Bachelor of Arts in Music

The music major provides aspiring musicians and/or scholars with a wide range of ways to think about music (performance-related, theoretical, historical, cultural, and compositional) and to concentrate on the aspects of music that most interest themfrom popular and world music to computer music. Our faculty engage in cultural studies (i.e., ethnomusicology) and with current literary theory, connect with faculty of other departments (i.e., English, Philosophy, and Psychology), and are on the cutting edge of technological change. Students who have a passion for music and who have already developed basic skills in areas including performance, music history, composition, or ethnography, should consider a major in music.

The Committee on Admissions selects women of proven academic strength who exhibit intellectual voracity and strong potential for further scholarly growth. In addition to school records, recommendations, writing, and test scores, we carefully consider candidates' talents, abilities, interests, and personal history. While admission is highly selective, it is also holistic; no one criterion or score determines acceptance. We consider each applicant in terms of her personal qualities, her intellectual capacity, and the rigor of the curriculum she has pursued, as well as her potential for achieving at Barnard. We review each applicant in the context of her school, community, and individual story.

Barnard's general education requirements cover a wide range of subjects: literature, the social sciences, language and the arts, lab sciences, and quantitative areas. For this reason, you should acquire a strong foundation in high school, taking courses from the core academic subjects: math, science, English, history, and foreign language.

English Language Requirements

Applicant must have IELTS score of 7.0 or higher or TOEFL score of 600 or above on the written test, and 100 or above for the Internet-based test.