Peabody undergraduates fulfill 30 credits of Liberal Arts courses. Most students will enroll in a one-year, two-course sequence (6 credits), followed by eight electives (24 credits) taken over the rest of their time at Peabody. Although many students fulfill all these Liberal Arts credits on the Peabody campus, they can also fulfill them by taking classes at other Johns Hopkins campuses. Students needing intense writing instruction will take 6 credits of Writing Intensive before beginning the two-course Core Curriculum.
This two-course sequence, Core I and Core II, introduces students to multiple liberal arts disciplines and focuses not only on the subject of the class (for example, philosophy, media, anthropology). This sequence of courses also aims to help students understand what is expected of them at university. Especially with respect to the development of written, visual, and verbal communication skills that are central to academic practice. Key areas of focus include close reading, class discussion, research, and writing. Some classes will also give you the chance to express yourself both as individuals and as groups through video, audio, class discussion, web-based media, virtual reality, and both live and recorded presentations and performances.
Students must earn a D or better to receive core credit for either of these courses.
Core I (3 credits, only offered in the fall), 260.115
Core II (3 credits, only offered in the spring) 260.216
After their completion of the Core curriculum, students take the appropriate number of Liberal Arts electives to reach 30 credits. While students may take some courses at Homewood or elsewhere, Peabody’s Liberal Arts Department provides a rich and rigorous menu of courses designed specifically with Peabody students in mind. Please see the Course Offerings page for current classes.
Students must earn a D or better to receive credit for these courses.
The Language Program offers full-year 6-credit courses in French I, German I, and Italian I, as well as German II, to meet the requirements of Peabody Voice Majors. Language courses at Peabody focus primarily on language acquisition. Languages may also be taken as electives to meet Liberal Arts requirements after completion of the Core Curriculum.
The Academic English (AE) program is designed to support students in their academic and professional journey as performing artists. The focus of the program is on English language development as students engage with each other and the Peabody community to help them fully live both the academic and social experiences Peabody has to offer. The language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking are integrated into the curriculum using authentic texts and materials from both academic and professional contexts. The first semester of each year-long course emphasizes the skills of speaking, listening, and vocabulary building. The courses then naturally progress to incorporate reading and writing as students are encouraged to express their voice through language. It is the goal of the AE program to help students be confident, productive, and resourceful members of the Peabody community.
A minimum TOEFL score for acceptance into Peabody does not exempt students from Academic English courses. Although the TOEFL score may indicate potential student achievement, it may not necessarily reflect the competencies essential for thriving in an English-medium academic setting.
Students who were required by Admissions to provide a TOEFL score at the Peabody Conservatory are interviewed and assessed for English proficiency prior to arriving in the U.S. Based on the assessment, students will be placed in one of three Academic English courses. The Advising office will notify students of their placement decision or exemption as soon as possible before the first week of classes. All international students are welcome to take AE courses to develop their academic language skills, regardless of the placement decision.
Undergraduate students will receive credit for all AE courses toward their curriculum. However, these are non-credit courses for graduate students.
Students in the AE Program must successfully complete these courses to fulfill the requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree program. Some Peabody courses require AE courses as a prerequisite. The AE requirement may extend the length of a student’s program. Intensive English study over the summer months may help reduce the number of AE courses students they need to take in order to graduate.