The Petrie School is a professional school of music. What is the difference between a professional school of music and a conservatory?
The primary difference is in the curricula offered by these types of institutions. A music student at a conservatory will be enrolled in a degree program consisting largely of music skills studies with very little or no coursework required in general or liberal arts studies. In contrast, the Petrie School of Music provides the student with a wider range of degree programs, plus the opportunity to choose freely from Converse Colleges broad course offerings in the liberal arts. The rationale is that in the real world, professional musicians need to be able to think critically, speak and write well, and have marketable skills.
