Today’s guest post is written by Amy Skjerseth, a recent graduate of Eastman and the Dual Degree program at the University of Rochester. If you are considering a Dual Degree, you may find it useful to hear about her experiences. Thanks Amy!
Photo by Michelle Zhao
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Throughout high school, I always knew that I wanted to study music: when I wasn’t taking academic classes at school, it was all music, all the time. Yet, I felt equally passionate about my English courses, and majoring in English was also on my mind. I thought about my high school years and knew I’d always wanted to soak up as much as possible in school. I couldn’t imagine not doing music or not doing English. So, when I applied to Eastman, I decided to look into the University of Rochester’s Dual-Degree Program.
Fast forward to a snowy evening in February, when I stepped onto the University of Rochester’s campus for a tour. It was the night before my Eastman audition, and I was feeling more than a little anxious. But when I took in all of the beautiful buildings on UR’s campus, as well as the friendly faces of students purposefully striding past the tour group, I knew I had fallen in love with the school.
Right after the tour of U of R, my parents and I decided to visit Eastman. The instant I stepped into Eastman’s Main Hall (now called Lowry Hall), I also fell in love with Eastman. During my audition day, I ran into so many students who described the warmth of the Eastman community. After auditioning for my teacher, Professor Richard Killmer, I knew that I wanted to go to Eastman more than anything—and I wanted to be a Dual-Degree student at the U of R.
What is it like to be a Dual-Degree student?
Being a Dual-Degree student does not come without its challenges. Scheduling classes is one of the toughest components, because Eastman and the University of Rochester are two separate campuses. Fortunately, there are advisers on both campuses who are extremely helpful. My UR advisers helped me figure out a campus that was at first daunting, as UR has about 5,000 undergraduate students compared to Eastman’s 500. Yet, I loved being able to explore two campuses, and it was easy to get back and forth. The bus—which is free—runs quite frequently and only takes ten to fifteen minutes, which is very helpful when scheduling classes. One of my fellow Dual-Degree friends told me that she considered the bus ride her “break.” In between Eastman and U of R classes, she took a breather and collected herself for the day. This was a valuable tactic for me too—as well as going to the U of R Starbucks if I had time before class!
While Eastman is a professional music school, with very demanding performance and academic standards, it is possible to plan your schedule to take River Campus (UR’s main campus) classes. With help from experienced advisers, including my primary instrument teacher and Eastman’s Academic Affairs Office, I felt in control of my schedule. Managing a full course load—which, for me, usually averaged between 20-23 credits—was very stressful at times, but I found that Eastman and U of R’s differing exam schedules made things easier when it came to crunch time. As an English major, I didn’t have to take labs or discussion sections, so my time commitment at River Campus was less than it would have been if I were a natural sciences or pre-med student. I was able to finish both my degrees in four years, but for some students, 4 ½ to 5 years of coursework is required. It’s up to you to decide how you’d like to organize your degree requirements across semesters. I lightened up my schedule second semester sophomore year—arguably the heaviest course load at Eastman, with demanding theory and history courses—as well as the semester that I performed my senior recital. It takes a lot of careful planning, but it is definitely possible!
Taking breaks from practicing is important for your physical—as well as mental and emotional—health, and taking a class you are interested in at the U of R is a great way to both experience a new campus and expand upon the courses offered at Eastman. You can take any course at the U of R as an Eastman student, and you can even earn a minor—all without needing to apply to the U of R. Several of my classmates took River Campus classes, among the most popular of which were “Music and the Mind,” American Sign Language, Philosophy, Linguistics, and foreign language courses to further the language instruction offered by Eastman. Because every Eastman undergraduate student is required to take one humanities course per semester, some of my friends ended up with River Campus minors because their interests led them to keep taking courses in a certain subject area. As am added bonus, you can also use your meal plan at any UR dining center—yes, Starbucks is a big draw—and can check out books from the many U of R libraries, as well as use the U of R gym free of charge.
Students can add a River Campus major even if they are already a student at Eastman. I applied to both Eastman and the U of R and was accepted to study at both campuses my freshman year, but I have friends who added a River Campus major in their second year and still finished on time, with the help of summer courses. Conversely, some of my friends began with a dual degree and decided to drop it during the course of their four years. Advisers at both Eastman and the U of R are with you every step of the way, whether you decide to add or drop—I really cannot say enough to capture the extent of their support.
Overall, I was extremely gratified to graduate both from Eastman and the University of Rochester. Pursuing a degree in English at the University of Rochester alongside my oboe degree has allowed me to combine my expressive pursuits with my long-held interests in intellectual inquiry. Both degrees have given me tools, connections, and skills to propel myself forward into the future. If you are equally passionate about music and another subject, give the Dual-Degree option plenty of thought. While challenging, it is extraordinarily worthwhile, and I feel very fortunate to have had the option of undertaking degrees at two unparalleled institutions.