Diploma of Liturgical Music

About this course

The Diploma of Liturgical Music is designed to equip students with the skills required to use music in the context of Christian worship and liturgy. It provides students with introductory study in liturgical music, exploring its function, forms, and purpose, and draws forth theological, historical, ecclesial and pastoral principles to guide the choice of appropriate music for liturgical services and sacraments. This course aims to prepare students to be competent and informed exponents of liturgical music texts, rubrics, and scores, and to understand the power of liturgical music for bonding an assembly in its worship.

The Diploma of Liturgical Music may be taken as a stand-alone course, or concurrently with an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree program of the SCD or another tertiary institution Australian university or as further learning. It thereby offers students the opportunity to study liturgical music as an artistic and aesthetic complement to theology and ministry studies.

This award is not approved for CRICOS study.

  • Study Mode: Full Time, Part Time,

  • Credit Points: 72 (8 units)

  • Award Level: AQF Level 5

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Delivered at

St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College
  • NSW
  • Domestic
  • International

Course Details

Admission to the Diploma of Liturgical Music requires:

  • Satisfactory completion of Year 12 in the Australian school system, or its equivalent; OR
  • Mature Age and Special Entry Admission for those with evidence of capacity for successful study at this level; AND
  • Satisfactory performance in an audition to assess vocal ability and range

 

English Proficiency

Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) overall score of at least 6.0 with no subtest below 5.5.

The Diploma of Liturgical Music requires the completion of 72 credit points (8 units) chosen from the list of approved Diploma of Liturgical Music units

 

All course units shall be taken from the Sydney College of Divinity units coded within the 5000 series.

Knowledge

Graduates will have:

  • technical and theoretical notational knowledge and concepts in liturgical music
  • wider experience of liturgical music texts, including rubrics, essential compositions, and melodic sequences, that will in general form the basis for further learning
  • familiarity with the contents and usage of musical scores and liturgical books and with the rubrics of liturgical services

 

Skills

Graduates will have cognitive, communication, and technical skills in liturgical music, so that they are able to:

  • identify, analyse, and act on information from a range of musical sources at different levels of musical complexity
  • express ideas and perspectives related to liturgical music from a particular Christian tradition
  • communicate knowledge, skills and ideas to others with respect to liturgical music and its relation to Christian worship

 

Applications of Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will have the ability to:

  • demonstrate an understanding of theoretical knowledge by applying it in a context of Christian worship and ministry
  • perform technical recitals within a context of Christian liturgical worship and ministry that have some complexity, taking personal responsibility for them
  • organise, with initiative and judgement, the work of self and others in a collaborative manner and plan, coordinate and evaluate the work of a liturgical choir (within broad but generally well-defined parameters, such as a specific liturgical service or sacrament or pastoral setting)

A candidate may seek credit up to a maximum of 36 credit points in the Diploma of Liturgical Music.

 

Credit will be granted for units that are from an equivalent award or institution and have outcomes, content, demand hours, and assessment equivalent to that of units in the Diploma of Liturgical Music.

 

Articulation to other awards

Students who complete the Diploma of Liturgical Music and desire to undertake the Bachelor of Theology or Bachelor of Ministry may receive a block credit of 45 credit points distributed according to the units completed in this Diploma of Liturgical Music.

 

This award is not approved for CRICOS study.
The Diploma of Liturgical Music is offered through the individual colleges and an application for enrolment must be made to the Registrar of the teaching institution. The Registrar will be able to help you with any information regarding your study, including fees, units, mode of delivery, and timetable.


A student at Sydney College of Divinity is designated as full-time if enrolled in three units (27 credit points) or more in a semester or the equivalent in a trimester. Sydney College of Divinity offers a wide range of units and students have the option to study one or more units across the colleges delivering Sydney College of Divinity awards, whilst enrolled with one college.

 

If you have any questions email us at [email protected]