Church Music (Foundation Degree)

Why Church Music?

The Foundation Degree in Church Music is a unique partnership between two institutions with enormous experience in Church Music. It is intended to support and develop the work of church musicians, and you remain at home, and use your own church or place of worship as the basis for your study. The University and the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) work together to give you the education, training and support to ensure you succeed. Throughout the year, the RSCM’s extensive network of practising church musicians support and mentor you in your musical ‘home base’, while the University provides tuition at residential study schools, giving the specialist knowledge and understanding that underpins all our work in music for worship. Each of the study schools supports one particular module and they are an unforgettable opportunity to meet people with a common interest. It is in these study schools that Canterbury comes into its own: while we use the superb University facilities extensively, we also spend time in the Cathedral. We do not forget that you are practising musicians, and many study days have ended with a sung Compline in the Cathedral Crypt. You will have access to our Virtual Learning Environment, our ‘E-Library’ (including the Grove Online Dictionary of Music), and the Naxos CD library online.

What will I study?

In Year 1, Ministry and Worship 1 considers contemporary patterns of Christian worship and the concept of ministry. Music and Liturgy 1 examines the aspects and contexts of music in a religious context and beyond. Church Music Management introduces the core knowledge required and/or relevant for the effective organisation of music in church contexts using good practice case studies. Project 1 offers you an opportunity to consolidate and develop your work in areas where you have particular interests and/or abilities. Skills of the Church Musician 1 develops your skills in church music leadership, allowing specialisation in your chosen area(s) of activity – whether as director, performer, or composer. In Year 2, Ministry and Worship 2 considers the relationship between context and culture, applying this to contemporary debates. Music and Liturgy 2 considers the nature of the worshipping community, and the implications for music in the various cycles that make up the church’s year. The wider mission of church music is discussed as students think about church music’s role both in the life of the church outside worship and in the wider community. Project 2 offers you another opportunity to develop your work in areas where you have particular interests and/or abilities. Skills of the Church Musician 2 continues your development in church music leadership.

What can I do next?

One of the most obvious things you could do is continue your studies: the two-year Foundation Degree will prepare you for a third year at Canterbury Christ Church – or any other institution – to gain your BA or BMus degree. Whether or not you choose to do this, you will have gained the knowledge and expertise to develop your work in this richly rewarding field of music in Britain and abroad. Did you know? We are a Church of England Foundation with a specialism in Church Music: the Cathedral is just across the road from the Canterbury Campus; the Organist of the Cathedral, Dr David Flood, is a Fellow of the University and a visiting lecturer in the Department, and the Programme Director is a Lay Clerk in the Cathedral Choir. Many undergraduates are active in the Chapel Choir in local church music groups around the area – often going on to lead those groups when they have graduated.

Content and Structure

The actual degree course has a very simple structure: four or five ‘modules’ per year, adding up to 120 ‘credits’ per year.  They are shown below, with a brief summary of what’s in each module:

1st Year (HE Level 4)

Ministry and Worship 1 [20 credits]

• Content: The foundations of Christian ministry and worship; present traditions
• Mode of Delivery: printed/online materials; supporting reading; Residential Study School
• Assessment: one 2,000-word essay; Study School seminar presentation (10-15 minutes)

Music and Liturgy 1 [20 credits]

• Content: introduction to chant, congregational song, choral polyphony, music with instruments and voices; special study of ONE form of liturgy and its music (to be chosen by student in consultation with tutor)
• Mode of Delivery: printed/online materials; supporting reading; Residential Study School
• Assessment: one 2,000-word essay; responses to set questions on music studied (2,000 words equivalence)

Church Music Management [20 credits]

• Content: Core knowledge required and/or relevant for the effective use of music in church/youth group/band; legal issues of child protection, copyright, health and safety; good practice Case Studies with regard to e.g., recruitment and training, roles and responsibilities; working as a team
• Mode of Delivery: printed/online materials; supporting reading; Residential Study School; advice and guidance by RSCM Mentors
• Assessment: one 2,000-word essay; responses to set questions on Case Studies (2,000 words equivalence)

Project 1 [20 credits]

• Content: the projects offer students an opportunity to consolidate and develop their work in areas where they have particular interests and/or abilities. They also enable them to demonstrate assimilation of the whole course, and the opportunity to relate their work more specifically to their regular work and local experience of music in worship
• Mode of Delivery: online and electronic tutorial support by tutors at CCCU; supporting reading; advice and guidance by RSCM Mentors
• Assessment: a Proposal (750 words); a single piece of work (3,250 words or equivalent) exploring students’ special interest

Practical Church Musicianship 1 [40 credits]

• Content: development of the skills relevant to church music leadership, allowing specialisation in two or more of the following:
• singer
• voice trainer
• choir trainer
• music leader (cantor or instrumental)
• keyboard/organ player (solo)
• organ player (accompanying and leading
• composer/arranger.
  
