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Liberal Arts Department
The Liberal Arts Program at Berklee
Berklee's Liberal Arts program emphasizes the interdisciplinary learning that artists and musicians need to succeed in today's world, especially writing and communication, and entrepreneurial, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. Liberal arts courses provide a cultural context for the music being studied; relate music to other arts, politics, literature, and science; encourage in students an appreciation for diversity; and prepare students to make the complex ethical choices they will face throughout their lives. Berklee's Liberal Arts Department is designed to empower students with broad knowledge and transferable skills, and a strong sense of values, ethics, and civic engagement. The partnership of liberal arts and music in the Berklee curriculum means that graduates are accomplished musicians who also excel as team members, communicators, and problem-solvers.
What Are the Liberal Arts?
Liberal arts include the study of:
Humanities — literature, creative writing, poetry, philosophy, languages, communication, art history, history, music history, visual arts, drama, and more
Natural Sciences/Mathematics — biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, acoustics, mathematics, and more
Social Sciences — psychology, economics, sociology, history, anthropology, political science, women's studies, Africana studies, Latino studies, and more
"I think that the most important aspect of a Berklee student's education is that liberal arts doesn't stand apart from the music curriculum. We infuse the liberal arts with music and music with liberal arts. So, for example, students learn in a history class about where a certain music originated, but they also learn about the social and historical contexts of that place, what was going on, who were the people that lived there, and what influenced the music. Another example might be in a music criticism class, where music is played but students are taught to analyze it through a certain social or political lens. So in class, students are not only using their skills as musicians, but they're also using their skills as writers and critical thinkers as well. We try to combine very different disciplines in a very natural way."
"Everyone can learn, but we all learn differently. So in class I try to incorporate many different ways of learning. I teach English primarily, so we use a lot of text, whether it be novels, short stories, or essays, but I also use media. Film is an effective tool, because it allows students to see the person speaking and hear the intent of the message. Also I have students do a lot of collaborative work in small groups, because hearing other people's ideas and perspectives can better inform their own ideas or they can gain a perspective different from their own. In addition, I also ask students to engage in a great deal of personal reflection. For the final project last semester I asked students to give a presentation on what it means to be a musician. I provided some guiding questions-their musical background, who are their influences, why they wanted to come to Berklee, what they have learned over the course of the semester. I had many transfer students and international students in the class, so it was interesting for us all to hear their perspectives on Berklee and how they connected with people. The project also provided cultural context for other students in the class, and for me, regarding music and its role in societies other than our own.
"My goal is to make the class interesting and use contexts that are related to music and the arts. But it's not just about music-there's philosophy, painting, sculpture, and mathematics. I try to help students connect the dots along the way and help them make those connections between all of the disciplines. My hope is that we're planting seeds. By helping students consciously make those connections in class, hopefully that will carry over so as they're out in the world, they will make connections between different parts of their lives. Everything is interrelated and interconnected . . . everything from family life to music to school to career.
"I think that the most important aspect of a Berklee student's education is that liberal arts doesn't stand apart from the music curriculum. We infuse the liberal arts with music and music with liberal arts. So, for example, students learn in a history class about where a certain music originated, but they also learn about the social and historical contexts of that place, what was going on, who were the people that lived there, and what influenced the music. Another example might be in a music criticism class, where music is played but students are taught to analyze it through a certain social or political lens. So in class, students are not only using their skills as musicians, but they're also using their skills as writers and critical thinkers as well. We try to combine very different disciplines in a very natural way."
To strengthen student educational opportunities, and to enable students to explore interests, develop skills, and gain knowledge that complements their music studies and their majors, Berklee offers minors in specified liberal arts fields. Study for a minor introduces students to the field and provides opportunities for pursuing progressively more meaningful and complex work in the discipline.
Each liberal arts minor consists of four courses (10-12 credits, depending on the discipline). As part of each minor, students complete foundational (required) courses and select from a list of specified options. Courses taken to complete a minor may be used to fulfill other degree requirements as appropriate.
As with all minors at Berklee, students will receive formal recognition for study in the minor. The completion of a minor will be designated on the student's official transcript at the time of degree verification.
Learning Outcomes for Liberal Arts Minors
Upon completion of study in the minor field, students will:
Synthesize and integrate knowledge from the discipline
Evaluate major themes and trends in the discipline
Analyze major issues in the discipline
Understand key terminology in the discipline
Compose written and oral communications appropriate to the discipline
Apply critical thinking and practical reasoning as appropriate to the discipline
Disciplines of Study
Students may choose from the following liberal arts minors:
The Liberal Arts Department has full use of the Professional Education Division Technology Lab, a 22 workstation classroom and laboratory equipped with wordprocessing, database, and spreadsheet software to address the needs of all Liberal Arts students.
FUSION: A Magazine of Literature, Music, Art, and Ideas, is the literary and multimedia voice of Berklee, featuring fiction, poetry, drama, film, essays, and more by students, faculty, and visiting artists. More
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