<p>What do you do if you want to double major in engineering and music at a large university, but the application asks you to select your first choice major and second choice major. Engineering is also a selective major. By putting one as the first choice, you are letting the second choice know that it is not primary. Does that ruin your chances for getting into both majors?</p>
<p>Also, does it ruin all your chances of getting into a music major if you let the school know you are interested in a BA degree instead of a BMA or BFA?</p>
<p>You may be confusing double major with double degree. For a double degree, you will be applying to the music school of the university for a BM and the engineering school for the BA/BS and you will need to be accepted by both in order to do the double degree.
Also, there is a difference between a BA with a major in music (usually music history / theory) and a BMA/BFA/BM in performance which will require an audition.</p>
<p>At the state universities we visited, they offer a BA in music performance. I think most BA students double major, which is why they choose this route. Admission is by audition, and in the case of one of the schools (University of Maryland), it is quite selective. </p>
<p>We are not sure whether they will accept someone knowing that they are only interested in the BA and not the BM. Perhaps they will think the student is not committed enough and they would prefer to give the slot to someone pursuing music performance exclusively. If the student tells the school they are only interested in a BA, will that ruin the student's admission chances?</p>
<p>We are also concerned that if a student applies to the college of engineering in addition to auditioning for the music performance program, the music program would reject the student automatically for lack of commitment to music. </p>
<p>One might choose to apply only to the music program and add another major later, but with engineering, you need to apply to the engineering program as a freshman. There are other oppportunities for later admission, but admission as a freshman is best.</p>
<p>My child may end up deciding to pursue only one or other of the majors (or might change to another major altogether at some later point - who knows), but will not know for sure until trying them.</p>
<p>It is my belief that admissions decisions are based on ability / performance /academic record, etc. and NOT on the basis of trying to second guess a student's committment to a major. If your child has already shown a strong committment to sciences/math (ie engineering dept. material) AND is a strong musician (so will do well in an audition) I don't think there will be any pre-judging of his/her "worthiness" to take up a spot. If the university offers the double major possibility, then they are clearly open to having students who will pursue it. The only possible problem could come if an individual studio teacher does not like to teach double degree students, and that is something you can probably learn about in advance by asking the teacher (during a lesson that you arrange when visiting the school).</p>
<p>The other VERY possible problem...both engineering and music performance are very time consuming courses of study. Engineering majors don't have a lot of electives, and neither do music majors. If you plan to do this...be aware that it is very unlikely that your child would be able to complete both a music performance and engineering major in four years. Also...do make sure that you check with the individual schools. Are you sure about U of Maryland...DS applied there for a BM (Bachelor's of Music in Performance). They do have a BA program...but it is not their performance program. And re: Maryland, I do know that students who are not music majors (I know...your kid is intending to do both...but listen anyway) do NOT study with the applied faculty...they take their lessons with grad students. The applied faculty in music performance run a very rigorous program and from what we saw, expected a high level of commitment.</p>
<p>I agree with Thumper - engineering and music are two very demanding programs. Although I also agree that a BA in music is less demanding (not usually called "performance" - that usually indicates a BMus.) </p>
<p>If you find schools that allow engineering students to get a second unrelated degree, which are not easy to find, then I doubt anybody will care from that end. The fact that you are applying as a BA in music already says you have decided to go "less deep" into music. My D has applied as a BA at a couple schools on her list. One school congratulated her on her self-knowledge - knowing what she wants going in. The other school begged her to reconsider and be a performance major. Neither school penalized her - based on her auditions, they talked with her about her and their expectations.</p>
<p>I am aware of someone whose teacher called her former teacher to discuss the student's commitment to music, so it does happen. As it turned out, she ended up switching from a BM to a BA, and frustrated a few people along the way. But I don't think you'd get the same questions since you're upfront about the BA.</p>
<p>We were told at several universities that cross majoring like that is almost impossible to schedule. I too have a musical kid who is going into engineering, so we inquired about music minors, and even that seemed pretty much impossible. The music department schedules rehearsals and ensembles to fit in with their schedule, and obviously does not check with engineering...</p>
<p>There are several current students at the University of Michigan who are doing double degrees in Engineering and in Music Performance. Yes, it's hard, and it does take 5 years, but it is certainly possible.
Thumper and Binx are also correct in pointing out that generally a BA in music is not a performance program, and at UMich those students generally study with grad students.
It will be best to ask LOTS of questions as you contact teachers/admissions offices at the schools your child in interested in attending.</p>
<p>The issue with those ensembles is that typically they rehearse every day for a couple of hours...for ONE credit. Music majors take a ton of one and two credit courses that eat up even more time. In addition there is an expectation that they will practice practice practice...oh...and attend master classes, studio class, recitals, concerts others are performing in, etc. Many of these things happen at the same time as the engineering classes...or the time needed to study for them. DD wants to pursue some type of engineering. She did not even consider a music major (BA or any other kind). She looked for a school with a solid engineering program that permitted a music minor and allowed non-majors to take lessons and play in the ensembles. The last two quarters, she has taken a bio, chemistry, calculus, English, orchestra, oboe. That is 20 quarter credits which is well in excess of what is a typical course load per quarter. If she were double majoring, she would have had to add music theory, studio class, chamber music....all required of music majors. OH...those other courses...the first ones...those are required for engineering majors. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I do believe that this double major will be very challenging. Now...NEC/Tufts and Peabody/JHU both offer a five year double degree program which is engineering and music. HOWEVER...they are highly highly competitive...my understanding is that a handful or less are accepted into those programs at each school each year.</p>
<p>Thank you for the information and advice. You are probably right that the BA is probably not a performance major. I need to go back and double check.</p>
<p>I think the problem for my child is wanting both majors equally at this point. It is so hard to know as a high school junior what you will want to do with your life. With both engineering and music, you really need to begin in your freshman year. We figure that at some point, our child will choose one or the other path. We just don't know which one yet. So the plan was to apply for both. Maybe that will just cause frustration and burn out instead of clarity.</p>
<p>I had the same dilemma at his age. I wound up at a school that let me take lots of music within the framework of an engineering degree. I started with nearly a semester worth of AP credits in Chemistry, Physics and Math and carried 19-21 semester hours at any given time. That let me take two or three music courses every semester. Although I did not have a degree or even an official minor in music, I spent more time in the music building than I did in the engineering labs and libraries. The resulting engineering degrees have allowed me to be my own patron of the arts and I have had the good fortune to sing and play in several ensembles, at both the professional and highest amateur levels.</p>
<p>My son applied to double degree programs in late Junior/Senior year. He chose a school with that arrangement. I think it was a good idea since he was able to explore several different avenues of study in that way. His journey is still one of discovery. He may know, but I have no idea what direction he will end up taking.</p>