Rimon School of Music—Israel
This program enables students to begin their music education at Rimon School of Music (Rimon) in Ramat Hasharon, Israel, and complete an undergraduate degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Once accepted to Berklee, students may receive transfer credit for certain courses taken at Rimon. In addition, Rimon students can transfer credits for approved liberal arts courses (listed in the Required Courses section below) taken at the Open University in Israel.
Visit the Rimon website to learn more about the credit transfer pathway to Berklee.
About the Program
Students Who Entered Rimon on or after September 1, 2022
Entrance Requirements
Students transferring from Rimon to Berklee must earn a grade of “B” (3.00/4.00 GPA) or better in each course specified in the Berklee Global Partner (BGP) credit transfer agreement (see "Courses and Credits" below) to receive credit. If a student receives a grade of “B-“ or lower in any of the required core music courses, no credit will be awarded to the student for any of the core music courses listed in the credit transfer agreement.
In this case, the student will enter Berklee as a transfer student. In the first semester of study, they will be required to take the Entering Student Placement Assessment (ESPA) for course placement in core music courses. They may transfer in any applicable liberal arts and sciences courses admissible under the transfer credit policy in place at the time of the student's matriculation to Berklee.
Admissions: Rimon students who wish to transfer to Berklee are required to go through Berklee's official undergraduate admissions process. Students accepted to Berklee will receive transfer credit for courses taken at Rimon in accordance with an agreement between the two schools. Transferring students must send Berklee an official transcript showing all courses specified as completed with a satisfactory grade of "B" or better before credit transfer at Berklee can take place.
Rimon students planning to transfer to Berklee under this agreement must do so within four years after completing their program of study at Rimon.
Liberal Arts and General Electives
Students seeking to transfer credit to Berklee must first take the steps outlined in the Pre-Approval Process to determine whether the desired course(s) qualify for transfer.
- Students may transfer up to 24 credits of liberal arts courses toward their liberal arts requirements at Berklee.
- Only 15 of those 24 credits can be completed and transferred in after a student has started their studies at Berklee.
- Those 15 credits can be applied to a student’s academic requirements as follows: 9 credits can be applied to liberal arts requirements, and 6 credits can be applied to general elective requirements.
- Students in the Bachelor of Music or Arts degree programs must earn a minimum of 39 credits in liberal arts and may use 6 additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit.
- Students in the Professional Diploma program must earn a minimum of 6 credits in liberal arts and may use up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credits.
Students seeking to transfer credit into Berklee should follow the Pre-Approval Process in advance of the transfer to determine whether the desired courses qualify for transfer.
See detailed information about transfers of liberal arts courses and general elective courses. For questions about transfer credits, please email transfercredits@berklee.edu.
Performance Courses
- Ensembles:
- Rimon transfer students will receive up to 6 transfer credits in ensembles after completing one or two credits per course taken at Rimon based on credit equivalency with an average grade of “B” or better.
- All students are required to enroll in an ensemble in their first semester at Berklee.
- Principal Instrument:
- Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at a BGP school are nontransferable.
- Berklee’s policy states that all students, including transfer students, must participate in and pass a minimum of four semesters of principal instrument instruction at Berklee, regardless of their level of proficiency.
- All transfer students are required to take a Berklee instrumental/vocal proficiency placement examination upon arrival at Berklee to ensure appropriate placement in principal instrument courses.
Requirements to Graduate
Berklee College of Music students must meet the following requirements to qualify for graduation:
- Residency: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete a minimum of four semesters of full-time attendance and earn a minimum of 60 credits (48 credits for diploma students) at Berklee College of Music in order to graduate. Credit by exam (CBX), advanced placement credit, CLEP credit, and transfer credit do not count as residency requirement credits, even if earned while at Berklee College of Music. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
- Attain at least a 2.70 cumulative GPA in all major courses and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
- Complete the principal instrument proficiency level, as specified by the major.
- Complete a required final project in the chosen area of concentration, as described and approved by the department chair (as applicable).
- For music education majors, complete all observation and student teaching requirements.
- For music therapy majors, complete all coursework and a six-month, full-time, post-coursework internship.
- Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.
Learn more about the requirements to graduate.
We encourage you to review the Berklee Global Academic Partner Berklee Track Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information about the credit transfer process.
