Founded in 1945, Berklee College of Music is the world's largest independent music college and the premier institution for the study of contemporary music.

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today - and tomorrow.

The college has proved its commitment to this approach by wholeheartedly embracing change. The musical landscape looks nothing like it did when Berklee was founded in 1945, but the college has remained current by supplementing its core curriculum with studies in emerging musical genres and indispensable new technology. It also has responded to important developments in music education and music therapy, making good on Berklee's promise to improve society through music.

At Berklee, students acquire a strong foundation of contemporary music theory and technique, then build upon that foundation by learning the practical, professional skills needed to sustain a career in music. Majors such as Music Production and Engineering, Film Scoring, Music Business/ Management, Music Synthesis, Songwriting, and Music Therapy, as well as traditional mainstays of Performance and Composition, lead toward either a fully accredited four-year baccalaureate degree or a professional diploma. Perhaps more importantly, they prepare students for employment in the music industry.

Berklee attracts a diverse range of students who reflect the multiplicity of influences in today's music, be it rock, jazz, hip-hop, country, gospel, electronica, Latin, or funk. The college is a magnet for aspiring musicians from every corner of the earth, which gives the school a uniquely international flavor. Of all U.S. colleges and universities, Berklee has one of the largest percentages of undergraduates from outside the U.S. - 25 percent. Reflecting the interplay between music and culture, Berklee creates an environment where aspiring music professionals learn how to integrate new ideas and showcase their distinctive skills in an evolving community.

The college's alumni form an ever-widening network of industry professionals who use their openness, virtuosity, and versatility to take music in surprising new directions. Notable alums include Quincy Jones, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, Aimee Mann, Roy Hargrove, Gillian Welch, Susan Tedeschi, Juan Luis Guerra, John Scofield, Bruce Cockburn, Arif Mardin, BT, Alan Silvestri, Howard Shore, and Gary Burton.