Doctor of Sacred Music (D.S.M.)

Description

The Doctor of Sacred Music is a second level professional degree for persons engaged in parish music ministries as a cantor, director or minister of music, pastoral musician, pastor of worship, organist, etc., or in other contexts in which the individual serves in a sacred music capacity, such as a music missionary. Persons who possess a master’s degree in church, liturgical or sacred music, or who have earned a master’s degree in another area of music within which sacred music study was undertaken, are welcome to apply. The D.S.M. is designed to enable the candidate to develop a sequence of four units which will focus on an area of sacred music previously lacking in the candidate’s training, or focus on taking an area of musical expertise to a higher level. Students may specialize in a performance area, musical composition, research, parish music administration, or other in-ministry concerns. Study for the units may be acquired by attending a traditional graduate level course, by directed study, or through a combination of short-term courses, seminars, workshops, master classes, or private instruction at the institutions of the candidate’s choice. Depending on the nature of the plan of studies, the D.S.M. Project may take the form of a recital or a lecture-recital, a choral/instrumental performance, the writing of a traditional thesis, the composition and performance of an original work or set of works, or the development of an in-ministry activity based on the student’s particular area of interest and context need.

Time Frame and Tuition

The usual time-frame for degree programs is a minimum of eighteen months and a maximum of forty-eight months for completion.

Tuition: $7,250.00
Project Processing: $250.00
Graduation: $100.00

Admission Requirements

Baccalaureate degree or equivalent in some area of music validated by a transcript.
Master’s degree in sacred music or another area of music within which sacred music study was undertaken, validated by a transcript.
Five years of accumulated experience in music ministry.
Completion of the Application Procedure.

Orientation

Residency

Candidates complete four Units of Study at approved institutions. European degree candidates are encouraged to take at least one of these units at Oxford University in the Summer Programme of Theology. A Unit of Study may be “built” through a combination of short-term courses of study, directed study, master’s classes, private lessons, workshops, convocations, seminars, institutes, independent readings, etc. Private study and seminar/workshop attendance may include study in organ, voice, piano, choral conducting, hand bell techniques, etc. During the initial planning stage of one’s program of studies, the doctoral candidate should consider focusing his/her efforts in one of three tracks: performance, academic, or administrative (ministerial). The candidate, therefore, is encouraged to “create” a sequence of units, which will focus on, and develop expertise in, an area of sacred music previously lacking in his/her training, or focus on taking an area of musical expertise to a higher level (e.g. organ performance, children’s choir directing, etc.).

Response Papers

There are four response papers of 1,750-2,500 words (7-10 pages), one for each Unit of Study taken, which are required by the Foundation prior to the submitting of the doctoral project. Each paper should reflect the work done for each specific unit and must be analytically reflective regarding the relevance of the unit’s content to the exercise of ministry. Each paper is evaluated and a response is mailed to the student. If further development of the paper is deemed necessary, the student will be notified.

NOTE: For Paper Guidelines, please Click Here.

Project Consultant

Option A: Students may select a faculty member of the Foundation to serve as Project Consultant. This option enables the student to receive helpful and pragmatic evaluative feedback from a member of the faculty in the developmental process of producing the Exit Project. The role of the faculty Project Consultant is responsive and suggestive rather than “supervisory” as is the case with academic thesis writing. The faculty person is encouraged to limit feedback to pragmatically helpful hints and suggestions and not to attempt any censorship of the project. The exercise of discretion with respect to time demands is very important for both the student and faculty member. The faculty Project Consultant must give final approval of the student’s work by submitting the Project Consultant’s Report Form. The assessment from the Project Consultant is due by February 1 of the intended year of graduation.

Selection of Faculty Consultant and Nomination Procedure:

The student peruses the Faculty Details page and makes a selection.
The student completes the Faculty Project Consultant Nomination Form 107 (Forms).
Student Services provides the nominated faculty member with Form 107.
The selected faculty member notifies Student Services of acceptance of student nomination.
Student Services informs the student and faculty member of relationship approval and contact information is provided.

Option B: Students are at liberty to select a Project Consultant who is not on the faculty of the Foundation. In that event, the Project Consultant must hold a comparable degree to that being pursued by the student. The student must nominate the Project Consultant by submitting a letter of nomination to the Foundation along with a C.V. of the nominee. The student is notified upon approval of the Project Consultant by the Academic Affairs Committee. The Project Consultant must give final approval of the student’s work by submitting the Project Consultant’s Report Form. The assessment from the Project Consultant is due by February 1 of the intended year of graduation.

Doctoral Project

The concept and format of the Project can adhere to one of three distinct project formats as delineated below. The final draft of the project must be submitted to the Foundation by February 1 prior to graduation.

Academic Track: The D.S.M. project in its final form, if a thesis style, must be 35,000-40,000 words (140-160 pages), doublespaced, footnoted, with a table of contents as well as a bibliography of a minimum of 35 sources. It is also recommended that the project have annotations for the 10-12 most important
sources for the project.

Performance Track: Recording or video of recital, lecture-recital, the composition of an original work or set of works, or conducting performance Administrative / Ministerial Project: The project should reflect the student’s particular interests and/or context needs, such as the teaching of a series of classes on hymnody, the development and execution of a series of workshops, etc. The project must include a written component and may include recordings or video if
applicable.

Graduation Requirements

Viewing of the Foundation's instructional Orientation video.
Completion of four Units of Study at any approved educational institution.
Submission of four response papers of 1,750-2,500 words (7-10 pages) on topics related to the units completed.
Completion of the D.S.M. Project and submission of one copy including the Project Consultant's evaluation forms. All academic requirements must be met by February 1 prior to graduation.
Attendance at the Convocation/Graduation. (Non-US residents are exempt from this requirement.)

Professional Associations in Sacred Music

American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
The American Guild of Organists (AGO)
Association of Canadian Choral Conductors (ACCC)
Church Music Association of America (CMAA)
The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada
National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM)
Royal School of Church Music (RSCM)
Royal School of Church Music in America
Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO)
The Royal College of Organists (RCO)