Cuyahoga Community College—U.S.

This program enables students to begin their music education at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in Cleveland, Ohio, and complete an undergraduate degree at Berklee in Boston. Once accepted to Berklee, students may receive transfer credit for certain courses taken at Tri-C.

Visit the Tri-C website to learn more about the credit transfer pathway to Berklee.

Entrance Requirements

Tri-C 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 Tri-C in accordance with an agreement between the two schools.

Students transferring to Berklee must earn a grade of B or higher (3.00–4.00) in each level 1 (core music) course, and a grade of C or higher (2.00–4.00) in each level 2 (other liberal arts and general electives) course designated for transfer in this agreement (see "Required Courses" below) in order to receive transfer credit from Berklee.  

To earn credit for any course in level 1 for which students receive a grade below B, students will be required upon entering Berklee to (1) take the entering student proficiency assessment (ESPA) for harmony and ear training courses; (2) earn credit by exam (CBX) for music technology, tonal harmony, and counterpoint courses; or (3) enroll in the course at Berklee. For any course in level 2 for which students receive a grade below C, credit will not be granted. 

Residency Requirements
Students attending Berklee’s on-campus programs under this agreement must fulfill Berklee’s residency requirement: All students, including candidates transferring from another school, are normally required to complete at least four semesters of attendance and a minimum of 60 credits for the Bachelor of Music degree (or 48 credits for the professional diploma) in order to graduate from the college. This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.

See more information about core music courses at Berklee. 

Liberal Arts and General Electives
Students transferring to the Bachelor of Music degree program at Berklee College of Music must earn a minimum of 39 credits in liberal arts and may use six additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit. Students in the professional diploma program at Berklee may use up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credit. Students attending Berklee’s on-campus programs under this agreement must fulfill Berklee’s residency requirement (see above). This requirement will be applied regardless of the number of credits transferred.

See more information about liberal arts courses at Berklee. 

Performance Courses

  • Ensembles: Tri-C transfer students may receive up to six transfer credits for ensembles. 

  • Principal Instrument: Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at Tri-C will not transfer directly. Students must participate in and pass a minimum of four semesters of principal instrument instruction at Berklee. All transferring students are required to take a Berklee instrumental/vocal proficiency placement examination upon arrival and may receive advanced placement in principal instrument courses. Any credit resulting from advanced placement in the principal instrument will be awarded when all other requirements for graduation have been completed.

Potential transfer credits in ensembles: six credits

We encourage you to review the Berklee Global Academic Partner Berklee Track Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information about the credit transfer process.

Required Courses

Level 1: Required Core Music Courses (26 Potential Transfer Credits)

TRI-C COURSEs Berklee College of Music Course Equivalents
MUS 1600 Traditional Theory I PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits)
MUS 1600 Traditional Theory I HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits)
MUS 2650 Jazz Theory II HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits)
MUS 1620 Traditional Theory II HR-212 Harmony 4 (2 credits)
MUS 1720 Arranging I AR-111 Arranging 1 (2 credits)
MUS 1610 Ear Training I ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits)
MUS 1630 Ear Training II ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits)
MUS 2610 Ear Training III ET-211 Ear Training 3 (2 credits) or ET-231 Solfege 1 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement
MUS 2630 Ear Training IV ET-212 Ear Training 4 (2 credits) or ET-232 Solfege 2 (2 credits), depending on Berklee major requirement
MUS 1620 Traditional Theory II CM-211 Traditional Harmony 1 (2 credits)
MUS 1650 Jazz Theory I CM-212 Traditional Harmony 2 (2 credits) 
MUS 1570 Technology Tools I 
 
MTEC-111 Introduction to Music Technology (2 credits)

Level 2: Other Liberal Arts and General Elective Courses (25 Potential Transfer Credits)

TRI-C COURSEs BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC COURSE EQUIVALENTS 
ENG 1010/ENG 101H College Comp II/Honors II
 
LENG-223 Literature (3 credits)
Additional Credits for Communications

LENG-XXX Communications Elective (3 credits)
Mathematics and Data Analysis 1000 Level or Higher LMSC-XXX as appropriate (3 credits) 
Natural and Physical Science
 
LMSC-XXX as appropriate (3 credits)
 
Social and Behavioral Sciences
 
LSOC-XXX as appropriate (3 credits)
Additional Liberal Arts Courses LXXX-XXX as appropriate (3 credits) 
ENG 1010/ENG 101H College Comp I/Honors I
 
LENG-111 Introduction to College Writing (3 credits)
MUS 1301 Applied Piano Minor I ISKB-211 or ISKB-221 for Music Education Majors (1 credit)
MUS 1302 Applied Piano Minor II ISKB-212 or ISKB-222 for Music Education Majors (1 credit)
MUS 2301 Applied Piano Minor III ISKB-321 Keyboard Class 3 for Music Education Majors (1 credit)
MUS 2302 Applied Piano Minor IV ISKB-322 Keyboard Class 4 for Music Education Majors (1 credit)

Potential Transfer Credit Summary
Level 1 courses: 26 credits
Level 2 courses: 25 credits
Ensemble courses: 6 credits
Total: 57 credits