Bachelor of Sacred Music (B.S.M.)

Cloverdale College offers the degree-completion Bachelor of Sacred Music (B.S.M.) especially for experienced music directors and musicians engaged in regular music worship ministry in their faith community.

This degree has the following options: 1) Performance-based Track, 2) Course-based Track, 3) Performance/Course Combination Track, and 4) Southeast Asia Track. The Southeast Asia Track is directed by The Rev. Fr. Francis Leong, Director of Southeast Asia Programs and Bishop Anthony Walsh Professor of Musicology and Asian Christian Studies, who is located in Singapore.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition: $4,750.00
Graduation: $100.00

Admission Requirements

Completion of the Undergraduate Portfolio* to provide evidence of five or more years of post-high school, professional-level paid or volunteer work experience in a social service ministry or faith community
High school diploma or G.E.D. Foreign students must hold the equivalent.
Completion of the Application Procedure.

* See the Undergraduate Portfolio section for an explanation.

Program Requirements

Courses may be taken in the following ways (unless otherwise indicated): 1) online from Approved Educational Venues, 2) on-site from Approved Educational Venues, or 3) transfer credits from accredited colleges, universities, diocesan approved training programs and professional training programs. All students are required to submit a list of proposed courses to the Dean’s office for final approval before beginning their studies.

Each time the student completes a course from a selected institution, the completion certificate, transcript, or some other documented form of verification must be submitted to Cloverdale College.

The senior paper is the final academic requirement of all undergraduate students. This paper should consist of the student’s personal reflections on his/her ministry or social service work to date. Students should address the nature and extent of their experience and current social service/ministry work, their plans for furthering their work, and how their studies and resulting degree from Cloverdale College will benefit them in their service to their community. The senior paper must be 3,500-5,000 words (10-15 pages) with one-inch margins, double-spaced, and typed in Times New Roman 12 point font. Papers are submitted by mail to the Office of the Registrar of Cloverdale College.

When all academic and financial requirements have been met, the student is eligible to receive his/her diploma. Students of the College have the option of attending graduation (held each year in May) or receiving the diploma by mail.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of 30 credits (240 contact hours) from Cloverdale College or any approved venue (see track requirements below)
Submission of documentation of coursework and/or required response papers
Completion and submission of senior paper

Performance-based Track

The performance-based B.S.M. track is geared toward the church musician. This track requires the student to submit copies of performance bulletins from 52 regular worship services, 2 bulletins from special performances (holidays, weddings, etc.), and 2 audio recordings of public performances. The final requirement of this track is the writing of the senior paper.

The regular performances are valued at 4 contact hours each and the special performances are valued at 16 contact hours for a total of 240 contact hours needed to fulfill the final year of study in this degree-completion program.

Course-based Track

The course-based B.S.M. program requires the completion of ten courses (24 contact hours per course). These courses may be taken from any Approved Educational Venue as well as in the form of ETutorials from the College's own music faculty. The final requirement of this track is the writing of the senior paper.

Performance/Course Combination Track

In the event a student wishes to combine both performance and course work in the earning of the B.S.M. degree, there must be an accumulation of 240 contact hours of instruction/performance to complete the program. Any combination of performances and courses fulfilling this requirement will be accepted if the sequence of performances/courses has been approved by the Dean of the College. The final requirement of this track is the writing of the senior paper.

Southeast Asia Track

All students interested in obtaining their Bachelor of Sacred Music from Cloverdale College and who also wish to study under Rev. Francis Leong in Singapore must receive final approval to commence their studies from Dr. Leong before they will be accepted into the College. The senior paper is not required.

NOTE: Foreign students must hold the Cambridge School Certificate or its equivalent.

Rev. Leong is the director for all courses for the B.S.M. (Southeast Asia Track) and has created the following curriculum. Students are required to choose and obtain 30 credits from the following courses. All course certificates must be submitted by the student to Cloverdale College upon completion of each course.

Program Curriculum

History of Music (6 credits each)
Church Music in the Renaissance (1430-1600)
Church Music in the Baroque Period (1600-1700)
Church Music in the Classical Period (1700-1800)
Church Music in the Romantic Period (1800-1900)
Church Music in the Modern Period (1900-present)
The Instruments of the Orchestra (including keyboard and organ) (3 credits)
Form in Church Music (6 credits)
The Motet
Cantata
Mass
Ave Maria
Chorale
Hymn
Magnificat
Te Deum
Oratorio
Requiem
Stabat Mater
Composers and their Specific Works (6 credits each)
Bach's Christmas/Easter Oratorio
Handel's Messiah
Britten's Hymn to St.Cecilia
Cesar Franck's Les Beatitudes- Oratorio
Berkeley's Salve Regina
Dvorak's/ Rossini's Te Deum
Mahler's Resurrection Symphony
Monteverde's 1610 Vespers
Rossinin's/Dvorak's Stabat Mater
Schubert's /Gounod's Ave Maria
Vaughan Williams' Magnificat
Theory of Music (6 credits)
• Time Signatures, composition of a four-bar rhythm or composition of a rhythm to given words
• Alto (C clef centered on 3rd line) Double #s and double flats
• Scales and key signatures of all major and minor keys
• Construction of chromatic scale
• Identification and writing of triads on tonic, subdominant and dominant notes
• Terms and signs, recognition of trills, turn, ornaments, acciaccatura, appoggiatura lower mordant
• Five/Six Theory Exams conducted by Trinity/Guildhall London and Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM)
Practical - Voice, Instruments (6 credits)
• Equivalent of the First Concert Certificate, or Grade
• Five/Six Practical Exams conducted by Trinity/Guildhall London and Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM)
Sight Reading/Sight Singing, Keys, Time Signatures, Note
Values, Dynamics, Tempi, Articulation (3 credits)
Aural Training (3 credits)
To listen to a short piece in duple, triple, or compound duple,
triple time played twice and to state:
• The time signature
• If it begins in a major or minor key
• If the tonality changes as the piece progresses, and if so, how
• After further playing of the closing section of the piece, to state whether the cadence at the end is perfect, imperfect, plagal or interrupted.

To sing or play from memory a short melody played twice by the examiner. The key chord and starting note will first besounded and named, and the pulse indicated. A second attempt
will be allowed if necessary.