Berklee College of Music

Begin the admissions process for Berklee's undergraduate, graduate, online, or summer programs, or learn more about these academic programs.

Berklee offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs summer and international college and pre-college programs; and online degrees, certificates, and individual online courses. All courses are taught by our faculty of talented and experienced professionals.

All students at Berklee should have the necessary supports—inside and outside of the classroom—to fully realize their musical, academic, and personal potential. There are a number of resources within Berklee to ensure that this level of support is available to all students.

Berklee is the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its campuses in Boston, Massachusetts and Valencia, Spain, and through its award-winning distance learning program, Berklee Online. Dedicated to nurturing the creative and career potential of the world’s most inspired artists, Berklee’s commitment to arts education is reflected in the work of its students, faculty, and alumni—hundreds of whom have been recognized with Grammy, Tony, Oscar, and Emmy awards.

At Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, students explore interdisciplinary approaches to music, dance, theater, film, business, healthcare, education, technology, and more. Our pioneering youth programs reach underserved classrooms throughout the U.S. and beyond. With students and alumni from more than 100 nations and educational partners across the world, we are forging new connections among art forms, musical traditions, and technologies to build a dynamic, diverse, and collaborative global arts community.

Berklee's leadership—comprising executive officers, the Board of Trustees, and Presidential Advisory Council—is committed to creating an inclusive community and a dynamic learning environment.

Berklee's mission is to educate, train, and develop students to excel in music as a career.Developing the musicianship of all our students is the foundation of our curriculum. We believe that the lessons and qualities derived from that work—the self-discipline needed for excellence, the empathy required of music making and the openness and curiosity essential to creativity—are critical to achievement in any pursuit, musical or otherwise. We also believe that music is a powerful catalyst for the kind of personal growth central to any collegiate experience.

Founded on jazz and popular music rooted in the African cultural diaspora, our comprehensive curriculum is distinctly contemporary in its content and approach, and embraces the principal musical movements of our time. Through a course of scholarly and practical learning experiences integrating performance and writing, our curriculum covers the variety of influential styles, relevant technologies, and career opportunities open to today's music professional.

Berklee was founded on two revolutionary ideas: that musicianship could be taught through the music of the time; and that our students need practical, professional skills for successful, sustainable music careers. While our bedrock philosophy has not changed, the music around us has and requires that we evolve with it.

For over half a century, we've demonstrated our commitment to this approach by wholeheartedly embracing change. We update our curriculum and technology to make them more relevant, and attract diverse students who reflect the multiplicity of influences in today's music. We prepare our students for a lifetime of professional and personal growth through the study of the arts, sciences, and humanities. And we are developing new initiatives to reach and influence an ever-widening audience.

More than a college, Berklee has become the world's singular learning lab for the music of today—and tomorrow. We are a microcosm of the music world, reflecting the interplay between music and culture; an environment where aspiring music professionals learn how to integrate new ideas, adapt to changing musical genres, and showcase their distinctive skills in an evolving community. We are at the center of a widening network of industry professionals who use their openness, virtuosity, and versatility to take music in surprising new directions.

The completion of the merger with Boston Conservatory in June 2016 united two of the world’s preeminent music education institutions, and set the stage for creating a transformative model for performing arts education, one that provides students with a wide range of flexible and experiential options for achieving their educational goals. By creating learning pathways between the Boston and Valencia, Spain, campuses, Conservatory programs, online programs, study abroad, internship opportunities, and educational partners, we are positioned to create the world’s most dynamic and comprehensive program for music, dance, and theater education.

With music, movement, and digital technology converging, artists possess powerful new means of creative expression in the theater, on the concert stage, and through emerging platforms. This interplay of artists and modes of expression will position our institution as a leader in exploring new and original art forms, break down boundaries that isolate genres, and unleash the tremendous creative potential of the global arts community.

Evidence of things to come is represented by strong demand for Conservatory programs—including a record number of applications for fall 2017—full enrollment by Berklee students in new elective dance courses, including hip-hop dance, and the launch of a Conservatory summer opera program in Valencia. We were pleased to announce this year a five-year dual bachelor’s/master’s program with Harvard, and a First Year Abroad program for 40 entering students at the Valencia campus.