Berklee Online Announces Three New Degree Programs

Berklee Online, the premier innovator and largest provider of online music education, will unveil three new degree programs over the next year: a Master of Arts in interdisciplinary music studies, a Bachelor of Arts in voice performance, and a Bachelor of Arts in piano performance. All three programs will be taught entirely online by the same renowned instructors who teach at Berklee College of Music, as well as music industry professionals.

Applications for the M.A. in interdisciplinary music studies and B.A. in voice performance are open now. The first semester for both programs will start in January 2023, and applications will be accepted from now until October 31. Applications for the B.A. in piano performance will open September 20, with the first semester starting in April 2023.

The M.A. in interdisciplinary music studies offers students the opportunity to design their own educational path in alignment with their musical interests and career goals. Students choose from four areas of study that are each necessary for a well-rounded career in the music industry: music business, music production, songwriting, and film scoring. 

“Today’s industry requires you to embrace the hyphen by doing more than one thing and doing it well in order to have a successful, purposeful, and sustainable career,” says Sean Hagon, director of the M.A. in interdisciplinary music studies program. 

The new M.A. builds off the success of the B.A. in interdisciplinary music studies, which is Berklee Online's most popular undergraduate program. Like all of Berklee Online’s graduate programs, the curriculum consists of 12 courses (36 credits) that can be completed within one year. 

Coming to Berklee Online in January 2023, the B.A. in voice performance will not only teach students how to sing and perform masterfully, but it will also focus on music business and music technology, with students learning to record, edit, mix, and master vocal tracks. Students will also receive private one-on-one instruction in a weekly voice lesson with a Berklee Online instructor. 

“This program is ideal for vocalists, teachers, and performers interested in pursuing expanded career opportunities,” says the program's director Anne Peckham, chair of Berklee's Voice Department.

Through courses such as Music Career Essentials for the Professional Singer, Popular Singing Styles: Developing Your Sound, and Vocal Production for Singers, students can expect to emerge from the program as independent vocalists who can explore several different avenues in the industry and take advantage of multiple streams of income. 

“Students from around the world will be able to participate in a Berklee learning environment that will challenge and broaden their musical and performance skills,” says Peckham. 

The B.A. in piano performance program starts in April 2023, offering students the comprehensive skills and techniques that are required of today’s professional pianist or keyboardist. Students will bolster their performance abilities while developing their unique style as artists. Songwriting, music production, music business, music theory, and the study of other instruments are also key factors in the curriculum. Each student will receive weekly private online piano lessons from a Berklee Online instructor. 

“Our world-class authors are leveraging their vast performing and educational experience into a curriculum dedicated to contemporary and classical piano performance,” says the program's director Dave Limina, chair of Berklee's Piano Department. 

The classes are diverse from a stylistic and cultural perspective, ranging from deep fundamental studies in piano technique, scales, and chords to specialized studies in jazz, classical, gospel, and Latin piano, as well as live performance and technology. 

“Each author was chosen for their deep specialization, experience, and dedication to passing their knowledge forward to the benefit of Berklee Online students,” says Limina. “We are working hard to deliver a powerful and practical educational experience.”

All three of the new programs build upon Berklee Online’s cost-effective, high-quality course offerings, and give students the chance to earn their degree for an affordable cost. Learn more about Berklee Online's degree programs.