Liberal Arts/Music double major schools

mamenyu
Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:06:02 +0000

Even at schools that do offer double degrees, apart from considering the physical logistics when the schools are not on the same campus, for all of the schools with such offerings, you have to keep in mind how limited your course choices outside the two majors will be, even if you have several AP’s and the school takes AP credits for breadth requirements. It is unusually easy at Oberlin to have double majors in the college; many students do (read the obie blogs for a discussion of this). But to do a music degree in the conservatory and any demanding other degree in the college in 5 years, you have to really be careful about planning (some courses in LAC’s are offered only every other year, for example), especially if you don’t have AP credits. You could simply major in an academic subject at a college or university and do a lot of music on the side, including theory and aural skills courses and private lessons, and participate in ensembles and orchestras. The actual degrees are not necessarily important if you don’t plan to go on for an MM, for example, or even if you are…I’ve known students who majored in an academic subject at Harvard, kept playing their instruments, and went to Yale for MM degrees. There are lots of possibilities. Just think carefully about what the reality of the experience will be, and if it is practicable, what you want to do, and if you could pull it off successfully, including financially.