Holland College—Canada

Holland College School of Performing Arts provides an opportunity for students to develop their artistic skills, share their passion for music, theater, and dance; explore career options in the performing arts; and gain an understanding of the business side of the performance industry.

Visit the Holland College website to learn more about the credit transfer pathway to Berklee.

Entrance Requirements

Holland College 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 Holland College in accordance with an agreement between the two schools. 

Generally, students must receive a grade of B (3.00/4.00) or higher on core music and performance courses, and a grade of C (2.00/4.00) or higher on all liberal arts or general elective courses. As part of the admissions process, transfer students will be asked to submit an official transcript showing all courses specified as completed with a satisfactory grade before transfer credit will be granted.

See more information about the Berklee core music courses.

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 utilize six additional liberal arts credits (two courses) as general elective credit. Students in the professional diploma program at Berklee may utilize up to 12 liberal arts credits (four courses) as general elective credit.

See more information about liberal arts courses at Berklee.

Performance Courses

  • Ensembles: Holland College transfer students may receive up to six transfer credits for ensembles. 
  • Principal Instrument: Principal instrument courses (private lessons) taken at Holland College 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

Required Courses

Core Music Courses (Potential Transfer Credits = 16)

Holland College Courses Berklee Courses
MUSC-1000 Music Theory: Introduction PW-111 Music Application and Theory (4 credits)
MUSC-2005 Arranging: Introduction AR-111 Arranging 1 (2 credits)
MUSC-1030 Harmony: Introduction HR-112 Harmony 2 (2 credits)
MUSC-2000 Harmony: Intermediate HR-211 Harmony 3 (2 credits)
MUSC-2070 Harmony: Advanced HR-212 Harmony 4 (2 credits)
MUSC-1005 Ear Training: Introduction ET-111 Ear Training 1 (2 credits)
MUSC-1035 Ear Training: Intermediate ET-112 Ear Training 2 (2 credits)

Liberal Arts Courses (Potential Transfer Credits = 18)

HOLLAND COLLEGE COURSEs BERKLEE COURSEs
COMM-1002 Writing for College and UPEI ENGLISH 101 Academic Writing LENG-111 Introduction to College Writing (3 credits)
UPEI ENGLISH 192 Introduction to Literature
 LENG-223 Literature (3 credits)
ARTS-1030 Art History and Criticism LVIS-xxx Art History (3 credits)
UPEI Any 3-credit history course except 103, 104, and 378 LHIS-xxx History (3 credits)

One 3-credit Math or Natural Science course, 200-level or above, from this list:

ANAT-1247 Anatomy and Physiology
CHEM-1000 General Chemistry
BIOL-1100 Environmental Microbiology
KINE-1146 Physiology of Human Movement
MATH-1290 Introductory Statistics
 
One 3-credit Math or Natural Science course, 200-level or above, from this list (3 credits):
 
LMSC-424 Human Anatomy and Physiology, especially for students planning to major in music therapy
LMSC-2xx Natural Science elective
LMSC-2xx Natural Science elective
LMSC-2xx Natural Science elective
LMSC-251 Data Management and Statistics, especially for students planning to major in music business/management

One 3-credit Social Science course, 200-level or above, from this list:

BUSI-2030 Economics
PSYC-2025 Human Development
PSYC-1001 Psychology I Core Concepts
PSYC-1002 Psychology II Core Concepts

One 3-credit Social Science course, 200-level or above, from this list (3 credits):

 

LSOC-225 Principles of Economics, especially for students planning to major in music business/management
LSOC-411 Child and Adolescent Psychology
LSOC-211 General Psychology
LSOC-2xx Social Science elective

General Electives (Potential Transfer Credits = 14)

HOLLAND COLLEGE COURSEs BERKLEE COURSEs
MUSC-2005 Arranging: Intermediate 
AR-112 Arranging 2 (2 credits)
MUSC-1020 Keyboard Harmony: Introduction 
ISKB-211 Basic Keyboard Techniques I (1 credit)
MUSC-1055 Keyboard Harmony: Intermediate ISKB-212 Basic Keyboard Techniques 2 (1 credit)
MUSC-1010 Music Styles: Rock and Country MLAN-335 Analysis Progressive Rock Music (2 credits)
MUSC-1040 Music Licensing for Film Television and Video Games MB-415 International Music Licensing (2 credits)
MUSC-1045 Music Styles: R&B and Pop MLAN-2xx Music Analysis elective (2 credits)
MUSC-2015 Music Styles: Celtic and World Music MLAN-2xx Music Analysis elective (2 credits)
MUSC-2050 Music Styles: Jazz and Latin MLAN-2xx Music Analysis elective (2 credits)

 

Total possible transfer credits with the agreement: 54 credits