Known for the study of jazz and modern American music,[6] it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including rock, hip hop, reggae, salsa, heavy metal and bluegrass.

In 1945, pianist, composer, arranger and MIT graduate Lawrence Berk founded Schillinger House, the precursor to the Berklee School of Music, after quitting his job at Raytheon.

[14] Lawrence Berk emphasized learning from practitioners, as opposed to academics, and generally hired working musicians as faculty members.

Although far more emphasis is placed on academic credentials among new faculty hires than in the past, experienced performers such as Gary Burton, Mick Goodrick, Pat Metheny, Arif Mardin, Aydin Esen, Hal Crook, Joe Lovano, Danilo Perez, and others have served as faculty over the years.

[19] In 1957, Berklee initiated the use of technology in music education with Jazz in the Classroom, a series of LP recordings of student work, accompanied by scores.

[21] Members of the first graduating class to receive degrees included Alf Clausen, Stephen Gould and Michael Rendish.

During the 1960s, the Berklee curriculum began to reflect new developments in popular music, such the rise of rock and roll, soul and funk, and jazz-rock fusion.

Guitarist Jack Petersen accepted an invitation by Berk to design and chair the first formal guitar curriculum.

[25] Vibraphonist Gary Burton joined the faculty in 1971, helping to solidify the place of jazz-rock fusion in the curriculum.

[26] As Dean of Curriculum from 1985 to 1996,[27] Burton led the development of several new majors, including music synthesis and songwriting, and facilitated the school's transition to technology-based education.

[28] Curriculum innovations during the 1970s included the first college-level instrumental major in electric bass guitar in 1973,[29] and the first jazz-rock ensemble class in 1974.

[44] Under Brown's leadership the college's enrollment has grown and diversified, admission has become highly selective, and significant increases have occurred in the retention (above 80% in 2016) and graduation rate (above 60% in 2015).

[52] In June 2015, Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory announced that the governing boards for the two schools had approved plans to pursue a proposed merger.

Muhl previously worked at the University of Southern California (USC), where she was dean and founding executive director of the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation.

Berklee's administrators released a statement saying, in part, that the college has rigorous policies and procedures in place to deal with claims of sexual harassment.

[60] On November 13, students staged a silent protest and class walkout to address the allegations of sexual harassment by teachers and staff.

[67] Berklee offers three different terms for entering full-time students: the traditional fall semester, spring, and summer.

[70] The high cost of attendance has forced many low-income students to quit after the first two semesters, or take out large loans,[71] as the school offers very few merit-based scholarships,[72] and close to no need-based grants.

[76] Beginning in 1972 an era of more rapid expansion began with the purchase of the Fenway Theatre and the adjoining Sherry Biltmore Hotel at 150 Massachusetts Avenue.

[79] The Genko Uchida Center at 921 Boylston Street opened in 1997 and houses the offices for enrollment, admissions, scholarships and student employment, the registrar, financial aid, bursar, rehearsal and classroom space, and the 200-seat David Friend Recital Hall.

[81] As of 2014[update], Berklee occupied 25 buildings primarily in the Back Bay area of Boston, near the intersection of Boylston Street and Massachusetts Avenue.

[82] The studios of the five-channel, commercial-free Berklee Internet Radio Network (BIRN), which launched in 2007, were also housed on campus.

[85] The building received the American Institute of Architects' 2015 Housing Award, being named one of the best 10 residential projects of the previous year.

The third building is planned to be at 161–171 Massachusetts Avenue, which is expected to contain more academic and administrative space for the Berklee College of Music.

[87] Berklee València is the college's first international campus, housed in the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.

These include clinics, workshops, and seminars as well as short, concentrated sessions in areas such as performance, flamenco, film scoring, music business, technology and production, and education.

Housed in the Power Station studios in Hell's Kitchen, it offers a one year, three-semester, Master of Arts in Creative Technology.

[103] Former Berklee Online students include members of Nine Inch Nails, Dave Matthews Band (Stefan Lessard), Karmin (Amy Heidemann), Sugarland (Annie Clements, Brandon Bush, Thad Beatty), and Train.

The college is reportedly the first nonprofit music institution to offer regionally accredited bachelor's degrees online.