Hello all. My D, now a HS junior, loves singing and musical theater (the sining portion of it not so much dancing). She has been taking lessons since childhood, and has attended a pre-college program, and won regional competitions and semifinalist in national as well. She is also interested in biology/animal science/zoology. I have read the Double Degree dilemma and other threads (very helpful). As we are researching schools, I am finding that although double major is always an option in any school for any degree, some schools allow you to do a blended major ( or self designed degree), and is neither super-performance/theory heavy. e.g. UIUC, Purdue, CMU, UWM etc. As you can imagine, she just loves singing and wants to improve but won’t take performance as her profession (most likely). So she doenot need to be in a conservatory or a superior music program - rather needs a college with many other majors available and flexible. We are in California. For other state’s colleges, we would love to get some merit scholarship - hopefully form the music school. Based on this, what schools do you suggest that are known to be having good blended degrees or at least are super supportive of dual majors? I also heard that some BA in Music programs rigorously teach non-musical basic science and arts requirements - so an overall liberal arts eductaion; althogh not all Music programs are that way. Any suggestions about those? I am generlaly aware of BA vs BM vs BFA (in musical theater). I also want to confirm - what I am calling “blended” is a single major with mixed topics (perhaps like a minor, I am not sure); as opposed to two separate majors (double major). Thank you.
Look into Lawrence, Bard, and Ithaca.
Those two areas may be challenging to blend. Have you considered Chapman? My oldest attended with double major of neuroscience and violin performance. Quite common there. Excellent voice and musical theater programs. Chapman was quite generous with scholarship money and stacked academic and music merit which made it financially a great option as well.
I agree that a blended major between music/MT and science is likely to be challenging. But there are schools where your D could do a double major. Xavier in Cincinnati has B.A. programs for both musical theater and for music performance (and minors in each) as well as biological science majors. And Xavier tends to give out a fair bit of merit aid.
And for someone interested in animals and zoology, Ohio Wesleyan is a small liberal arts college definitely worth a mention. Its performing arts department also offers opportunities (and all productions are open to students of all majors).
I have a kid that graduated with a STEM degree and a music degree from one of the schools you mentioned. You are welcome to message me about that or about midwestern options in general. We were also shooting for merit money.
I agree Lawrence University may be a good one to check out if your student would consider smaller LACs. They can be generous with merit too, both my kids were offered great financial packages out of Lawrence. And they seemed one of the most uniformly supportive of multi interested students. They also have many ways for non-majors to be very involved in performance/music. LACs in general can be a good fit, Saint Olaf College has a lot of performance opportunities, anyone can take private lessons, major doesn’t matter. Can be merit generous.
Your CA publics may actually be a great option for this, and I’d definitely try to visit and see if she can have sample lessons, I would try anytime after audition season next winter for a current junior (after March, maybe your spring break). Some faculty members will do online options too. I am sure a lot of your publics will have amazing faculty.
When looking at double degree schools, we had mixed reception with a vocal multi interested kid. Vocal programs are just really competitive at many schools, including many that aren’t talked about that much. My younger kid is a vocal student at a less talked about program and her teacher dropped that the vocal acceptance rate this year was 8% after pre-screen. So anyway, not every vocal faculty member is super excited about double degree students so it’s good to ask the hard questions up front if that is a priority and sometimes you might get mixed opinions or answers different than marketing materials, etc.
I assume your student would be interested in private lessons. It can be hard to get faculty studio spot without majoring. That said, for a student that wants, if you are near a city you can often get lessons with someone and you may have a range of performance opportunities as a non-major. My kid with the double degree actually had a really amazing experience with a music group that was NOT a class or graduation requirement. But lent a lot of practical hands on, committed performance and leadership experience. And non-majors did participate and some have gone on to do professional performance or adjacent jobs even with totally unrelated degrees. My kid recently started a STEM job, but is still doing music stuff on the side. So especially on large campuses, it is good to look at the full range of opportunities for both majors and non-majors. Because sometimes you can piece meal experiences together. Sara Barellies majored in communications at UCLA but participated in an acapella group in college, learned to arrange music and play piano. So I think a variety of paths can work.
