Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the online Berkleemusic courses like?

   • Who teaches the courses?

     All Berkleemusic courses are led by a Berklee faculty member or industry expert. You will have direct access to your instructor through private messages, discussion boards, and chats. Your instructor will give you detailed, weekly feedback as you complete the lessons, giving you insight from a professional in the music field. Check out our faculty profiles.

   • How many students are in each course?

     Each course section is capped at 20 students.

   • Who else will be in my courses?

     Berkleemusic has taught students from over 95 countries. You'll be interacting with students from around the world for 12 weeks, discussing course lessons and sharing real-world experiences. Many students build professional and personal relationships with their classmates and choose to stay in touch outside of the course. Check out student profiles.

   • What are the courses like?

     Throughout each 12-week course, you'll use innovative online tools—including video content, audio examples, simulations, weekly chats, interactive exercises, and discussion boards—to communicate, interact, and learn with and from your instructor and other students. You'll complete your assignments on your own schedule within the week, begin and end as you need to, and work at a pace that's right for you.

   • What is a certificate program?

     Berkleemusic's certificate programs are designed to provide students with solid qualifications and marketable skills for success. These multi-course programs offer anywhere from one to three years of extensive training with the faculty of Berklee College of Music in a wide variety of disciplines. We offer three types of certificates—Specialist, Professional, and Master—based on the depth of study. Develop your skills, expand your expertise, and add great credentials to your résumé with a Berkleemusic certificate.

     • Master: 8-12 courses, 2 to 3 years to complete
     • Professional: 4-6 courses, approx. 1 year to complete
     • Specialist: 3 courses, approx. 6 months to 9 months to complete

     You can accelerate your certificate program by taking multiple courses in a term.

   • How will I be graded?

     Each week, you will receive either a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) in a credit course or a "Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory" grade in a non-credit course, along with detailed feedback from your professor. At the end of the course, you'll receive an overall final grade, based on your participation and performance throughout the term.

2. When can I take classes and do coursework?

   You can log in anywhere at anytime to complete your lessons and assignments and work. Whether you are at work, home, on tour, or on vacation, as long as you have an access to a computer, you will have access to your course. Terms run every 3 months. Here is the Academic Calendar.

   • How long does each course or certificate program last?

     All Berkleemusic courses are 12 weeks in length. Multi-course certificate programs usually last one to three years.

   • How much time will I need to dedicate to each course?

     On average, you can expect to spend five to eight hours per week on each course, depending on your experience in the subject area.

   • Is the class schedule flexible?

     Berkleemusic staff and instructors understand that you have both personal and professional commitments outside of your course. Many of our students are working full time, have busy family schedules, are on tour, or have other demanding obligations. If you have any issues while in the course, contact your instructor and advisor to work out a plan action.

   • Can I skip a term?

     Although we have recommended times of completion for each program, you will have the opportunity to skip a term if you have personal, medical, or professional issues arise. You will not be penalized for skipping one or two terms.

   • Can I take more than one course?

     Yes. You can take up to 4 courses per term as long as you meet any listed prerequisites and feel comfortable with the 5-8 hours per week needed for each course.

   • I'm going on vacation - can I still take the course?

     Yes. Many of our students go on vacation and still maintain their course load. Be sure to work out a plan with your instructor during the first week of class and stay on top of your lessons. Enjoy your vacation!

3. Do you offer credits and degrees?

   • What's the difference between credit and non-credit courses?

     Students are given the choice to take courses as credit or non-credit; however the majority of students take classes for credit. The main differences between these two options are:

     For credit courses:

     • You receive a letter grade
     • The credits are transferable to other colleges and universities
     • You can waive the course into a certificate program later if you choose

     For non-credit courses:

     • You receive a "Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory" grade
     • Not transferable to other colleges and universities
     • Cannot waive into a certificate program later

   • Are you accredited?

     Yes. Berklee College of Music is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) which is the same body that accredits Harvard, MIT, Yale, and many other prestigious colleges and universities. It is the nation's oldest regional accrediting body whose mission is the establishment and maintenance of high standards for all levels of education, from pre-K to the doctoral level. Learn more about NEASC.

   • Can I transfer Berkleemusic credits to Berklee College of Music?

     Yes. If you are accepted, you can transfer up to 2 successfully completed online courses to the main campus as electives. Learn more about Berklee's transfer policies here.

   • Can I transfer Berkleemusic credits to another college or university?

     Yes. Credits earned in a Berkleemusic course can be transferred to another college or university. Be sure to check with your home institution first, as credits are accepted at their discretion.

   • Does Berkleemusic offer degrees?

     Berkleemusic does not currently offer degrees, rather Bachelor-level courses and multi-course certificate programs. The certificate programs give students the opportunity to study their core music curriculum without having to take classes like English, Science, Math, etc. If you are looking to receive a degree from Berklee College of Music, you should contact the Berklee Admissions Department at www.berklee.edu.

   • What is the difference between Master Certificate and Master's Degree?

     Berkleemusic does not currently offer Master level courses or credits, rather our courses are Bachelor-level credits. The Master Certificates are 9-12 compiled bachelor level courses to create a complete skill set in the desired subject matter totaling 27-36 bachelor level credits.

4. What kinds of requirements are there?

   • What are Berkleemusic's admissions requirements?

     There are no formal admissions requirements to begin taking a Berkleemusic course and you do not need to apply to enroll. However, you must meet all the technical requirements and prerequisites for each course.

   • What are course requirements like?

