Tokyo School of Music and Dance (TSM/TSM Shibuya)—Japan
Tokyo School of Music and Dance is a prestigious institution that offers a variety of programs for students who want to pursue a career in the arts. Whether you are interested in classical music, jazz, pop, rock, or dance, you will find a suitable major that matches your passion and talent. The school has a faculty of renowned artists and educators who will guide you through a rigorous and rewarding curriculum that combines theory and practice. You will also have the opportunity to perform in various venues and events, as well as collaborate with other students and professionals from different fields.
Benefits for Students
This program enables students to begin their music education at Tokyo School of Music and Dance (TSM) and Tokyo School of Music Shibuya (TSM Shibuya) in Tokyo, Japan, and complete an undergraduate degree at Berklee in Boston. Once accepted to Berklee, students may receive transfer credit for certain courses taken at TSM/TSM Shibuya.
Visit the TSM/TSM Shibuya website to learn more about the credit transfer pathway to Berklee.
Contact Information
Tokyo School of Music - Shibuya
Sachie Saito, Director
2-19-21 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 151-0002
JAPAN
+81 3 5468 8982
sachie@shibuya.ac.jp
Tokyo School of Music - Edogawa-Ku
3-14-8, Nishi-Kasi, Edogawa-Ku
Tokyo 134-0088
JAPAN
+81 3 5667 1125
tsminfo@tsm.ac.jp
About the Program
Students Who Entered TSM/TSM Shibuya on or after September 1, 2022
Entrance Requirements
Students transferring from TSM/TSM Shibuya to Berklee must earn a grade of “B” (3.00/4.00 GPA) or better in each course specified in the Berklee Global Partner (BGP) credit transfer agreement (see "Courses and Credits" below) to receive credit. If a student receives a grade of “B-“ or lower in any of the required core music courses, no credit will be awarded to the student for any of the core music courses listed in the credit transfer agreement.
In this case, the student will enter Berklee as a transfer student. In the first semester of study, they will be required to take the Entering Student Placement Assessment (ESPA) for course placement in core music courses. They may transfer in any applicable liberal arts and sciences courses admissible under the transfer credit policy in place at the time of the student's matriculation to Berklee.
Admissions: TSM/TSM Shibuya students who wish to transfer to Berklee are required to go through Berklee's official undergraduate admissions process. Students accepted to Berklee will receive transfer credit for courses taken at TSM/TSM Shibuya in accordance with an agreement between the two schools. Transferring students must send Berklee an official transcript showing all courses specified as completed with a satisfactory grade of "B" or better before credit transfer at Berklee can take place.
SJA students planning to transfer to Berklee under this agreement must do so within four years after completing their program of study at SJA.
Liberal Arts and General Electives
Students seeking to transfer credit to Berklee must first take the steps outlined in the preapproval process to determine whether the desired course(s) qualify for transfer.
- Students may transfer up to 24 credits of liberal arts courses toward their liberal arts requirements at Berklee.
- Only 15 of those 24 credits can be completed and transferred in after a student has started their studies at Berklee.
- Those 15 credits can be applied to a student’s academic requirements as follows: nine credits can be applied to liberal arts requirements, and six credits can be applied to general elective requirements.
- Students in the Bachelor of Music or Arts degree programs must earn a minimum of 39 credits in liberal arts and may use six additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit.
- Students in the Professional Diploma program must earn a minimum of 6 credits in liberal arts and may use up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credits.
Performance Courses
- Ensembles:
- TSM/TSM Shibuya transfer students will receive up to 6 transfer credits in ensembles after completing one or two credits per course taken at TSM/TSM Shibuya based on credit equivalency with an average grade of “B” or better.
- All students are required to enroll in an ensemble in their first semester at Berklee.
- Principal Instrument:
- Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at a BGP school are nontransferable.
- Berklee’s policy states that all students, including transfer students, must participate in and pass a minimum of four semesters of principal instrument instruction at Berklee, regardless of their level of proficiency.
- All transfer students are required to take a Berklee instrumental/vocal proficiency placement examination upon arrival at Berklee to ensure appropriate placement in principal instrument courses.
Requirements to Graduate
- Residency: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete a minimum of four semesters of full-time attendance and earn a minimum of 60 credits (48 credits for diploma students) at Berklee College of Music in order to graduate. Credit by exam (CBX), advanced placement credit, CLEP credit, and transfer credit do not count as residency requirement credits, even if earned while at Berklee College of Music. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
- Attain at least a 2.70 cumulative GPA in all major courses and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
- Complete the principal instrument proficiency level, as specified by the major.