This may have changed in recent years, as my oldest graduated 7 years ago. But we found it was quite difficult to near impossible to combine a science degree with a music performance degree at UCLA, UCSD. And especially at UCLA, the performance groups were not generally open to non majors.
But I agree there are plenty of opportunities to continue with music/arts within the CA publics outside of a formal major/minor.
I have a daughter who was very interested in music and very good at music from a very early age through high school. When she was in high school she seriously considered a career in music. She at one point was with a music group that toured various European countries over the summer. Eventually she decided that music was a bad way to make a living, and she decided to do something else. She ended up with a degree in animal science while also completing the pre-vet requirements (as far as I know the pre-vet required classes are the same classes as the premed classes – these are academically quite challenging). She is currently in her fourth year of a DVM program.
Similarly I work in high tech. It turns out that music and mathematics are skills that sometimes (not always) go together. I have on multiple occasions seen someone I know from high tech get up on stage and play. In nearly all cases they have played very well.
One big problem here, which you are probably aware of, is that many majors are academically quite challenging. The amount of effort required to complete premed requirements, or get a DVM, or to get a degree in engineering, or to become a research biologist, is quite large. It is difficult to complete this while also keeping up with music. It seems to be reasonably common for some students to neglect their music for a while, get their education, and then get back to music at a later date. Personally I neglected music for a few decades, and then got back to it when my daughters were taking music lessons (I started taking lessons at the same time with the same teacher).
There is also the option of getting a bachelor’s degree in another field (such as biology or animal science or in my case mathematics) and just taking classes in music. We did for example ask at a few universities and found that the professors from the music department did in many cases augment their income by giving lessons (for a fee) to other students at the university who were not majoring in music and were not taking any music classes.
Another option is to major in biology/animal science/zoology and do music via lessons, elective classes and extracurricular performance. I know people who have music careers but took that path as an undergrad. Grad school could happen in the science fields or music- she will know more about her path then.
Bard, Oberlin, Lawrence are good for double degrees. Tufts, Vassar, Clark, Skidmore- many many others have good music departments as well as Ivies and “little Ivies” (google that term). She can submit a music supplement with video/recording, music resume and letters of recommendation related to music. These can sometimes help a lot with admission (and sometimes merit).
She could also look at schools like Bennington (you choose your own plan), Sarah Lawrence…Brown, Amherst and Hamilton (I believe Hamilton, others can confirm) have no gen eds so there is more room for doing both.
The five-year double degree program at Bard Conservatory is required for all undergraduate music majors - a BM in music (Conservatory) + a BA in something other than music (College). Bard College does offer a BA in Biology. My rising sophomore D is pursuing a BM in Voice and a BA in Dance. If you have any questions about the program, just let me know.
Hamilton’s only requirements are
- there is a phys ed requirement
- 3 writing intensive courses (but they have these in like math so not hard to fulfill)
- 1 quantitative analysis course (same deal, they have these in like english)
I second looking into LACs.
You seem to be referring to an interdisciplinary major. This can take two forms.
Some existing single majors may have an inherently interdisciplinary approach. As examples, data science combines statistics and computing with an “applied domain,” such as biology; geoarchaeology combines geosciences with archaeology; biochemistry is self-explanatory.
If interdisciplinary majors within the existing curriculum are not of interest, then note that some colleges allow students to design a major under faculty consultation. As an example, Hamilton offers this description:
Maybe IU Jacobs BS in Music and an Outside Field? It is definitely more music heavy than some of the other options in this thread though.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the most selective CA options were less receptive. And I’m sure those are super competitive. But some of the midwest flagships including faculty were most consistently open and welcoming and flexible to double interested students including Michigan. My double degree interested kid had a great experience with Michigan but ended up with a better financial deal elsewhere. It may depend how they use undergrads for performance. And that kid also got mixed answers on this at some of the schools widely touted for double degree. Faculty can be individually fickle.
