My D2 has been leaning heavily toward Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering as her major for over a year. This weekend she came home from her second year at a national music symposium and admitted she was really attracted to a music major but didn’t feel as if she had the talent to go for performance, nor the temperament to teach. She’s also still attracted to the engineering field.
We suggested audio engineering and she’s already rejected the idea. She a percussionist and loves messing with instruments.
Can someone suggest a career opportunity that would combine her passions?
Why does she need a career that combines her passions? She can study engineering, but continue with music in college, and continue messing with instruments. And she can continue with music her entire life - while earning her living doing something else. Even engineering students can take music courses in college and participate in ensembles. But if she did decide that she wanted a performance degree, and was good enough for one at a school with a good engineering department - than it is possible, if tricky, to pursue a double degree with engineering. There is a poster on the Music Major Forum whose daughter is doing just that.
I would not worry about combining the two professionally. Your daughter will find her path in time…and that is likely to take many unexpected turns over the course of her life.
A Music and Engineering dual degree will take 5-6 years to complete in most cases. Many excellent universities offer such dual majors, but it will be costly. I think it is important to figure out the financials before exploring the options. If cost of attendance is not a concerned because the family has saved sufficiently, and assuming your daughter is strong academically and musically, there are several excellent options to consider, including Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Northwestern and Rice.
Check out Case Western Reserve University if you are interested in Engineering and Music…CWRU has a join program iwth the Cleveland Institute of Music and you can do a dual degree
http://music.case.edu/ugrad-academic-programs/double-major-dual-degree-program-information/
@Alexandre Most often if a student is talented enough to be accepted for a dual degree in Music and Engineering at a major program, such as all the ones you named (except for Rice which does not allow double degrees, and Northwestern which only grants very small merit grants) -there will be significant merit money for the student, making a five year degree entirely possible financially.
@SpiritManager She doesn’t have to go to school in both; it was an option she decided she wanted to explore. I think she’ll probably end up with a minor in music, but it’s her life and her decision. We’ve discussed finances thoroughly so she can factor that into her options.
@bopper Thanks for the link! CWR was on her list of colleges to explore further, although it’s not one of her best financial options. I’ll let her know about that program. It sounds awesome!
Referring back to my original query, I’m not so worried about the feasibility of a dual major as I am wondering what she could do professionally that would combine the two fields. So far, I’ve come up woefully short. 
How does she feel about marching band? I’ve met some engineering kids over the years and being in a marching band was one of their criteria for “college shopping”.
@MerryLee She LIVES for marching band, and having it available is a heavily-weighted factor in any college. She’d also consider ensembles that are open to non-majors, though, if she ends up doing music as a minor.
You say she’s not interested in audio engineering - but has she looked at programs like this one at The University of Michigan: http://music.umich.edu/departments/pat/bs_curr_d.htm Bachelor of Science in Sound Engineering (Curriculum D)
The Bachelor of Science in Sound Engineering (Curriculum D) is designed for those students who demonstrate abilities in both music and engineering and are interested in music technology, sound recording & production, electrical engineering, and audio equipment design. The engineering courses required for the degree also fulfill a Minor in Electrical Engineering through the College of Engineering.
Hmm… audio equipment design would probably really interest her! We’ll check into it. Thanks, @SpiritManager .
& They have a Marching Band.
If she is interested in marching band - anywhere- , she needs to check their website for audition dates. Schools with marching band auditions dates can range from Spring of 12th grade (so you can sign up for band camp) to sign up for band camp (then we decide after band camp if you are selected) to contact-us-when-school -starts (more informal, no preseason band camp).
Advantage of preseason band camp is moving into dorm before other freshman.
Purdue has a great music program, marching band, and they don’t have a music school, so all participants are non music majors.
Not sure what state, but might want to check out UofSc which just added new aerospace center and pretty sure offer instate tuition rate scholarship to students in marching band. Post on UofSC forum - there are a couple of band parents there.
McNair aerospace stuff here: http://www.sc.edu/about/centers_institutes/mcnair/index.php
@scmom12 Thanks! South Carolina was on her list because of some of the OOS scholarships, but I didn’t know about the marching band connection.
Multiple advantages of being Marching Band:
- Meeting a group you already have something in common.
- Meeting people with the same and different major.
- Sometimes a mini-family who will look after you whether you want it or not.
- Early move-in for band camp.
- If the football team does well, sometimes they pay the band to attend play-offs. Free travel! (kinda…)
- Some schools offer $ or reduced tuition for marching band members.
Woo Hoo Go Band!
Marching band nerds are the best!
@clarinetdad has updated me on Rice’s policies. It is now possible for some students to pursue a double degree there. However, admission to Shepherd is very difficult, and not right for a student uncertain of wanting to pursue a performance degree.
Question for you marching band parents - do people continue playing in marching bands after college?
Sorry, wrong Clarinet Dad - I meant @clarinetdad16!
Yes Shepherd undergraduate admission is extremely limited and competitive
Johns Hopkins also offers a double degree program with the Peabody Conservatory. It’s pretty difficult but I’ve known engineers who’ve done it.
If she doesn’t want to go that route she can play instruments as a hobby, join marching band, join some other kind of musical group or band, or (if she’s interested in electrical or computer engineering) try to find work designing and programming audio equipment, sound boards, etc. There’s less meusical work in MechE, but she could try working for an instrument manufacturer like Gibson, Yamaha, Jupiter, etc.