Courses and Credits
Required Transfer Credits: 33
| RIMON School of Music Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
| Harmony in the Idiom of Jazz and Popular Music 1 | PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits), and HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits) |
| Arranging for the Rhythm Section | AR-111 Arranging 1 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 1 | ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits), and ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits) |
| Traditional Harmony 1 | CM-211 Tonal Harmony and Composition 1 (2 credits) |
| MIDI Recording in the Home Studio and Audio Recording in the Home Studio | MTEC-111 Introduction to Music Technology (2 credits), and CW-191 Sequencing and Production Techniques (2 credits) |
| Harmony in the Idiom of Jazz and Popular Music 2 | HR-212 Harmony 4 (2 credits), and HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits) |
| Traditional Harmony 2 | CM-212 Tonal Harmony and Composition 2 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 2 | ET-211 Ear Training 3 (2 credits) or ET-231 Solfege 1 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirements; and ET-212 Ear Training 4 (2 credits) or ET-232 Solfege 2 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirements |
| Counterpoint 1 | CP-210 The Art of Counterpoint (3 credits) |
| Counterpoint 2 | CP-215 Art of Counterpoint 2 (2 credits) |
Additional Potential Transfer Credits (Rimon): 41
Note: Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask about the courses below.
| Rimon School of Music Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
| Conducting | COND-211 Conducting 1 (1 credit), and COND-212 Conducting 2 (1 credit)* |
| Techniques of Tonal Writing | CM-221 Techniques of Tonal Writing (2 credits) |
| Orchestration | CM-231 Instrumentation and Score Prep (2 credits) and CM-341 Scoring for Strings (2 credits) |
| Contemporary Techniques in Composition I | CM-311 Contemporary Techniques in Composition I (2 credits) |
| Advanced Symphonic Orchestration | CM-441 Scoring for Full Orchestra (2 credits) |
| Vocal Writing | CW-216 Vocal Writing (2 credits) |
| Rhythmic Ear Training 2 | ET-341 Rhythmic Ear Training (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 3 | ET-411 Advanced Ear Training 1 (2 credits) |
| Polyrhythm Workshop | ILPD-235 Polyrhythms 1 (1 credit) |
| Secondary Keyboard (first year) | ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques 1* (1 credit) and ISKB-212 Basic Keyboard Techniques 2* (1 credit) |
| History of Western Music | MHIS-201 History of Music in the European Tradition (2 credits) |
| History of Jazz | MHIS-319 History of Jazz (2 credits) |
| 20th Century Composition Styles | MLAN-312 Analysis of 20th and 21st Century Music (2 credits), and MLAN-2xx Music Analysis elective (2 credits) |
| Bass Lines | PSBS-341 Jazz Masters of the Bass (2 credits) |
| Improvisation for Melodic and Harmonic Instruments | PSIJ-321 Jazz Improvisation Techniques 2 (2 credits) |
| Improvisation in the Bebop Idiom | PSIJ-322 Jazz Improvisation Techniques 3 (2 credits) |
| DAW for the Songwriter | SW-161 DAW for the Songwriter (2 credits) |
| Arranging for Songwriters | SW-231 Arranging for Songwriters (2 credits) |
| Song Demo Production Techniques | SW-261 Advanced DAW for Songwriters: Pro Tools (2 credits) |
* Berklee courses required by some Berklee degree programs
Additional Potential Liberal Arts Transfer Credits (Open University): 18
Note: Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask about these courses
| Open University of Israel Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
| 10640 Understanding Movies: Introduction to the Art of Cinema | LHUM-251 The Language of Film (3 credits) |
| 10154 Experiencing Theater: Introduction to Drama and the Theater | LENG-325 Theater Workshop (3 credits) |
| 10489 Art History: An Introduction | LVIS-231 The Ancient and Medieval Worlds (3 credits) |
| 10124 Art in the Technological Era | LVIS-223 Art History Topics (3 credits) |
| 0659 Sociology of Culture | LSOC-2xx Social Sciences Elective (3 credits) |
| 10496 Philosophical Aesthetics: An Introduction | LPHL-383 Aesthetics (3 credits) |
Potential Transfer Credit Summary
Required Transfer Credits: 35
Additional Potential Transfer Credits (Rimon): 39
Additional Potential Liberal Arts Transfer Credits (Open University): 18
Potential Ensemble Credits: 6
Potential Transfer Credits Total: 98
Students Who Entered Rimon Prior to September 1, 2022
Entrance Requirements
Rimon students transferring to Berklee must earn a grade of "B" or higher (3.00–4.00) in each core music course, and a grade of "C" or higher (2.00–4.00) in each liberal arts and general elective course designated for transfer in this agreement (see "Courses and Credits" below) to receive transfer credit from Berklee.