I also had one kid apply pre-covid and one post, and I do think some programs and faculty have shifted a bit on double major/degree students through the pandemic. So it is worth it to ask the hard questions, especially if you know a school is going to be affordable for you out of the gate.
I was also going to mention, if you are looking for merit and considering costs, ask how any merit money is handled. Some schools will just do 4 years. If you can get 2 degrees done in that time, fine by them but they may not extend for an additional year. We found out after my younger kid was enrolled her school will extend music merit for 5 years for an undergrad automatically. So she came in with a bunch of credits and actually added the 2nd degree (she thinks she can still complete in 4 years with some summer classes in the mix).
Side note - Michigan was very expensive for us for UG vocal and I don’t think they generally have much funding for UG vocalists. Though this may flex by year and where they may have holes. Life is harder for UG female treble singers in general.
My oldest did the IU Jacobs BSOF degree in Voice and History. It was a lot, but easily done in 4 years and she had all the degree requirements to go to grad school in either discipline. She went on to get a Masters in Voice, but her history degree enabled her to get a job in a campus museum to help pay for it.
Thank you so much to you all for those great responses, and foods for thought. I am traveling this week but I do have specific questions to some of these responses and I will post them next week.
I just want to post a few links to these “blended” majors that I have found:
Music Major - College of Liberal Arts - Purdue University Purdue
Bachelor of Arts, Music + Option - School of Music (UIUC)
Degrees | College of Music | University of Colorado Boulder (UColorado Boulder)
https://music.arizona.edu/students/degrees/undergraduate/ (University of Arizona)
Bachelor of Arts - Music, Voice Option | School of Music | University of Washington (U of Washington, Seattle - I am confused about what they mean by “non music credits” - looks like they require non-music courses.
I also noticed that some other schools do not even allow music audition - e.g. Stanford, Pomona College etc. - although they accept an Arts portfolio. These colleges don’t admit in specific majors either.
UCs are all over the place. E.g. UC Santa Barbara openly talks about double major (but they don’t have a blended major)
But UCLA does not.
UC Irvine talks about how music major students are so competetive for non-music professions 
Undergraduate Programs | Department of Music | Claire Trevor School of the Arts
Just some addiitonal information I gathered so far.
Thanks.
Most of the music scholarships go to…music majors. These departments typically don’t have a lot of money to fund those who aren’t music majors.
If your daughter wants to continue taking voice lessons and singing in college…at the college, I would suggest she contact the music department chairperson and the choral director(s) to find out what opportunities there are for those who don’t major in music.
We know singers who sang in some fabulous church choirs while in college. They were able to sing a great repertoire and really enjoyed this.
At many places, music grad students can provide lessons to undergrads…and these are talented musicians.
I want to add…my kid was a STEM major who wanted to play in the college orchestra. She thought she might minor in music but found it not possible. She reached out to college orchestra directors, music teachers, and department chairs to find out IF there was anything for non-majors as far as ensembles, and also about lessons. She found these folks to be very helpful.
As you can imagine, she just loves singing and wants to improve but won’t take performance as her profession (most likely). So she doenot need to be in a conservatory or a superior music program - rather needs a college with many other majors available and flexible.
EDIT: The above is the OP quote…but I must have copied it wrong as it doesn’t look like a quote!!
I’m a little confused…and yet I understand that YOU (the OP) are trying to work it out too.
The quote above indicates that she probably doesn’t want to do a performance degree, yet your last post lists primarily Music degrees. Maybe it’s bc you are on the music thread? I would think that she would be leading with a Science degree and adding music on the side?
