Music and Communication Dual Degree Program
The dual degree program in music and communication offers students the opportunity to earn either a bachelor of music or bachelor of arts in music and either a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in communication in five years. Acceptance into the Bienen School of Music via audition is required for participation in the dual degree program.
Pending an approved audition, students in the dual degree program may select any of the Bienen School of Music’s majors. Students may also select any of the School of Communication’s six majors for the BS in communication and any School of Communication major other than human communication sciences for the BA in communication, although the school maintains an enrollment cap of 100 per class for the theatre major; if this major is full, students may request to be put on a waiting list.
All students in the dual degree program must complete all requirements for both degrees, with no double counting of courses allowed between the required courses for the music major and the required courses for the communication major. All policies of each school are enforced in the meeting of that school’s requirements. No major in music or communication will be awarded without the relevant degree requirements also having been fulfilled; the majors in music and communication can only be earned as part of their respective degrees. Students are also required to meet the Undergraduate Registration Requirement (URR) for students in dual degree programs, including earning at least 42 credits in 12 quarters at Northwestern.
Note that dual degrees are not the same as double majors. Students in a dual degree program will earn two degrees, one in each School. SoC students who double major will earn a single degree in communication, but will have a second major that appears on their official transcript.
Add or Drop the Dual Degree in Music and Communication
Current students who are interested in pursuing the dual degree in communication and music should contact the assistant dean for student affairs in the Bienen School and an academic advisor in the desired SoC major. Appointments with SoC advisors can be made through the SoC Office of Undergraduate Programs and Advising (dear-soc@northwestern.edu; 847-491-7214).
Most students who pursue a dual degree apply for their dual degree program of interest prior to being admitted to Northwestern University. However, students who are already enrolled in a single degree program at Northwestern can request to add a dual degree by submitting the application to add a dual bachelor’s degree program. Students who are enrolled in a dual degree program and would like to drop one of the programs can do so by submitting the application to remove a dual bachelor’s degree program. Both forms, as well as other relevant information, are available on the Office of the Registrar’s website: https://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/registration-graduation/transfer-and-test-credit/add-remove-dual-degree-program.html