To earn credit for any core music course for which a student receives a grade below B, students will be required upon entering Berklee to:
- take the entering student proficiency assessment (ESPA) for harmony and ear training courses
or - earn credit by exam (CBX) for music technology, tonal harmony, and counterpoint courses
or - enroll in the course at Berklee
For any liberal arts and sciences courses for which a student receives a grade below C, no credit will be granted.
Admissions: Rimon students who wish to transfer to Berklee are required to go through Berklee's official undergraduate admissions process. Students accepted to Berklee will receive transfer credit for courses taken at Rimon in accordance with an agreement between the two schools. Transferring students must send Berklee an official transcript showing all courses specified as completed with a satisfactory grade of "B" or better before credit transfer at Berklee can take place.
Rimon students planning to transfer to Berklee under this agreement must do so within four years after completing their program of study at Rimon.
Liberal Arts and General Electives
Students seeking to transfer credit to Berklee must first take the steps outlined in the Pre-Approval Process to determine whether the desired course(s) qualify for transfer.
- Students may transfer up to 24 credits of liberal arts courses toward their liberal arts requirements at Berklee.
- Only 15 of those 24 credits can be completed and transferred in after a student has started their studies at Berklee.
- Those 15 credits can be applied to a student’s academic requirements as follows: 9 credits can be applied to liberal arts requirements, and 6 credits can be applied to general elective requirements.
- Students in the Bachelor of Music or Arts degree programs must earn a minimum of 39 credits in liberal arts and may use 6 additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit.
- Students in the Professional Diploma program must earn a minimum of 6 credits in liberal arts and may use up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credits.
Students seeking to transfer credit into Berklee should follow the pre-approval process in advance of the transfer to determine whether the desired courses qualify for transfer.
See detailed information about transfers of liberal arts courses and general elective courses. For questions about transfer credits, please email transfercredits@berklee.edu.
Performance Courses
- Ensembles:
- Transfer students will receive up to 3 transfer credits in ensembles after completing the Level 1 core music courses in Block-one and 6 transfer credits in ensembles for completing both Block-one and Block-two, one or two credits per course taken, based on credit equivalency with an average grade of “C” or better.
- All students are required to enroll in an ensemble in their first semester at Berklee.
- Principal Instrument:
- Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at a BGP school are nontransferable.
- Berklee’s policy states that all students, including transfer students, must participate in and pass a minimum of four semesters of principal instrument instruction at Berklee, regardless of their level of proficiency.
- All transfer students are required to take a Berklee instrumental/vocal proficiency placement examination upon arrival at Berklee to ensure appropriate placement in principal instrument courses.
We encourage you to review the Berklee Global Academic Partner Berklee Track Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information about the credit transfer process.
Requirements to Graduate
- Residency: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete a minimum of four semesters of full-time attendance and earn a minimum of 60 credits (48 credits for diploma students) at Berklee College of Music in order to graduate. Credit by exam (CBX), advanced placement credit, CLEP credit, and transfer credit do not count as residency requirement credits, even if earned while at Berklee College of Music. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.
- Attain at least a 2.70 cumulative GPA in all major courses and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
- Complete the principal instrument proficiency level, as specified by the major.
- Complete a required final project in the chosen area of concentration, as described and approved by the department chair (as applicable).
- For music education majors, complete all observation and student teaching requirements.
- For music therapy majors, complete all coursework and a six-month, full-time, post-coursework internship.
- Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.
Learn more about the requirements to graduate.
