Dual degree in music and engineering

musicprnt
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:33:27 +0000

I think what someone else posted, that trying to do a performance major in music and do a program like engineering is going to be daunting (not going to say impossible). Having seen what is involved in performance majors, whether at a ‘regular’ university or a conservatory, I see major conflicts. Even leaving out easy to see concerns (the lab courses, for example, that are routine part of science courses required for engineering, plus the lab courses with various types of engineering conflicting with lessons, ensemble practice and performances) is time. The school may be willing in the case of dual majors to waive certain core course requirements/electives, but BM has a track of courses like music theory and the like that you can’t duck…then, of course, there is the practice time, which I would assume you can’t get away from whatever form of music performance you are in, and that is going to be measured in a lot of hours…

What I do know is what an engineering curicula demands of a student, it takes a lot of study time and homework time, I guarantee you that (I have several engineers in the family in different disciplines, none of them is easy), and someone trying both would find themselves I suspect running themselves ragged…it takes a lot of dedication to do a BM degree, it takes a lot of dedication to get an engineering degree, so it isn’t a leap of logic to assume that to do both takes a lot more:).