Berklee College of Music To Offer Degrees Online

Berklee College of Music will soon offer accredited bachelor degrees online.

The college’s online division, Berklee Online, will offer 120-credit bachelor of professional studies degrees in music business and music production. The music business degree offers courses on licensing, management, marketing, and touring, with a focus on mobile music, streaming, funding, and developing revenue sources. The music production degree provides a background in Berklee’s approach to music production, with courses on software programs, recording, engineering, mixing, and more. All courses are taught by Berklee faculty members or industry experts. New courses will also focus on composing and producing electronic music, direct-to-fan marketing, and music video editing.

Berklee Online begins accepting applications Oct. 7, 2013, and will issue early acceptance notices to students beginning Dec. 13, 2013. The inaugural class begins in the fall of 2014.

A $16,500 per year tuition will make the online degree 60 percent less expensive than the physical college. The online degree program will accept a maximum of 300 students to its inaugural class. Online degrees will be accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

“Berklee has learned a lesson from our front row seat observing the music industry, namely, lead the change or be a victim of it. With an online degree, we can expand access to the powerful tools of contemporary music making to many more students. And coupled with MOOCs, which are free, and online education that is less expensive, we have created a multi-faceted global search for talent,” said Berklee President Roger Brown.