Courses and Credits
Level 1: Required Core Music Courses (35 Potential Transfer Credits)
Students must complete all of the required core music courses listed in block 1 below to be eligible for transfer credits. Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask for details.
| BLOCK 1 (18 Credits) | |
|---|---|
| RIMON School of Music Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
| Harmony in the Idiom of Jazz and Popular Music 1 | PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits), and HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits) |
| Arranging for the Rhythm Section | AR-111 Arranging 1 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 1 | ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits), and ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits) |
| Traditional Harmony 1 | CM-211 Tonal Harmony and Composition 1 (2 credits) |
| MIDI Recording in the Home Studio and Audio Recording in the Home Studio | MTEC-111 Introduction to Music Technology (2 credits) and CW-191 Sequencing and Production Techniques (2 credits) |
| BLOCK 2 (17 Potential additional credits) | |
|---|---|
| RIMON School of Music Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
| Harmony in the Idiom of Jazz and Popular Music 2 | HR-212 Harmony 4 (2 credits), and HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits) |
| Traditional Harmony 2 | CM-212 Tonal Harmony and Composition 2 (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 2 | ET-211 Ear Training 3 (2 credits) or ET-231 Solfege 1 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirements, and ET-212 Ear Training 4 (2 credits) or ET-232 Solfege 2 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirements |
| Counterpoint 1 | CP-210 The Art of Counterpoint (3 credits) |
| Counterpoint 2 | CP-215 Art of Counterpoint 2 (2 credits) |
| Conducting | COND-211 Conducting 1 (1 credit) and COND-212 Conducting 2 (1 credit)* |
| * Berklee core music courses required by some Berklee degree programs | |
Level 2: Other Liberal Arts and General Elective Courses—Rimon School of Music (39 Potential Transfer Credits)
Note: Contact the academic advisor at this institution to ask about the courses below.
| RIMON School of Music Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
| Techniques of Tonal Writing | CM-221 Techniques of Tonal Writing (2 credits) |
| Orchestration | CM-231 Instrumentation and Score Prep (2 credits), and CM-341 Scoring for Strings (2 credits) |
| Contemporary Techniques in Composition I | CM-311 Contemporary Techniques in Composition I (2 credits) |
| Advanced Symphonic Orchestration | CM-441 Scoring for Full Orchestra (2 credits) |
| Vocal Writing | CW-216 Vocal Writing (2 credits) |
| Rhythmic Ear Training 2 | ET-341 Rhythmic Ear Training (2 credits) |
| Ear Training 3 | ET-411 Advanced Ear Training 1 (2 credits) |
| Polyrhythm Workshop | ILPD-235 Polyrhythms 1 (1 credit) |
| Secondary Keyboard (first year) | ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques 1 (1 credit), and ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques 2 (1 credit) |
| History of Western Music | MHIS-201 History of Music in the European Tradition (2 credits) |
| History of Jazz | MHIS-319 History of Jazz (2 credits) |
| 20th Century Composition Styles | MLAN-312 Analysis of 20th and 21st Century Music (2 credits), and MLAN-2xx Music Analysis elective (2 credits) |
| Bass Lines | PSBS-341 Jazz Masters of the Bass (2 credits) |
| Improvisation for Melodic and Harmonic Instruments | PSIJ-321 Jazz Improvisation Techniques 2 (2 credits) |
| Improvisation in the Bebop Idiom | PSIJ-322 Jazz Improvisation Techniques 3 (2 credits) |
| DAW for the Songwriter | SW-161 DAW for the Songwriter (2 credits) |
| Arranging for Songwriters | SW-231 Arranging for Songwriters (2 credits) |
| Song Demo Production Techniques | SW-261 Advanced DAW for Songwriters: Pro Tools (2 credits) |
Level 2: Other Liberal Arts and General Elective Courses—Open University of Israel (18 Potential Transfer Credits)
| Open University of Israel Courses | Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents |
|---|---|
| 10640 Understanding Movies: Introduction to the Art of Cinema | LHUM-251 The Language of Film (3 credits) |
| 10154 Experiencing Theater: Introduction to Drama and the Theater | LENG-325 Theater Workshop (3 credits) |
| 10489 Art History: An Introduction | LVIS-231 The Ancient and Medieval Worlds (3 credits) |
| 10124 Art in the Technological Era | LVIS-223 Art History Topics (3 credits) |
| 0659 Sociology of Culture | LSOC-2xx Social Sciences Elective (3 credits) |
| 10496 Philosophical Aesthetics: An Introduction | LPHL-383 Aesthetics (3 credits) |
Potential Transfer Credit Summary
Level 1 courses: 35 credits
Level 2 courses (Rimon School of Music): 39 credits
Level 2 courses (Open University of Israel): 18 credits
Ensemble courses: 6 credits
Total: 98 credits