Hello - longtime lurker, first time poster - mostly because my D is HS class of 2022. My D would very much like to do a double major or double degree with Music Performance and a science or math (not yet decided bc, she is 15, and what’s the rush…). We have heard that Rice/Sheppard isn’t too keen on having students split their focus (which I totally understand) BUT if I am reading the previous post regarding AP credits correctly, D would enter Rice with 42 credit hours, and the Distribution credits for D1 and D3. Would this make it more reasonable for her to get a double degree? Thanks
With typical Rice majors requiring 120 credit hours, it’s tempting at first glance to conclude she’d be 1/3 of the way to graduation if she entered Rice with 42 hours of AP credit. However your real barrier to graduation isn’t the 120 credit hour hurdle or distribution credits, but the actual classes you’ll need for two majors. Regrettably most APs at Rice don’t satisfy major requirements but are instead treated as generic “AP/other” classes that boost your credit hour total without moving you tangibly closer to graduation. For this reason it’s quite common for students who enter Rice with 30-60 hours of AP credit to graduate with 150+ credit hours instead of the 120 you’d initially hope would be enough, because it just takes that long to wrap up the major requirements.
Music performance is known as being an especially tough slog for double-majoring because Shepherd’s time demands are so high (and understandably so since the number of slots for performance majors is limited). Usually you don’t see Shepherd people double-major unless they’re doing the non-performance BA in music, which requires a much lower time commitment. However a few students manage to combine performance with a “soft” or “less rigorous” second major such as psych or reli. It isn’t an easy road but it is possible. Best wishes and good luck!
^I came in with 45 credits, and none are useful outside of my STEM major requirements. It’s very difficult to fill D2 and D3 requirements with only AP credit.
Thank you both very much for your responses - it helps to know the real deal regarding the actual value of the credit hours. I know that my daughter is still very excited about visiting Rice this year to get a better sense of the various programs and the campus.
When your daughter visits Rice, she should discuss this possibility with advisors at both Shepherd and the other School where she is interested in getting the second major.
I don’t know anyone who did a music performance and STEM double major from there. Rice is generous about allowing movement within their schools with the exception of Shepherd due to audition requirements and Architecture due to portfolio reasons, from what I understand. That does not mean it cannot happen.
I knew a tremendously talented young woman who double majored in music performance and business at CMU. With that schools restrictions among schools it was not possible for her to double up in STEM there with Music. She had inquired about it and got specific information on what was and was not permitted. I’m sure Rice and other schools that interest your DD can do the same as rules differ from school to school on these things.
I know of a double major between music and English, and there’s at least one freshman who’s planning on a music major and premed.
Great - thanks @cptofthehouse and @awesomepolyglot. I think we will keep Rice on the list and see if the AO who is visiting D’s school next week has any additional insight.