The Five-Year Dual Degree Program in Music

Overview

The Harvard/NEC program is a joint five-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts (AB) at Harvard College and a Master of Music (MM) at New England Conservatory. During the first three years of the program, students pursue the AB curriculum in the concentration of their choice at Harvard and take studio instruction each semester at NEC. Ensemble participation at either institution is encouraged for these three years. In the fourth year of study, students will complete all requirements for the AB degree at Harvard (and graduate) while beginning to fulfill NEC's MM degree requirements. Students will receive the MM degree from New England Conservatory after successful completion of the fifth year of study.

The program is open to high school students who apply to both institutions separately through each institution's normal admissions process.

Performance applicants to the joint program will be expected to audition at NEC during the Conservatory's regular auditions period (Feb/Mar), and composition applicants to the joint program will be required to submit scores and recordings to NEC, but will not have to audition. In addition, Harvard undergraduates who are between the freshman and junior years may be considered for admission to the program.

For Harvard College admissions, no auditions are required. Applicants may, if they choose, include a performance CD or scores as supplementary material for their Harvard College application. This is not a requirement.

In addition, Harvard undergraduates, who are between the freshman and junior years, may be considered for admission to the program.

Further information:

Harvard College
Harvard College Admissions Office
617-495-1551
Harvard/NEC application information


New England Conservatory
Office of Admission at New England Conservatory
617-585-1100 or admission@necmusic.edu

Outline of Program of Study

Year 1:

Regular Freshman curriculum at Harvard College

Studio instruction (one hour per week) at NEC

Ensemble participation, by advisement, appropriate to the area of music specialization at either institution is encouraged 

Years 2 and 3:

In the sophomore year students will choose a field of concentration in accordance with Harvard's academic requirements. Those students enrolled in the joint program will have three concentration options: (1) full concentration in music, (2) a joint concentration that combines study in music and another discipline, or (3) some other academic concentration. All students in the joint program will be advised by the Head Tutor of the Harvard Music Department as they progress through their undergraduate studies, particularly with regard to ensemble participation and studies in music theory and music history. Students should expect to take, at a minimum, Music 51, Music 150, and Music 97 as part of their AB program of study. These courses are part of joint and full concentration requirements in music but will be taken by students in other fields as electives.

Students may pursue any area of concentration at Harvard, including music

Courses as required at Harvard

Studio instruction at NEC

Ensemble participation, by advisement, appropriate to the area of music specialization at either institution is encouraged.

Immediately prior to the end of the third academic year at Harvard, students' preparedness to continue into the Masters degree part of the joint program will be reviewed and confirmed by a faculty jury at NEC. The result will be communicated to the student prior to the end of Harvard's academic year.

Year 4:

Concluding year of AB degree combined with first year of MM study

Concluding curricular requirements for AB degree at Harvard

Studio instruction at NEC

Ensemble participation, by advisement, appropriate to the area of music specialization at either institution is required.

First year Master of Music promotional evaluation for performance majors (or portfolio reviews for composition majors) at NEC. The promotional evaluation at the end of the first year of MM study consists of an instrumental (or vocal) jury, and, for composition majors, a portfolio review.

NEC MM requirement (all majors): one musicology course -- can be fulfilled at either institution

NEC MM requirement (all majors): one theory course -- can be fulfilled at either institution

NEC MM requirement (all majors): two music elective courses -- can be fulfilled at either institution

Additional requirements for Collaborative Piano, Vocal Pedagogy, and Wind Ensemble Conducting majors that must be fulfilled at NEC

Students must earn a minimum of 8 NEC credits per semester in year one of the MM program: Studio (4 credits per semester), Ensemble (both semesters, no credit) and two courses per semester (2 credits for each course).

Graduate Study

Year 5:

Studio instruction at NEC

Ensemble participation as required for MM to be fulfilled at NEC

Graduation recital (or portfolio review for composition and theory majors)

Graduate level music elective coursework--can be fulfilled at NEC or Harvard

Remaining graduate level course/performance requirements specific to each major as listed in the NEC course catalog

Students must earn in the last year the balance remaining of a total of 36 credits required to earn the MM degree.

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FAQ

(check back often for updates and new information)

• How many students are accepted to this program?
  5-7 students are accepted each year to this program.
• Do I need to check a special box on the Harvard application?
  No. Apply to Harvard as if you were an applicant to the regular four-year college program. There is a box to check, however, on the NEC application.
• If I do get accepted to both institutions can I assume I will be entered in the Joint Program?
  No. A selection committee will review the applications of those students admitted to both Harvard and NEC who have indicated interest in the joint program. This committee will make final decisions; students accepted to the Joint Program will be notified by May 1 at the latest.
• Do I have to be a music concentrator at Harvard?
  No, you may concentrate in any field at Harvard.
• How does tuition work?
  The student must pay Harvard tuition for the first 4 years and an additional fee to NEC for the cost of lessons. The fifth year they pay NEC tuition only. The student should apply for financial aid at both schools.
• May I apply to the NEC/Harvard joint program as a transfer student from another institution?
  No. Unfortunately the admissions schedule doesn't allow for students to transfer directly into the Harvard/NEC program from an outside institution. However, once enrolled at Harvard, a transfer student may apply to the joint program during their sophomore or junior years.
• Do my Advanced Standing credits apply to this program? Could Advanced Standing credits take time off the years needed to complete the joint program?
  In theory it would be possible to enter with Advanced Standing and complete the whole joint program in four years. This would be near impossible to do, however, unless you were a music concentrator at Harvard, so that many of your requirements overlap.
• I am a Harvard freshman/sophomore. May I still apply to the joint program?
  The NEC joint program would not change your status as a regular, full-time Harvard student, and to apply to the joint program you don't need to do anything at all on Harvard's side. You will have to complete the undergraduate application and audition for NEC, and let them know that you are a current Harvard freshmen interested in transferring into the joint program.