Hello, can you please recommend how to find a list of good Dual music degree and healthcare (biochemistry, biomedical, bioengineering) programs ? I am interested in doing dual music degree in clarinet performance and healthcare. Thank you!
That will be a challenging double major but has been done. Tell us more about you. What state do you live in? What’s your unweighted GPA and test scores? Most importantly, what is your budget? What kind of schools are you interested in - big, small, public, private, warm, cold, religious, etc.
For selective schools, I immediately think of Case Western, Rochester, USC, Tulane. For less selective schools, it will help to have more info from you.
Applying for a performance major is a whole thing, and you can read lots about it on this site.
You might consider starting a thread over on the Match Me category.
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@lbain7 this is a frequent topic on the music major forum so I suggest you post there. Make sure to read the essay Double Degree Dilemma in the Read Me thread on the music forum. I think you will find it helpful.
The reason a double degree in music and science can be difficult is because there are a lot of labs that may conflict with practice and rehearsals. Schools that are well known for support of double degrees include Bard (conservatory students are required to do a double degree), Oberlin, Lawrence, U of Michigan, Tufts/NEC, Harvard/NEC (BA/MM). Yale (BA/MM). There are many others. It is helpful to make sure the culture of the music program and the clarinet teacher are supportive of a double degree, because not all are.
Another option is to do a BS in sciences and continue music with lessons, extracurricular performance, and elective classes. If you later decided to pursue music at the grad level, you could still qualify. Also check out Oberln’s Musical Studies program, a BA that allows for more room in your day for non-music classes but gives access to the resources of the Conservatory. Bard might offer the same.
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Emory has a great music program that is not a BM so has more flexibility. Definitely look into Northwestern where many music majors are double majors (but often take 5 years to complete) and Vanderbilt
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It will be challenging to major in anything along with music performance. It’s a major where you can have a lot of one credit courses that meet several times a week.
If you want to double major, please read @compmom post again. And remember that at some of those colleges, like Oberlin, you would be required to be admitted academically to the college (for the health sciences) and also to the conservatory (via audition for the music).
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By “dual music degree and healthcare programs” are you thinking of a double major or double degree? I responded about double degree, and another poster wrote about a double major. Again, go to the music major forum’s Read Me thread and find the Double Degree Dilemma essay, which explains the different ways to study music using hypothetical students.
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Thank you. I will definitely take a look at the options you have listed in the reply. I am a sophomore from Houston, TX but will consider out of state options as well. GPA 3.9.
Here is a link to the IU Jacobs School of Music BSOF degree (Bachelor of Science with an Outside Field). My oldest daughter earned this degree in Voice with an outside field in History. It was definitely demanding, but she did it! I know it can be more difficult with outside fields that require labs. Labs tend to conflict with ensemble rehearsals. However, I know that students manage to do it. The degree covers the courses you would need if you would want to attend grad school in either music or your outside field.
Dual Degrees: Admissions: Jacobs School of Music: Indiana University Bloomington.
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It’s unclear to me whether you have reasons for wanting a second major (in addition to music) other than pre-health aspirations. Music majors do very well in med school admissions; you can take the prerequisite courses without doing a whole dual degree. What are your goals?
There are quite a few liberal arts colleges that are strong in both music and pre-health sciences. Examples: St. Olaf College, Lawrence University, Whitman College, Gettysburg College, U of Richmond, Oberlin, College of Wooster. There are schools with formal, five-year dual degree programs, such as Lawrence, URochester, and Johns Hopkins. There are universities that encourage cross-disciplinary study, such as USC, and again Rochester. Lots of options. But… the high school credential-building race has a way of convincing a lot of students that dual degrees are necessary, when often they aren’t. It’s completely fine to be a premed music major. The least feasible option is an ABET-accredited engineering degree plus a music performance BM. I suppose it’s probably been done, but I can’t see how something wouldn’t get shortchanged. IMHO, better to do music plus physics, leaving the option for engineering grad school open if that turns out to be the desire.
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Yes, that is the most restrictive option by far. And the schools I suggested upthread would work since they’re strong in both disciplines and can handle double majors. But gosh, it would be so difficult! I think an engineering major and a music minor or just playing in ensembles and taking lessons would work fine. It’s already hard enough to be a premed engineering major. But adding a music performance major seems like too much. Your program suggestions are good ideas.
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You should consider taking a look at Centre College in Danville, KY. They have a really excellent music and performing arts department, along with music scholarships for non-music majors…AND the requirements for the scholarship are such that they’re basically 1 class away from getting a minor in music. (you can major in music as well, of course). The school has a really wonderful performing arts center.
Biochemistry major info is available at https://www.centre.edu/academics/majors-minors-programs/biochemistry-molecular-biology. Their pre-health program is pretty great, too.
My D24 had a vocal audition there this past week and one of the music professors said that a lot of their music students major in something else other than or in addition to music.
Their music scholarships stack on top of their regular merit scholarships (https://www.centre.edu/admission-aid/scholarships-fellowships).
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