     While all courses are college-level, each course is different—some are introductory, while more advanced courses require an existing foundational knowledge of the subject matter. Each course's Requirements page lists all prerequisites, textbooks, and hardware and software needed before you begin. Some course pages even have a self-assessment quiz to help you determine if you already have the knowledge required for that level of study. For example, the requirements for Guitar Chords 101 can be found here.

   • Can I review the course content in advance?

     Yes. Each course's syllabus is available for you to read and review before you enroll. A syllabus is a week by week blueprint of what you will be covering in your course. You can find this link on the right hand side of each course page. For example, the syllabus for Mixing and Mastering with Pro Tools can be found here.

5. How do I enroll with Berkleemusic?

   • How do I enroll in an individual course?

     Step 1: From the berkleemusic homepage, select the course in which you wish to enroll.

     Step 2: Check the Academic Calendar for term dates and enrollment deadlines.

     Step 3: Complete the online enrollment process and submit payment. You are not enrolled until you have paid the full tuition for any course(s) you are taking in the upcoming term.

     Step 4: You will be contacted by your advisor with information on how to get discounted software, how to set up your Berklee profile page, and orientation information.

     * all of these steps can be done over the phone as well by calling an advisor as 1-877-BERKLEE

   • How do I enroll in a certificate program?

     Step 1: Choose your certificate program.

     Step 2: Apply for Financial Aid (if applicable).

     Step 3: Pay your registration fee and set up your schedule of classes.

     Step 4: Pay your tuition. You can either pay per term or you can pay for the full certificate up front to save 10%.

     * all of these steps can be done over the phone as well by calling an advisor as 1-877-BERKLEE

   • When do courses start?

     Berkleemusic courses are offered four times a year during each of our terms (spring, summer, fall, winter). We offer Open Enrollment, so you are able to sign up for a course or program at any time.

     Academic Calendar

   • When should I enroll

     We encourage you to enroll as early as possible. You'll want to be sure to receive all your course materials on time and, more importantly, you'll want to secure your spot in class. Since we limit each section to 20 students, many of our popular courses are full before the enrollment deadline. You can wait until the first day of the term to enroll, though it is not recommended.

6. How much does it cost? How can I pay?

   • What is Berkleemusic's tuition?

     The cost of tuition is based upon each student's unique course of study, and varies based on a number of factors—whether you're taking a credit or non-credit course, an individual course or certificate program, and on the materials required. You can view the tuition cost for any course or certificate by clicking on the programs link on the website.

     Individual courses range from $1200 to $1400. There's also a $175 registration fee for certificate programs, and a $75 registration fee for individual courses (both credit and non-credit). If you choose to pay for a certificate program in full, you can save 10% off the cost of the entire program.

     Before you begin each term, the course(s) you are taking must be paid in full.

   • When can I pay?

     You can pay for your course(s) or certificate program as soon as you like. As long as you have the tuition for the course(s) you are taking in the upcoming term paid before class begins you are all set!

   • How can I pay?

     Berkleemusic accepts major credit cards, paypal, checks, money orders, wire transfers, approved student loans from our financial aid page, military benefits, and employer tuition assistance. You can view information about these options at our payment methods page.

7. What financial aid options exist?

   • Do you accept Financial Aid?

     We do not work with federal aid such as FAFSA, Pell Grants, and Stafford loans; however, we have loan options through Sallie Mae. We encourage students to apply for these loans before paying their registration fee to make sure they are pre-approved.

     You can learn more about these loan options here.

   • What about tuition reimbursement or Military aid?

     Many employers, as well as the U.S. Military, offer tuition reimbursement programs that may be used toward a Berkleemusic education. Berkleemusic also regularly works with the Post 9-11 and Montgomery GI Bills.

     You can learn more about Employer Tuition Reimbursement options here.

     You can learn more about Military Student options here.

   • Are there scholarships available?

     Berkleemusic offers a Celebrity Online Scholarship Program to all students enrolled in a certificate program. Designed to reward and assist outstanding online students who demonstrate superior performance studying in certificate programs at Berkleemusic, these quarterly scholarships are awarded in the name of renowned music education champions. The student recipients of each Celebrity Online Scholarship will receive an award of $1,400 to be used towards paying their tuition and helping them achieve their goals.

     To be considered for the Celebrity Online Scholarship Program, you must:

     • Be enrolled in a certificate program and have completed your first course.
     • Have a GPA of 3.7 or higher.
     • Have an up-to-date profile on the Berklee Music Network
     • Be recommended by one of your instructors

     Learn More: http://www.berklemusic.com/scholarship

   • Can Berkleemusic help me get a job or advance my career?

     Yes! We know what it takes to be a great musician and can help you achieve it—get that great gig, operate that successful studio, produce that record, write that song, arrange that hit tune. Our online courses and, especially, our multi-course certificate programs will provide you with solid qualifications and marketable skills for success.

     Networking is critical to any career, particularly in music. Our students find many invaluable opportunities to collaborate and connect with faculty and other students in their online courses. Additionally, our online student community connects you to thousands of other musicians from around the world.

     Our students credit their Berkleemusic education for helping to start or advance their careers. For example, Rick Breen credits his Master Certificate in Production with landing him his job at Kurzweil Music. Similarly, Music Business student Kat Colbourn was prepared for her first job in the industry—at satellite radio provider XM Radio—because of her Berkleemusic studies.

   • Are you connected to Berklee College of Music?

     Yes. We are Berklee College of Music's extension school and are located right here on campus. In 2002, Berkleemusic was launched by Berklee College of Music to bring the Berklee experience around the globe.

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