During your first three years, you will take studio instruction each semester at NEC, but you will focus on your academic coursework at Harvard. In your fourth year of study, you will complete your degree requirements at Harvard and begin to fulfill NEC’s Master of Music (M.M.) degree requirements, which you will finish in your fifth year of study.

The program is open to high school students who apply to both institutions through the normal admissions process. You must apply to both Harvard and NEC, indicating on both applications your interest in the Harvard-NEC dual degree option. If you are admitted to both institutions, you will then receive an additional decision for admission to the dual degree program.

Performance applicants will be expected to audition at NEC during the regular auditions period in February/March.

Composition applicants will be expected to interview at NEC during February/March if invited after review of scores and recordings.

Find out more at the Department of Music at Harvard (617-495-2791) or the Office of Admissions at New England Conservatory (617-585-1101).

For more information, you may also contact:

Harvard University  
Peter Charig, Undergraduate Program Coordinator  
Pcharig@fas.harvard.edu 

New England Conservatory of Music  
Richard Giarusso, Dean of Academic Affairs  
Richard.giarusso@necmusic.edu 

You will begin at Berklee by taking private instruction on your instrument, participating in an ensemble, and taking introductory courses that prepare you for more advanced offerings within Berklee’s curriculum. From there, you will be allowed to pursue your own interests at Berklee in consultation with Berklee’s advisors. Particular attention will be given to preparing you for a master’s program if that is your goal.

The Joint Studies program is open to high school students who apply to both institutions through the normal admissions process. You must apply to both Harvard and Berklee, indicating on both applications your interest in the Harvard-Berklee Joint Studies option. If you are admitted to both institutions, you will then receive an additional decision for the Joint Studies program.

Find out more at the Department of Music at Harvard University (617-495-2791) or contact the Office of Admissions at Berklee College of Music at 800-237-5533 or admissions@berklee.com.

For more information, you may also contact:

Harvard University  
Peter Charig, Undergraduate Program Coordinator  
Pcharig@fas.harvard.edu 

Berklee College of Music 
Jeff Williams, Assistant Director for Program Evaluation and Equity  
jwilliams32@berklee.edu

Berklee offers master’s degrees in scoring for film, television, and video games; music production, technology, and innovation; global entertainment and music business; and contemporary performance. View Berklee's graduate degree programs here.

While interested students should discuss master’s programs with their Berklee advisors as early as possible, they must declare their selected master’s program with Berklee at the beginning of their third year. Students are then granted special advising on their application materials from the respective Berklee program directors. Students may apply starting July 31 prior to their fourth year. For those programs that allow early action, the deadline is November 1, and for regular admission the deadline is January 15. All application fees are waived. Students may defer their graduate studies up to a year after graduating from Harvard. Any other requests will be handled on a case by case basis.