<p>I have seen several references to five-year programs at Bard, Oberline, Lawrence, etc. Do any such programs exist in the south or in CA? Somewhere not so COLD!</p>
<p>People say it’s possible to pursue a double degree at USC (Univ. of Southern California) but I don’t know anyone who’s done it. You would want to contact the separate colleges at the university to inquire. Vanderbilt is also a possibility. Maybe FSU, Arizona State, or Univ. of Miami? Or even USC - South Carolina…</p>
<p>Double majors, with a BA in music are much more common and you could do that practically anywhere.</p>
<p>The programs listed on this forum over and over again, are listed because they are the ones known to be the most supportive of a double degree pursuit - but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t put together a program like that yourself at another school with a bit of effort.</p>
<p>What are the two disciplines you want to combine?</p>
<p>Have a look at Rice/Shepherd.</p>
<p>We know two student who successfully pursued double degrees at UCLA. One BA performance/BS physics and another BA performance/BS biology. Both students are now in Med school. Both took five years. BUT…OOS tuition at the UC’s is very costly and the combination of science/music makes for a tough admit. Where do you reside and what do you want to study?</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins/Peabody Institute in Baltimore is a little warmer than the Northeast or Midwest!</p>
<p>We know someone who is doubling at USC, but I don’t believe the school is making it easy for him.</p>
<p>Do you really think you’re going to be spending that much time outside of the practice room/classroom/computer lab etc that weather will matter? 
(We were actually told that Oberlin’s rough winter weather and lack of off-campus distractions were a positive, since then students would focus more clearly on their studies!)</p>
<p>Baltimore’s winters can be nasty too, and it takes a lot less snow there to bring things to a halt! The biggest problem with pursuing a double degree at Peabody/Johns Hopkins is the logistical one of the distance between the two campuses. Double degrees when one is a in a performance discipline are even more difficult just because of the time component so picking a school where the buildings are close together is a real help. Oberlin, Lawrence and Bard fit that bill as does CIM/Case Western (nothing at CWRU is more than a 15 minute walk from CIM’s conservatory building).</p>
<p>Do not count on doing a double degree at Rice with a BM. It is possible but I have heard that some studio professors will not take a student who tries to do it. The successful ones I am aware of were in languages or liberal arts where it is easier to get the extra classes into the schedule.</p>
<p>At UNC-Chapel Hill, many students do a double degree in 4 years. Almost all of the BA music students do a double major, and many students in the BM program manage it, too. Some even manage to get in a minor as well. The weather is great in NC.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions. I am asking for my ds. He is not sure if he wants to pursue music in college or not. He is still trying to sort that out. He doesn’t know what he would pair it with, though he thinks he has an interest in engineering. Seems darn near impossible to me to pair those two. He will have to decide sooner or later. He is just a junior this year, so we have a little bit of time. We plan to visit Rice. He has been to Vanderbilt’s campus. I do think it is more doable with a BA than a BM. He does like to perform though. Is there much difference between a BA with a perfomance emphasis and a BM in performance?</p>
<p>ETA: Yes, I know Rice doesn’t really offer a BA unless one starts out as a BM and then switches.</p>
<p>Every school has different requirements for the BA and BM, so you need to check the websites of the ones you’re interested in. There is generally a pretty big difference between the two degree programs, in that the BM has many more required music courses. BA students can have plenty of performance opportunities, though. They just may count as electives rather than requirements. It all depends on the school.</p>
<p>I agree with Skie that there are BIG differences between BA and BM programs, and in many cases the BA students will not have opportunities to join the official studio or study with the main instrumental professor, and might also be competing with BM students for spots in ensembles, so it will be good to look very carefully at the requirements and flexibility ar each school you consider. Also if OP’s son is not really sure, then double degree might be a brutal way to make up his mind, as most of these programs are very challenging, and almost all BM programs will require auditions, so a pretty rigorous senior year application process for someone who is uncertain about pursuing music performance.
That said, I know of a number of students who have successfully done sciences (including engineering) and music at University of Michigan (possibly even colder than Bard, though!) so my advice would be to explore Schools of Music within Universities that appeal (depending on instrument) and then look into the details of double degree opportunities. University of Maryland, for example, has an excellent School of Music and excellent engineering school, but I don’t know how many students manage to do BM/BS. (note also that it seems that OP wants a BS not a BA program)</p>
<p>My computer has been acting up, and I have not been able to get on here the last two days. </p>
<p>I truly appreciate all the advice/information. </p>
<p>Ds’s instrument is piano, btw.</p>
<p>When I visited Rice, they explicitly stated that a true double degree (with a BM in performance and another BA in some area) is theoretically possible, it is heavily frowned upon by studio teachers and the administration. They want you to focus on music.</p>
<p>^Thanks. I have read this before. We knew it would be an either/or proposition at Rice. I think the school would be a great “fit” for ds overall. He already said he didn’t know if he would want to do music if he chose Rice. I would be curious as to how accessible teachers are there for non-music students. We are planning a visit there in October, so we can hopefully find out the answer to this question.</p>
<p>Rice has a pretty good music for non-majors program, but it is not with the regular studio professors. You would have to ask about who would teach the courses he would be interested in taking. The admin office is good about answering questions so don’t hestitate to ask.</p>
<p>Thanks. I think he might just want to continue taking lessons, but he is not sure.</p>
<p>Rice told me they do not allow the double major with music. That is one of our points. My daughter loves Rice. My mother went to Rice herself. But the not allowing of the double major is sort of an issue.</p>
<p>One school I’ve forgotten to mention is SMU in Texas. There was a poster on this forum whose son is there doing a double major in Composition and Medieval History, I believe.</p>