- Complete a required final project in the chosen area of concentration, as described and approved by the department chair (as applicable).
- For music education majors, complete all observation and student teaching requirements.
- For music therapy majors, complete all coursework and a six-month, full-time, post-coursework internship.
- Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.
Learn more about the requirements to graduate.
We encourage you to review the Berklee Global Academic Partner Berklee Track Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information about the credit transfer process.
Courses and Credits
Required Transfer Credits: 29
| TSM/TSM Shibuya Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
| Contemporary Music Theory 1 | PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits) |
| Contemporary Music Theory 2 | HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits) |
| Arranging 1 | AR-111 Arranging 1 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 1 | ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 2 | ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits) |
| DTM | MTEC-111 Introduction to Music Technology (2 credits) |
| Contemporary Music Theory 3 | HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits) |
| Contemporary Music Theory 4 | HR-212 Harmony 4 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 3 | ET-211 Ear Training 3 (2 credits) or ET-231 Solfege 1 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement |
| Ear Training 4 | ET-212 Ear Training 4 (2 credits) or ET-232 Solfege 2 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement |
| Traditional Harmony and Composition 1 | CM-211 Tonal Harmony and Composition 1 (2 credits) |
| Traditional Harmony and Composition 2 | CM-212 Tonal Harmony and Composition 2 (2 credits) |
| Essentials of Counterpoint | CP-210 The Art of Counterpoint (3 credits) |
Additional Potential Transfer Credits: 14
Note: Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask about the courses below.
| TSM/TSM SHIBUYA COURSES | BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC COURSE EQUIVALENTS |
|---|---|
| English as a Second Language 1, 2, and 3 | LHUM-2xx Liberal Arts Elective (3 credits) |
| History of Pop/Rock Music | MHIS-322 History of Rock Music (2 credits) |
| History of Western Music | MHIS-20x History of Music in the European Tradition (2 credits) |
| Keyboard 1 | ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques 1 (1 credit) |
| Keyboard 2 | ISKB-212 Basic Keyboard Techniques 2 (1 credit) |
| Percussion | PSW-235 World Percussion for Non-Percussionists (2 credits) |
| Jazz Movement | PMH-250 Movement for Musicians (2 credits) |
| Hip-Hop Dance | DANH-111 Beginning Hip-Hop Dance (1 credit) |
Potential Transfer Credit Summary
Required Transfer Credits: 29
Additional Potential Credits: 14
Potential Ensemble Credits: 6
Potential Transfer Credit Total: 49
Students Who Entered TSM/TSM Shibuya Prior to September 1, 2022
Entrance Requirements
TSM/TSM Shibuya students who wish to transfer to Berklee are required to go through Berklee's official undergraduate admissions process. Students accepted to Berklee will receive transfer credit for courses taken at TSM/TSM Shibuya in accordance with an agreement between the two schools.
Students transferring to Berklee must earn a grade of C or higher (2.00–4.00) in each level 1 (core music) course, and a grade of C or higher (2.00–4.00) in each level 2 (other liberal arts and general electives) course designated for transfer in this agreement (see "Required Courses" below) in order to receive transfer credit from Berklee.
To earn credit for any course in level 1 for which students receive a grade below B, students will be required upon entering Berklee to (1) take the entering student proficiency assessment (ESPA) for harmony and ear training courses; (2) earn credit by exam (CBX) for music technology, tonal harmony, and counterpoint courses; or (3) enroll in the course at Berklee. For any course in level 2 for which students receive a grade below C, credit will not be granted.
Residency Requirements
Students attending Berklee’s on-campus programs under this agreement must fulfill Berklee’s residency requirement: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete at least four semesters of attendance and a minimum of 60 credits for the Bachelor of Music degree (or 48 credits) for the professional diploma) in order to graduate from the college. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
See more information about core music courses at Berklee.
Liberal Arts and General Electives
Students seeking to transfer credit to Berklee must first take the steps outlined in the preapproval process to determine whether the desired course(s) qualify for transfer.
- Students may transfer up to 24 credits of liberal arts courses toward their liberal arts requirements at Berklee.
