SCMU-MSM - Sacred Music

Applicants for the M.S.M. program must hold a bachelor of music or bachelor of music education degree, or its equivalent, from a regionally accredited institution. Their undergraduate preparation must include credited work in choral conducting and at least 30 credit hours of courses in the liberal arts.

A cumulative GPA of at least 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale) is required for admission to the master of sacred music program. Admission to the School of Theology further requires that a minimum GPA of 2.750 be achieved in the student’s liberal arts work. The concentration in liturgical musicology requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.500 for admittance and requires that the student maintain at least a 3.500 GPA for all graduate work. Although one application is made through Perkins School of Theology, successful applicants for the M.S.M. program are accepted by both the Division of Music in the Meadows School of the Arts and the Perkins School of Theology.

The applicant is expected to bring capabilities in one of the seven concentrations offered, demonstrating potential for success for study at the graduate level. Admission to the applied concentrations (choral conducting, keyboards, organ, and composition and arranging) requires that the applicant demonstrate performance capabilities by a personal audition or by an online Web link. All academic concentrations (music education, worship arts and liturgical musicology) include applied instruction in choral conducting and organ and a keyboard proficiency exam. In addition, the application should include a description of previous experience or written work that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to pursue graduate level work in the chosen concentration.

Applicants who already hold graduate degrees in music (master of music, master of music education or other comparable degree) or who have completed some coursework at the graduate level may, upon the approval of the director of the program, apply up to nine credit hours (or the equivalent) of nonperformance graduate musical or theological study toward the M.S.M. degree. However, this work must also meet the approval of the Committee on Graduate Studies of the Division of Music (if the work is in music) or of the registrar of the Perkins School of Theology (if the work is in theology). Hours in the M.S.M. may also apply toward the M.Div., Master of Theology M.A.M., M.T.S. or T.H.M. degrees offered by the Perkins School of Theology. Consultation with the director of the M.S.M. program is recommended.