Overview

Students majoring in Contemporary Writing and Production major at Berklee College of Music study arranging, composition, scoring for media, orchestration, production techniques, and advanced notation practices, and learn to apply these skills and concepts by writing for and overseeing the production of a wide variety of instrumental, vocal, acoustic, and electronic combinations, ranging from small ensembles to orchestras in live performance situations and recording studio environments.

Upon completion of a major in contemporary writing and production, students will:

create and produce professional music for acoustic, electronic, and hybrid ensembles;
write and produce in a variety of contemporary styles;
compose and arrange music for ensembles of varying size and instrumentation;
produce a professional-quality recording on a digital audio workstation (DAW);
synthesize and apply knowledge of contemporary styles to the composition of original music;
record performances using both analog and digital tools;
analyze and transcribe music in a variety of contemporary styles;
coordinate and supervise a studio recording session; and
create a graduate portfolio of five pieces that showcase their skills and support their career opportunities.

Programme Structure

Courses:

Hip-Hop Writing and Production

Groove Writing

Sequencing and Production Techniques

Advanced Ensemble Writing

Vocal Writing

Writing in Folkloric Latin Styles

Jingle Writing

Writing in Salsa Styles

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-20 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-09-02 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

7.5

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4.9/5 student rating

Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Boston, United States

Disciplines

Music Composition View 311 other Bachelors in Music Composition in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

7.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Students who have declared contemporary writing and production as their major and received a grade of B or better in each of the following classes may continue in the major:

Introduction to Music Technology

Arranging 1

Harmony 2

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

52440 USD / year

≈ 52440 USD / year
Out-of-State

52440 USD / year

≈ 52440 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

52440 USD / year

≈ 52440 USD / year

Additional Details

Summer: $22,900

Living costs

Boston

United States

1560 - 3239 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Contemporary Writing and Production.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Upon completion of a major in contemporary writing and production, students will:

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

Boston

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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