Every school is different and not all offer a music minor. Those that do may require students to have had a fair amount of prior music training and experience, while others may be more entry-level programs. Music minors are likely include classes in music theory and music history along with participation in an ensemble; others may include ear training, instrumental lessons, and music electives.

If it’s piano lessons you’re primarily seeking, ask schools if piano faculty or upper level undergraduates or graduate students are available to give lessons to non-piano majors. Working with upper-level undergraduate and graduate piano majors who’ve had some pedagogy training can be a great way to proceed. Expect to be charged for lessons.

Every school sets its own policies as to what students can double major in. So you’re best served by contacting any school you’re interested in,

We recommend that you take a look at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and Bard College Conservatory in New York. You can ask specific questions of each of these schools by filling out the forms on their pages on MajoringInMusic.com

We assume you’ve decided not to major in music for good reasons. As for a minor – Every school is different in terms of what they offer for music as a minor (and even whether they offer it as a minor!) so check schools carefully. Also check carefully what’s expected of music minors. Usually they will fit well with most other majors, depending on whether you are required to play in ensembles etc. and how that fits with the demands of your major.

A music minor in and of itself will likely not lead to any specific jobs. It’s more what you do in conjunction with the minor. A business major may help you get further with your music, but only if you’re really interested in what you’d be studying with via that major.

Know that there are various ways to improve your proficiency – lessons, a regular practice schedule, strong site reading skills and other musicianship skills, performing with others. The more you have these under your belt, the more doors will open to you for playing music in some capacity regardless of what you do in your career.

Once you’ve been accepted and then start school, you’ll have the option to pick up a minor. This often doesn’t happen until sophomore year or later. And not all schools offer music as a minor while others offer it as a minor in a variety of areas of music. If you don’t or can’t minor in music, you can take music electives and private lessons. So many ways to include music without majoring in it!

Hi, I am looking to major in either business or psychology and minor in music, when i get into a school, do I put buisness down and then how far along or when do I say I am minoring in music? how does that work?

Every school is different in terms of what’s possible regarding double majors. We suggest you start by using the “Find Schools That Fit Your Interests” on the homepage of MajoringInMusic.com. Plug in the majors you’re interested in and then look at the websites of schools that offer these majors. You may need to use the forms on the schools’ pages on MajoringInMusic.com to ask specific questions about the possibility of double majoring in performance and composition if the information isn’t clear on their websites. If you are looking at BM degrees, it’s likely to take five years to be able to accomplish both. Liberal Arts colleges and BA degrees may allow you to complete in four years.

Many schools offer both programs – though it may take 5 years to complete your bachelor’s degree. We encourage you to look at the schools on our website and see what they offer as a starting place – start with the “Find Schools That Fit Your Interests” on the homepage of the website, click on “Search by Majors” and then “Music Composition” on the next page. Look at the schools that come up and see what their application/audition requirements are, and then also look on the schools’ websites to see if they also offer computer science. Most universities as well as colleges do offer it; conservatories like Lawrence and Oberlin and Bard also have programs in computer science.

Note that we offer fee-based consulting for helping students figure things out that go beyond what you can find on the website. Students under 18 need to involve a parent in this process. Let us know if this is of interest to you.

As a music minor, it would depend on your school as to how many lessons, performance opportunities, and time in practice rooms you’d be able to get in order to improve your playing significantly. You might need to work harder and be a strong advocate for yourself in order to find ways to get all of that as a music minor. You may also need to pay extra to get more lessons.

With really good grades, consider liberal arts colleges. Students don’t have to declare their major when they apply or enter as freshmen. Liberal arts colleges give you time to explore before making a commitment. They also make it much easier to double major in music + another field you’re passionate about.

Each school has its own policy about double majors. So you’ll need to look at websites of schools you’re interested in to see what’s possible. Double majors are demanding, especially if you’re pursuing a BM music degree. You should be equally passionate about each major in order for it to work for you. And it may take more than 4 years to get your degree. Other options would be a minor in one of these two areas, or electives in the area you’re not majoring in. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to prepare your audition and apply and audition in music in your senior year of high school. Unless you enter a music major as a freshman, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to graduate in 4 years at schools other than liberal arts colleges because of the sequence of required music classes.

For more on the topic, read: Double Majoring with Music

You will definitely open more doors to employment by majoring in music + business. However, you need to be aware that as a double major, you will be responsible for juggling the requirements in both fields. Look for schools that welcome double majors and ask admission offices questions that will help you think out your plan. Read this new article to give you some guidelines: Double Majoring with Music: Questions You Need to Ask You’ll find other options to consider, such as business minors and/or entrepreneurship certificates offered by some schools.

Classes available for students who want to minor in music are going to be more limited in scope and accessibility than classes for music majors. Note that at many schools, students who minor in music are also expected to perform in ensembles. Another possibility is to consider a BA in music along with another major. The BA is not as credit-hour demanding as the BM degree, and leaves room for more electives. At liberal arts colleges, double majors are very common. Liberal arts colleges tend to be more demanding in terms of your high school academics. Look at the classes offered, the double major options, and the application and audition requirements at schools you’re interested in, to find out what’s realistic at those schools.

Note that we offer 1:1 fee-based consultations to help you address your individual questions and concerns beyond what you’ll find available on MajoringInMusic.com. We can work via phone, FaceTime, or Skype. We ask that a parent be involved in the conversations with high school students under 18.