Best colleges for computer science and music?

I have a passion for both computer science and music and want to combine these interests in college. Which colleges have strong programs in both areas that allow me to pursue them simultaneously?

There are several colleges where you could pursue both of these fields.

Stanford University has a strong computer science program, and they provide the option of double majoring, allowing you to also pursue music. Their music department offers courses in many areas like music history, theory, composition, and performance.

Carnegie Mellon University also has a strong reputation for both computer science and music. The School of Computer Science is one of the top in the nation, and their School of Music has a comprehensive program with both classical and contemporary focuses. They even have a unique interdisciplinary program called the BXA Intercollege Degree Programs which allows students to combine a humanities or arts concentration with a technical discipline.

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, you can major in Computer Science + Music, a program that combines the two fields. It is designed to educate a new generation of professionals to engineer software and hardware musical instruments, to work with sound in video games and film, and to develop new electronic music compositions and performance software.

Finally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is renowned for its computer science program. While MIT may be known for engineering and technology, they also offer a robust Music program. Their Media Lab houses the Opera of the Future group, where the focus is on reimagining opera and inventing instruments of the future.

In general, look for supportive environments that encourage students to pursue double majors or interdisciplinary programs combining STEM and the arts. Always reach out to the programs directly to get a clear understanding of how to balance your two interests.