- Only 15 of those 24 credits can be completed and transferred in after a student has started their studies at Berklee.
- Those 15 credits can be applied to a student’s academic requirements as follows: nine credits can be applied to liberal arts requirements, and six credits can be applied to general elective requirements.
- Students in the Bachelor of Music or Arts degree programs must earn a minimum of 39 credits in liberal arts and may use six additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit.
- Students in the Professional Diploma program must earn a minimum of 6 credits in liberal arts and may use up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credits.
Performance Courses
Ensembles: TSM/TSM Shibuya transfer students may receive up to six transfer credits for ensembles.
Principal Instrument: Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at TSM/TSM Shibuya are nontransferable. Berklee’s policy states that all students, including transfer students, must participate in and pass a minimum of four semesters of principal instrument instruction at Berklee, regardless of their level of proficiency. All transfer students are required to take a Berklee instrumental/vocal proficiency placement examination upon arrival at Berklee to ensure appropriate placement in principal instrument courses.
We encourage you to review the Berklee Global Academic Partner Berklee Track Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information about the credit transfer process.
Requirements to Graduate
- Residency: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete a minimum of four semesters of full-time attendance and earn a minimum of 60 credits (48 credits for diploma students) at Berklee College of Music in order to graduate. Credit by exam (CBX), advanced placement credit, CLEP credit, and transfer credit do not count as residency requirement credits, even if earned while at Berklee College of Music. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
- Attain at least a 2.70 cumulative GPA in all major courses and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
- Complete the principal instrument proficiency level, as specified by the major.
- Complete a required final project in the chosen area of concentration, as described and approved by the department chair (as applicable).
- For music education majors, complete all observation and student teaching requirements.
- For music therapy majors, complete all coursework and a six-month, full-time, post-coursework internship.
- Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.
Learn more about the requirements to graduate.
Courses and Credits
Level 1: Required Core Music Courses (29 Potential Transfer Credits)
Students must complete all of the Level 1 Required Core Music Courses listed in Block 1 below to be eligible for transfer credits. Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask for details.
| block 1 (14 credits) | |
|---|---|
| TSM/TSM Shibuya Courses | berklee college of music course equivalents |
| Contemporary Music Theory 1 | PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits) |
| Contemporary Music Theory 2 | HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits) |
| Arranging 1 | AR-111 Arranging 1 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 1 | ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 2 | ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits) |
| DTM | MTEC-111 Introduction to Music Technology (2 credits) |
| BLOCK 2 (15 Potential additional credits) | |
|---|---|
| TSM/TSM SHIBUYA COURSES | BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC COURSE EQUIVALENTS |
| Contemporary Music Theory 3 | HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits) |
| Contemporary Music Theory 4 | HR-212 Harmony 4 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 3 | ET-211 Ear Training 3 (2 credits) or ET-231 Solfege 1 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement |
| Ear Training 4 | ET-212 Ear Training 4 (2 credits) or ET-232 Solfege 2 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement |
| Traditional Harmony and Composition 1 | CM-211 Tonal Harmony and Composition 1 (2 credits) |
Traditional Harmony and Composition 2 | CM-212 Tonal Harmony and Composition 2 (2 credits) |
| Essentials of Counterpoint | CP-210 The Art of Counterpoint (3 credits) |
Level 2: Other Liberal Arts and General Elective Courses (14 Potential Transfer Credits)
Note: Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask about the courses below.
| TSM/TSM SHIBUYA COURSEs | BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC COURSE EQUIVALENTS |
|---|---|
| English as a Second Language 1, 2, and 3 | LHUM-2xx Liberal Arts Elective (3 credits) |
| History of Pop/Rock Music | MHIS-322 History of Rock Music (2 credits) |
| History of Western Music | MHIS-201 History of Music in the European Tradition (2 credits) |
| Keyboard 1 | ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques 1 (1 credit) |
| Keyboard 2 | ISKB-212 Basic Keyboard Techniques 2 (1 credit) |
| Percussion | PSW-235 World Percussion for Non-Percussionists (2 credits) |
| Jazz Movement | PMH-250 Movement for Musicians (2 credits) |
| Hip-Hop Dance | DANH-111 Beginning Hip-Hop Dance (1 credit) |
Potential Transfer Credit Summary
Level 1 courses: 29 credits
Level 2 courses: 14 credits
Ensemble courses: 6 credits
Total: 49 credits