<p>I've been doing research on dual degrees and I've found that some colleges such as Ithaca and Vanderbilt offer a "BM in combination with an outside field" or a "BM with a second major." Does anyone have an experience with this type of degree (advantages compared to a dual degree? amount of time it takes?) Also, if I were to get a BM in performance and Math, would I be as qualified and respected in my field as BA Math majors? </p>
<p>If you haven’t read this, it might be helpful:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html</a></p>
<p>I always think this essay really lays out the options with examples of individual students, which is very clarifying.</p>
<p>I cannot answer regarding specifics of this combination: others may come on who know more. But I will give it a try in a preliminary way…</p>
<p>For a BM with a “second major”/“in combination with a second field”: have you looked at the credits needed for both music and math majors, and mapped out the sequence for each year at schools you are interested in? That may be an initial way to see if it is possible and how long it might take.</p>
<p>It may be that it is much more possible and useful to do a 5 year double degree versus double major, if you really want to do math. With a double degree, one issue for you to consider might be the value of a BA versus BS in math. I believe a BS is more thorough and intense in subjects like math. A BM and a BS might be hard to pull off.</p>
<p>Why do you want to do this combination? Do you love both subjects and cannot bear to give one up? Or are you concerned with having a more “practical” backup w/music? That is a frequent topic around here and if it is music that you really want to focus on, many of us will encourage you to do so, that the BM is a valuable degree that leads to flexible options in itself.</p>
<p>Have you taken much music theory or composition? Are you interested in those subjects as well as playing?</p>
<p>You can apply for various options, BM alone, BS alone, BA/BM double degree, or double major, and decide late in senior year if that helps. You can also, of course, continue private lessons and performing even if you do not major in music at all. </p>
<p>Editing to add that you can, of course, do a BA in music versus a BM. Fewer music classes but more room for math as a second major. Not sure if that would be a BA in music and math, or if a BA/BS is possible.</p>
<p>BA music programs often don’t have auditions: you send in a music supplement. Classes are 1/4-1/3 music, as opposed to conservatory or BM program with 2/3-/3/4 music.</p>
<p>One thing to think about, not related to the BM particularly, is that an undergraduate math degree by itself is not going to be all that much more valuable in terms of direct job applicability (not saying it is not valuable training, just that a bachelor’s in math is not necessarily translated into direct job skills, other than maybe programming experience that generally is going to happen in a math major). Many math majors move on to related fields, things like actuarial science, or into financial engineering and such. Just speaking as myself as someone who hires people, someone with a music degree with a math degree would be a lot more interesting to me (and I have interviewed people with credentials like that, long before my son was a serious music student), it shows someone with a wide variety of skills and background, that is never a bad thing. So in terms of prestige, I would tell you from my view having a second degree/major would make it more advantageous in terms of an employer looking at it. </p>
<p>University of Michigan has a degree called “Bachelor of Musical Arts” that is meant to include cognate study of an outside field. Simpler than pursuing a dual degree, I believe.</p>
<p>Indiana also has very flexible options!</p>