<p>Anyone here who has done this?
My son has a strong natural interest in engineering and is planning to major in electrical engineering.
His second love, however, is music, and he now thinks he would like to minor or possibly even double major in music, and we are looking into the feasibility of doing this at the three schools he is considering: University of Southern California, Arizona State-Fulton School of Engineering + Barrett Honors, and University of Arizona.
(He was also accepted at Georgia Tech, but the financial package is terrible, and CO School of Mines, but he didn't like it when he visited.)</p>
<p>Has anyone here done this?? Any advice? It seems like it will definitely take more time to graduate. He, unfortunately, does not have AP credits.</p>
<p>Awe, check out Carnegie Mellon, they have an excellent electrical engineering program and music school! Like, I know that’s just plugging my school but I know of a lot doing the whole engineering major and music minor there. It’s possible.</p>
<p>Many engineering programs are so curriculum set that minors, even within the same school, are neither recognized or acknowledged. So I really question the validity of an additional same-time, other school, undergrad major. Except if you want to take 250 credits and stay for 8 years. (Which in my opinion would get you two degrees in Stupid.)</p>
<p>Why is he considering a double major, as opposed to simply taking a number of music courses? Or pursuing music-related extra curriculars?</p>
<p>Does he perceive some particular value in a minor or double major?</p>
<p>I think I would want to hear about that before commenting. Although I tend to agree with the trend of earlier responses that he should pursue the music in less formal ways.</p>
<p>Thanks. I really appreciate all the responses and insights.
To clarify, my son is a HS senior, so it is decision-making time.
As to why he would want to do a minor rather than just taking music classes he enjoys; unfortunately, at least at some universities (ASU), many music classes are not open to non-majors, and choices even for music minors are extremely limited. (This is what led to consideration of a double major.) Also, I think he would just like to continue a serious study of music and performance, although it may not have any practical application, and personally, I think that’s just fine (as long as it doesn’t take 8 years as toblin suggested).
From what I’ve gathered, USC is more open to minors and even offers a minor in Music Recording specifically for Electrical and Mechanical Engineering majors. However my son is not convinced that this is the type of music minor he would like to do.</p>
<p>Any other comments, insight, advice welcome!</p>
<p>One of my good friends at Carnegie Mellon got a double degree (two separate pieces of paper, not just two majors) in Materials Science & Engineering and music performance (or something of that sort, I forget the exact title). He managed to get out in 4.5 years, though he always had a pretty full class load and always had either some homework or practicing to do.</p>
<p>He did the extra degree because he really loved music and wanted to learn as much as he could about it while the opportunity was around. He knew if he wanted to be a professional musician he would have wound up as third horn at a mediocre symphony since he wasn’t spectacular, but he still really enjoyed all the work he put into it.</p>
<p>School with the tag institute will not have strong liberal art or don’t have liberal art at all. Music programs are undoubtably weaker in institution than university. One thing I can say in favor about Gatech music would be… we have great marching band?</p>
<p>I think USC will offer more diversity than Georgia Tech But if your son wants to pursue Engineer degree in California… when he graduate from USC with engineer degree and search for job in California, he would have to compete with Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, and UCSD graduate. If he is choosing UCLA over Georgia Tech, I don’t see much of problem there but the engineer degree outcome of Georgia Tech tag will be considerably higher than that of USC. I don’t know how much music means to your son but I have no doubt your son will be more challenged academically by going to Gatech.</p>
<p>The Lehigh program sounds great; however my son is a hs senior, so we are way past the exploratory stage and in the final decision-making stage.
The schools that he has been accepted at that he is still considering are: Arizona State University (Fulton + Barrett Honors), University of Arizona, and University of Southern California. We are leaving for a visit to USC today.</p>
<p>RacinReaver, Thanks so much for sharing the positive story about your engineer/musician friend!</p>
<p>Most colleges do not allow you to apply to two majors as a freshman. Though they allow double majors, you get admitted first to one program and then can seek to double major later, so generally the “choice” to do a double major does not have to be made now.</p>
<p>A key issue with double majoring in engineering and music, even if allowed, is whether you can really handle it. The required courses for engineering generally mean that you have to take a “full” program of courses every semester (often 16 to 17 semester hours) just to be able to graduate in four years with an engineering major and many take longer than four years just to meet all the requirements. </p>
<p>Moreover, engineering students generally spend a lot more time than most others outside of class just studying to keep up with their courses (homework assignments in many courses can be a bear). Also, there are many courses to take that have labs and often separate small group quiz and review sessions. However, labs are often 3 hours a week but you get only 1 hour of course credit. The result is this: (a) a typical liberal arts student may have 16 hours in semester and is in class only 16 hours; (b) a typical engineering student can have 16 credit hours in a semester and be in class 22 hours a week just to get those 16 hours of credit.</p>
<p>Adding to that load another major in an unrelated program can be near impossible to deal with. The music school will have all of its own requirements for a major that must be met with the result that you can find it impossible to even take as many classes as needed a semester to get a double major and have a chance of graduating in 4 1/2 to 5 years much less 4 years (and very often you will find that a course or two you need to take in one semester for music are offered only at the same time you can get a course that you need to take that semester in engineering).</p>
<p>Some students do pursue a dual degree in engineering and music, often this is on their radar when initially choosing schools. At most schools prospective students must audition to be admitted to the music major. Has your S contacted the music schools to find out if it is even possible at this late date? Also, to obtain both degrees at many schools he will have to dual degree, not double major… Meaning he would obtain both a BS and a BM. Double majoring (two majors in one degree program – ex. BA Music and BA in another field) is often less credit intensive than dual degreeing because there is more cross over in requirements.</p>
<p>Since you S is at the decision making phase, he should contact each department directly to find out the feasibility of pursuing both programs at the same time. Good Luck!!</p>
<p>Thanks again for the responses.
He would really prefer to minor (rather than double major) in music, I think. What led to consideration of double-major (or dual degree, as drusba pointed out) was speaking to someone at ASU who indicated that music minor choices there are very limited and that many music classes are not open to non-majors.
We are in the process of speaking to reps at the schools he is considering, but also appreciate the insights of people on CC, particularly anyone who has direct experience with studying both engineering and music in colleges.
Thanks.</p>
<p>Did your son decide on the school that he’ll attend this fall? My son will start in 2011 and he too is very keen on a dual degree in music (jazz percussion) and elec engg. We are a bit confused about the list of schools that will offer this or the double major or the music minor option. In your research, could you please share which schools would be good choices for this combination? best of luck to your son.</p>
<p>If you are properly motivated, such a double major should not be too difficult. It even sounds fun. It sounds like your son had good reasons for doing it, so why not? You can finish on time without AP.</p>