Individualized Minor in Liberal Arts

Berklee is an institution that benefits from a diverse student body with wide-ranging interests and goals. Changes happening on a global level in the music industry, in the areas of technology and business, and in society as a whole require a program that can adapt quickly to those changes.

Individualized minors give students the choice and flexibility they need to design a program that meets their specific academic, personal, and professional needs. This program allows students to be innovative and design their own program of interdisciplinary study, helping students connect courses through content rather than approach. Individualized minors allow for a coherent and synthesized learning experience.

Students may propose a minor that is disciplinary (e.g., art history), interdisciplinary (e.g., Latin American studies), or experiential. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary minors must include at least 12 credits of course work.

Entrance Requirements

In order to declare an individualized minor, students must provide the following documentation:

1. A one-page statement of purpose for the minor, which addresses the following points:

  • What they would like to study
  • How this program of study differs from existing majors/minors/concentrations at Berklee
  • How their proposed program of study relates to their academic, professional, and/or personal goals

2. A proposed list of courses for the minor, including:

  • One or two sentences explaining why each course or credit-bearing experiential program was included
  • When the student plans on taking each course
  • If the student has completed more than 50 percent of the intended credits for the minor before having their program of study approved, a reason for declaring the minor at this point

Students must meet with an approved Liberal Arts faculty advisor to review their proposal. Together, they will work on creating learning outcomes for their particular minor. Final approval will be given by the chair and/or assistant chair of the Liberal Arts Department. After this, students will follow the normal procedure for minor declaration:

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes will be established for each individualized minor.

Curriculum and Courses

Each minor must be composed of:

  • 10–12 credits (see specifics below)
  • At least six liberal arts credits
  • No 100-level classes

Students may propose a minor that is disciplinary (e.g., art history), interdisciplinary (e.g., Latin American studies), or experiential. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary minors must include at least 12 credits of course work.

Experiential minors must have a minimum of 10 credits of course work and include at least two credit-bearing experiential programs that have a relationship to the proposed course of study. Each of the following programs counts as one credit-bearing experience:

  • Internship that relates to the proposed course of study: IN-299
  • Internship that relates to the proposed course of study: IN-399
  • Coursework in Valencia, Spain, that relates to the proposed course of study