Master's Degree in Liturgical Music

Course details

The Master’s Degree in Liturgical Music is a join academic and practice-based programme which will qualify holders to undertake posts as organists, cantors, or directors of music at parish or diocesan level. Each year of the programme will consist with specific attention to the area of liturgical music. This academic component will be balanced by an intensive course of supervised practical training in a number of core liturgical music disciplines.

Admission Requirements

The course is especially suited to applicants who have studied Theology and Music to degree level. Candidates should normally have obtained at least a Second Class Honours, Grade II overall. The Faculty of Theology may also accept candidates whom it deems to have an equivalent standard. As the programme contains a significant practical component, prospective candidates will need, on application, to furnish evidence of proficiency in at least one of the following three areas: (a) Cantor, (b) Organ, (c) Liturgical Composition. An interview will be part of the selection process.

Course Aims:

• To provide an academic framework appropriate to the study of Theology at Masters level.
• To provide students with an in-depth theological and theoretical formation in
• To form students in the historical, textual, doctrinal and technical aspects of liturgical music.
• To enhance students critical awareness of music composed for and performed in the liturgy.

selected practical disciplines.

Programme of Study

Year One of the programme consists of six core and two elective academic modules, together with at least two practical modules. Year Two, pided equally between academic and practical elements, focuses on the writing of a dissertation on a topic related to the area of liturgical music, and a major practicum in at least one (maximum two) of the musical disciplines listed below.

Year One

• Core Academic Modules:
• Research in Theology: Historical and Methodological Approaches
• Introduction to Liturgy and Christian Initiation
• The Eucharist
• Liturgical Time
• Music in Christian Worship
• Aspects of Liturgical music
• Elective Academic Modules:
• Students will take their elective modules from a range of options offered by the National Centre for Liturgy.
• Practical Modules:
• Liturgical Composition
• Organ Skills I
• Cantor Skills I
• Students will take Liturgical Composition in Year One, together with at least one of the remaining practical modules.

Year Two

• Methodology in Research
• Guided Thesis Research
• Practicum

Assessment

Academic modules are assessed by class attendance, presentations and written assignments. Practical modules are assessed in exam-style presentations and, in the case of liturgical composition, the presentation of a portfolio of work.