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

Description

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.

 

Admission Requirements

  1. 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.
  2. High school diploma or G.E.D. Foreign students must hold the equivalent.
  3. Completion of the Application Procedure.

*See the Undergraduate Portfolio section for an explanation. 

Program Requirements

  1. Students are expected to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the Student Handbook of the year of their acceptance with particular focus on their degree program.  Students are bound by the academic and financial requirements of the Handbook in use at the time of their acceptance.  The current Student Handbook as well as past years’ Handbooks can be viewed here. 
  2. Completion of 30 credit hours from the College’s B.S.M. online curriculum (Transfer credit can be considered on a case by case basis).
  3. Completion and submission of senior paper 

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Senior Paper   

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 following topics in their senior paper: 
    • the nature and extent of their experience and current social service/ministry work
    • their plans for furthering their work
    • how their studies and resulting degree from Cloverdale College will benefit them in their service to their community 
The format of the senior paper is as follows: 
  1. 3,500-5,000 words (10-15 pages)
  2. one-inch margins
  3. double-spaced
  4. typed in Times New Roman 12 point font
Papers are submitted by email or mail to the Office of the Registrar.
 
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Tuition
 
Total Program Cost: $8,900
Degree candidates are bound by the regulations of the Foundation Handbook of the year in which they are accepted into their program of study. Tuition fees will not change during a student’s course of study, providing the student submits payments and papers on schedule and completes the degree program within the prescribed time. If the student does not conform to scheduled payment and/or paper submission deadlines, the student’s file will be deactivated. Upon reactivation, the student will be responsible for the tuition and degree requirements which are current at the time of reactivation.

Tuition payment schedule
1/3 of total fees paid within 30 days of acceptance
1/3 of total fees paid within one year of the date of acceptance
1/3 of total fees paid by March 1st of the year of graduation

Payment Plan Option
 
Students who are unable to make tuition payments in three installments may request to be placed on a payment plan. The payment plan option allows the student to make small monthly or quarterly tuition payments for the duration of the degree program. There is no interest charged on payment plans. If a student requests a mailed invoice as a reminder to make payment, there is a ten dollar fee per invoice.

To make tuition and fee payments online click here. 
 
If you have a question for the Bursar please click here or contact our office 9am-3pm est.
 
 
Graduation
 
When all academic and financial requirements have been met, the student is eligible to attend graduation. Students of the College have the option of attending graduation (held each year in May) or receiving the diploma by mail.
 
 
Southeast Asia Program
 
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. Verification must be submitted by the student to Cloverdale College upon completion of each course.    
 
Program Curriculum
  1. 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)
  2. The Instruments of the Orchestra (including keyboard and organ) (3 credits)
  3. Form in Church Music (6 credits)
    The Motet
    Cantata
    Mass
    Ave Maria
    Chorale
    Hymn
    Magnificat
    Te Deum
    Oratorio
    Requiem
    Stabat Mater
  4. 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
  5. 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)
  6. 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)
  7. Sight Reading/Sight Singing, Keys, Time Signatures, Note
    Values, Dynamics, Tempi, Articulation (3 credits)
  8. 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.
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.dy

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