Make a joyful noise

From the passionate belting of the psalmists to the angels announcing our Savior’s birth, the Scriptures are littered with examples of God’s people boldly proclaiming His great works through song. Fitting then that we carry on the practice today. By lifting our voices and musical talents to the Lord during worship, we honor Him and stir others to know Him better. And behind every jubilant congregation is someone—like you—guiding the worship and offering up their musical talents in service to Him.

Credits36
Cost Per Credit$715
Sample Careers
  • Musician
  • Music Director
  • Music Therapist
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Program Overview

Through the master's degree in church music, you’ll be encouraged to strengthen your theological knowledge and grow as a church musician so that you can better guide and enhance others’ worship. Our graduate program is designed to be completed exclusively in summer sessions, or in combination with evening sessions. This allows us to meet your needs outside of the traditional academic year, while still providing the beneficial personal interaction with the faculty. You’ll be able to choose from two areas of emphasis: organ and choral. And even though our courses are taught from a distinctly Lutheran perspective, all denominations are always welcome. The ecumenical diversity brings an immeasurable strength to the teaching and ongoing discussion of church music.

What to Expect

Through this master’s program, you’ll not only perfect your musical abilities, you’ll deepen your understanding of how music ought to relate to theology, specifically in a worship setting. With the combination of these two areas of expertise, you’ll grow in your ability to shape meaningful worship experiences for parishioners. What will your course work look like? Some courses will focus on areas like music theory, arranging, and composing. Others will prepare you for leadership roles in conducting and directing choirs or instrumental groups. Towards the end of your education, you’ll be asked to demonstrate a knowledge of liturgical music practices, musical forms, and the history of music in the church.

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Concentrations / Specializations
  • Organ
  • Choral

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