• Mode of Delivery: advice and guidance by RSCM Mentors; supporting reading
• Assessment: two practical assessment occasions (one of which may be at a Study School in front of CCCU staff); a Portfolio of evidence with Reflective Analytical Commentary (3000-word equivalence)

2nd Year (HE Level 5)

Ministry and Worship 2 [20 credits]

• Content: basic theology of worship and ministry, with a pastoral emphasis, including consideration of the following:
• aspects of pastoral, formal, ecumenical and civic worship and ministry;
• distinctions of language, style and presentation of worship;
• musical ministry – calling, leadership, giftedness, encouragement, spirituality in communal prayer
  
• Mode of Delivery: printed/online materials; supporting reading; Residential Study School
• Assessment: one 2,000-word essay; Study School seminar presentation (10-15 minutes)

Music and Liturgy 2 [20 credits]

• Content: special studies of the Eucharist and ‘Services of the Word’, including consideration of the following:
• Christian seasons and feasts;
• availability and use of musical resources;
• consideration of genres and repertories for selected styles and settings of worship

• Mode of Delivery: printed/online materials; supporting reading; Residential Study School
• Assessment: one 2,000-word essay; responses to set questions on music studied (2,000 words equivalence)

Project 2 [40 credits]

• Content: see above, Project 1
• Mode of Delivery: online and electronic tutorial support by tutors at CCCU; supporting reading; advice and guidance by RSCM Mentors
• Assessment: a Proposal (1000 words); a single piece of work (7000 words or equivalent) exploring students’ special interest

Practical Church Musicianship 2 [40 credits]

• Content: further development of the skills relevant to church music leadership, allowing specialisation in two or more of the areas named above. 
• Mode of Delivery: advice and guidance by RSCM Mentors; supporting reading
• Assessment: two practical assessment occasions (one of which may be at a Study School); a Portfolio of evidence with Reflective Analytical Commentary (3000-word equivalence)

We think that the strongest aspect of the degree course is the way in which the university and the RSCM will work together: throughout the year, the RSCM network will support you in your musical ‘home base’, while the university will offer specialist tuition in the residential study schools. 

The Residential Study Schools in Canterbury

Each one of the study schools will support one particular module – partly so that if you are studying part-time you will be able to attend the ones relevant to the modules you’re doing in any given year – and they will be an unforgettable opportunity to meet new people with a common interest.  It’s in these study schools that Canterbury will come into its own: whilst we’ll use the university facilities extensively (superb new library, housed in Augustine House, and brand-new rehearsal facilities, including seminar and ensemble rehearsal rooms, opening in 2012), we will also spend time in the Cathedral.  We don’t forget that even whilst you may be studying ‘Ministry and Worship’, you are practising musicians, and many of the CCCU Study Days we have already run have ended with a sung Compline in the Cathedral Crypt, along with an opportunity to watch an open rehearsal of the Cathedral Choir and attend the daily sung Evensong. 

Canterbury Christ Church University has Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Paul Patterson – two of the world’s leading living composers – as visiting professors, and we have every intention of bringing our Church Music students into contact with them. It’s worth noting, too, that CCCU is the leading provider of training for the lay ministry in our part of the world, and we will capitalise on this enormous depth of expertise in the study schools.

Tutorial Support

For the rest of the academic year (October-June), university tutors are only a phone call or an email away, and much of the study will be done using the university’s online resources.  Along with all our students, you will have access to our Virtual Learning Environment –  ‘Blackboard’ – and all the learning materials will be there. Along with all other CCCU Music students, you will also have access to our ‘E-Library’, which will include the Grove Online Dictionary of Music, and the Naxos CD library online.

Conclusion

Have a quick tour around the Music Department, and be convinced that the new Church Music Foundation Degree is a wonderful way to deepen your knowledge and understanding of your work in sacred music.  We think this course has a lot to offer – whether you’re an experienced musician already, or a youngster who would quite like the opportunity to work towards a degree whilst staying where you are right now.  And you can always go on and do a third year to earn your BA or BMus afterwards if you want to.

HOW TO APPLY  

Applications for a full-time place on the course should be made through UCAS. Applications for a part-time place on the course should be made directly to the University using the links below.

FDCM application form (Word)
FDCM application form (Pdf)

For further course information please contact the Programme Director, Chris Price: chris.price@canterbury.ac.uk