Jan. 24, 2013
For Immediate Release
By Christina L. Kern, office assistant
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - The Campbellsville University School of Music is revamping the church music degree to offer a new emphasis—the bachelor of science in music worship arts emphasis.
The National Association of Schools of Music, an organization that establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials, recently accredited the new degree emphasis.
Dr. Tony Cunha, dean of the School of Music, said, the university's offering of the bachelor of science degree in music worship arts offers more flexibility for graduates than the previous bachelor of music degree with an emphasis in church music. The degree is an improved upon combination of the School of Music's former church music degree and the School of Theology's former bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree in worship arts.
He said the bachelor of science degree is more into the liberal arts realm with the bachelor of music degree being a more “professional” degree.
The program, designed by Cunha with suggestions from faculty, staff and students, provides a “balance of music and theology” and is designed to fit more than one worship style so it is “more diverse for finding a job in churches of various worship styles,” Cunha said.
“Church musicians are expected to be articulate in the Bible, and the new worship arts program provides a good foundation in both music and theology because we have strong schools in each of these areas,” Cunha said.
The worship arts core courses make approximately one-third of the 80-hour degree with courses in music and theology. A portion of these hours is dedicated to a one-year internship in a local church. There is also a senior capstone course for students to implement a project in the church, depending upon the needs in the church. Students will also take part in a worship ensemble for class credit.
There are other classes which apply to other aspects of serving in a church: worship and technology, computers and music, and church drama.
Music students may also be eligible for performance grants/scholarships, where in the past, worship arts students wouldn't receive financial help in this manner because it was under the school of theology. Cunha also said a benefit of having worship arts under the School of Music is students can apply for graduate school anywhere, at either a seminary or university.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.