In my “opinion” (based on some experience), whenever a student is doing two areas of study…no matter what “words” are used for it…one area takes precedence and the other lands on the side (even if you are like me and my D years ago that believed that she could equally do both…silly us…she wasn’t special and being in the IU BSOF, which is in the MUSIC school, music was the focus). That doesn’t mean people aren’t success with it in their own way. I’m just wondering if leading with the other concentration would be the better option?
My D’s best friend from high school went to Lawrence as a BA in History and was able to participate in music on the side. She chose Lawrence bc she wanted an enviroment with a lot of music opportunities (and she did audition for a scholarship for a non-music major and got it). Still she didn’t feel that performance was practical for her. She now works in administration at a theater which she really loves.
You don’t have to answer my question…just food for thought. And two more comments:
1.) Get her on campus with a few different programs (blended, flexible, minor, what have you) and see how she feels. And ask for a student ambassador during the visits…so she can get the “skinny”.
2.) Look online at the music school and other degree websites or call administration and ask for the curriculum for degrees. Ask how many students do such a degree. Ask if an advisor helps with scheduling concerns. It sounds like you may be doing this a bit already…and this can be very eye opening (besides just the degree explanation on a website).
Hope this helps.
I’m with @bridgenail on this. Sounds like maybe a science major at a school with opportunities to continue in music, and that’s definitely doable.
A couple of suggestions:
This student sounds like a good fit for a liberal arts college. That’s the kind of place where it’s easy to have a major and a minor, or even a double major in unrelated areas and still fit everything in within four years. It’s even easier if the student comes in with some AP/DE credit. Southwestern University in Texas or University of Puget Sound are a couple others to look at-strong music programs in addition to strong academics and available merit money-from the Colleges that Change Lives list. The LAC’s are more likely to have merit scholarships for music talent that go to non-music majors. These are also the kinds of places that will have accessible musical theatre opportunities for a non-major, depending on the school.
Some schools with strong music programs do have performance opportunities for non-majors. My kid was a music major, but the choirs were open to non-majors. Anyone could audition, although I don’t recall non-majors in the top choirs, there were opportunities for everyone who wanted to sing. My kid also took lessons on a secondary instrument for a couple of years (from a grad student who was an outstanding teacher)—these types of lessons are generally taught by grad students but that may be all your kid needs to be happy continuing in music while pursuing her other interests.
One other “thing” that caught my eye…I didn’t want my post to be “as usual” too long.
The OP is mentioning “musical theater” and winning competitions in…classical repertoire? At a school like IU, there are a few degrees:
BFA MT
BM VP
BSOF - vocal performance and an outside field
BFAs are not flexible. BMs are pretty tight at most schools. Is the D interested in diction and foreign language requirements? Then there is the BSOF…and sure there is an outside field (in the old days, it was one class a semester in the outside field…but it may be different now). Still the vocal part…leans classical. You can do other “things” but that’s not always easy for a Freshman caught in a big music school machine with peer pressure. Some of these large Us (IU, Michigan, Northwestern etc) are heavily CLASSICAL VP. The curriculum will show that.
I know at a school like St Olaf, it has elements of the VP curriculum but can be much more flexible. So, maybe a BM in music at a flexible school or a BA in music or a BA in something else with access to good music opportunities.
So, in a nutshell, it’s fine to see the degrees listed on a website but for a vocalist, you need to look at the audition requirements (how many languages do you need to sing in?) and see if you want to spend years in music theory and literature and foreign languages. Or is there school/degree with less in those areas (2 yrs of theory maybe or none!) but still provides opportunities to sing and grow the voice (not everyone loves the academic side of music…amiright?)…and it may not be necessary for someone not pursuing performance.
Some schools are looking to produce opera singers and soloists. Then other schools may be heavy into choir singing. Others can be more flexible with the curriculum and the student body and degree curriculum will reflect that.
Carnegie Mellon, UIUC have a BXA, Music and Tech and a Music+ program. These are programs with a technical component + Music. My DD is going to the Music + Tech program at CMU. Class of 2028.