Carnegie Mellon University

BXA Intercollege Degree Programs

Interdisciplinary Academics + Arts

Internal Transfer Admission

The BXA Intercollege Degree Programs are intended for students who have interest and talent in both an arts concentration and an academic discipline, and goals that can only be accomplished at the intersection of those disciplines.

Timeline
  • Due Mid-Semester (every semester, admission is for the following semester). See below for important exceptions by program. Decisions are sent out in advance of registration for the following semester.

Application Contents and Criteria

  • Signed application indicating that the applicant met with a BXA advisor, the advisor in their proposed academic and CFA concentrations (and with their current advisor if not the same).
  • Essay of Interdisciplinary Intent in which a student explains why they’re interested in the two areas and why they want to combine them. This essay should be brief—500 words or fewer—and specific about both a student’s background in the concentration areas and what their goals are for bringing them together.
  • Cumulative QPA of 3.0 is required for all BXA programs.
  • Pre-Application Coursework specified by program. Every applicant must take preliminary coursework in their target area before submitting the application. There are several concentration-specific grade requirements—both prior semester grades and mid-semester grades for the semester of application—that applicants may need to meet (see specific BXA program instructions below for listing of pre-application coursework requirements).

Students must complete their first semester at Carnegie Mellon before applying for internal transfer. This enables students to take required/recommended preliminary courses in their target area of concentration before being reviewed for admission.

BXA design only considers applicants currently enrolled in Design.

BXA directing only considers applicants currently enrolled in Drama directing. BXA dramaturgy only considers applicants in the fall semester for spring enrollment, unless currently enrolled in Drama dramaturgy. Neither acting nor musical theater are options for BXA drama concentrations [pdf].

BXA music performance only considers applicants in the spring semester for fall enrollment, unless currently enrolled in Music performance.

Students currently in SCS must consult with their SCS advisor as well as the advisor in the CFA school they’d like a concentration in. We recommend that students take one or two courses in their target area of concentration before applying, and most CFA schools will require either a portfolio review or an audition. These reviews/auditions must be scheduled with the CFA advisor in that school.

Students currently in a CFA School must consult with their CFA advisor as well as the SCS advisor. To apply to BCSA from outside SCS, students must take 15-122, 15-150 and at least one of the 200-level core course (15-210, 15-213, 15-251), earning an average of B or better in those classes. This sequence takes a minimum of two semesters, and most students are eligible to apply by their sophomore year or later.

Students currently in Engineering must consult with an assistant dean for undergraduate studies in ENG as well as the advisor in the CFA school they’d like a concentration in. We recommend that students take one or two courses in their target area of concentration before applying, and most CFA schools will require either a portfolio review or an audition. These reviews/auditions must be scheduled with the CFA advisor in that school.

Students currently in a CFA School must consult with their CFA advisor as well as an assistant dean for undergraduate studies in ENG. To apply to BESA from outside ENG, students must take 21-120, 21-122, 33-141 and at least one of the introduction to engineering courses, earning an average of B or better in those classes. ECE applicants must also take 15-112. This sequence takes a minimum of two semesters, and most students are eligible to apply by their sophomore year or later.

Students currently in Dietrich College must consult with their DC primary advisor as well as the advisor in the DC department and CFA school they’d like a concentration in. We recommend that students take one or two courses in their target area of concentration before applying, and most CFA schools will require either a portfolio review or an audition. These reviews/auditions must be scheduled with the CFA advisor in that school.

Students currently in a CFA School must consult with their CFA advisor as well as the advisor in the DC department they’d like a concentration in. Students must take preliminary DC coursework in their target area before an application will be considered. Please see the list of required completed and in progress DC courses [pdf] before applying to BHA and meet with the appropriate DC advisor.

Students currently in Mellon College must consult with their MCS advisor as well as the advisor in the CFA school they’d like a concentration in. We recommend that students take one or two courses in their target area of concentration before applying, and most CFA schools will require either a portfolio review or an audition. These reviews/auditions must be scheduled with the CFA advisor in that school.

Students currently in a CFA School must consult with their CFA advisor as well as the advisor in the MCS department they’d like a concentration in. We recommend that students take one or two courses in their target area of concentration before applying.

Current BXA students who wish to change their BXA program (e.g. BHA to BCSA) or change their CFA concentration (e.g BHA architecture to BHA art) or delineated options within CFA concentrations (e.g. music performance to music composition) must apply for that change through the internal transfer process.

Current BESA, BHA and BSA students who wish to change their academic college concentration (e.g. BHA creative writing to BHA psychology, BSA physics to BSA mathematical sciences) or delineated options within their academic college concentration (e.g. BESA chemical engineering to BESA mechanical engineering) after declaring must submit a new BESA ENG Concentration Declaration Form [pdf], BHA DC Concentration Declaration Form [pdf] or BSA MCS Concentration Declaration Form [pdf] for approval of that change, which will be reviewed at the internal transfer committee meeting each semester.

Current BXA students seeking internal transfer out of BXA into another college program must apply and meet entry requirements to that program. Students who do not remain in BCSA can only return to their original major.