Program Overview

Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts & Sciences

The Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts and Sciences program is designed to meet the expanding need for skilled audio technicians, producers, and engineers who possess both technical expertise and a sophisticated knowledge of music. Frequently taken as a double major program, the Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts combines an applied performance or a composition major with a technical education in recording technology. Relevant studies in electrical engineering, math, science, and computer science are taken at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering of The Johns Hopkins University on the Homewood campus.

Program Requirements

The Recording Arts curriculum includes extensive practical experience, in styles ranging from jazz, rock, and popular music to classical opera, chamber, choral and orchestral. In addition to regular laboratory sessions with live musical groups of all styles, students serve as recording engineers for all Peabody performances, including providing the audio feed for those events being streamed live. All recording majors are expected to work in the recording studios throughout the course of their enrollment as part of the College Work Study program. Following their third year, students complete an internship with a company or individual specializing in the area of the industry in which they intend to pursue a career following graduation.

• Major Area:
  • Minor Lesson 1 Hour (2 Semesters) - 4 credits
  • Large Ensemble - 4 credits
• The Breakthrough Curriculum:
  • Exploring Arts Careers - 1 credit
  • Building a Brand and Portfolio - 2 credits
  • Pitching Your Creative Idea - 2 credits
• Supportive Courses in Music:
  • Ear Training 1, 2, 3, and 4 - 8 credits
  • Keyboard Studies 1 and 2 - 4 credits
  • Advanced Keyboard Studies - 4 credits
  • Theory 1, 2, and 3 - 9 credits
  • Advanced Theory - 9 credits
  • Introduction to Musicology - 3 credits
  • Western Art Music - 3 credits
  • Topics in Musicology - 6 credits
• General Studies:
  • Core 1 and 2 - 6 credits
  • Calculus I and II - 8 credits
  • General Physics: Physical Science Major I and II - 8 credits
  • Liberal Arts Electives - 3 credits
• Recording Arts Courses:
  • Recording 1a and 1b - Fundamentals - 4 credits
  • Recording 2a and 2b - Studio Technology - 4 credits
  • Recording 3a and 3b - Classical/Jazz Techniques and Mixing and Editing - 4 credits
  • Recording 4a and 4b - Rock/Pop Techniques and Mixing and Editing - 5 credits
  • First Year ECE Design - 4 credits
  • Mastering Electronics - 3 credits
  • Mastering Electronics Laboratory - 2 credits
  • Musical Acoustics - 3 credits
  • Architectural Acoustics 1 - 3 credits
  • Recording Internship - 4 credits
  • Instrumentation & Arranging - 3 credits
• Professional Electives - 6 credits
• Total Credits: 130

Double Majors

The major in Recording Arts and Science may be combined with the following majors: Composition, Computer Music, Guitar, Jazz Performance, Orchestral Instruments, and Piano. Other combinations are not permitted.

• For double majors, Minor Lessons are replaced by Major Lessons.
• Calculus and Physics satisfy Liberal Arts credits for both majors.
• Musical Acoustics and Instrumentation & Arranging are waived.
• Three credits of Professional Electives are required rather than six.
• Double majoring adds 37 credits to the applied music major.

Sample Program of Study

A sample program of study is provided, outlining the courses to be taken each semester for four years.

Total Credits

The total credits required for the Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts & Sciences program is 130 credits.