markets
- OLSOC-210Music, Self, and Society
- Complete three Math and Physical/Natural Sciences (OLMSC) courses:
- OLMSC-130Applied Mathematics for Musicians
- OLMSC-215Acoustics
- OLMSC-260Sampling and Audio Production
- OLMSC-150Introduction to Computer Programming for Musicians
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 Demonstration of Musicianship
- 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 $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.