Worship Leadership Major (B.A.)

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The bachelor of arts in worship leadership is a liberal arts degree designed for students committed to worship ministry in the church and parachurch organizations. Coursework emphasizes the practices of Christian worship and ministry with complementary studies in a worship-related concentration of the student’s choosing. Upon graduation, students will be equipped to pursue positions in worship leadership or graduate studies in seminary, worship, or related fields. Some congregations give these individuals titles such as Worship Minister, Worship Leader, Music/Worship Associate, Technology/Production Director, Artist in Residence, etc. The program includes coursework in music, worship, ensembles, a supervised internship in a congregational setting, as well as the student’s choice of a concentration in ministry, songwriting for worship, or worship production.

General Education - University Core Curriculum: 22 Credits

Click here to view the General Education - University Core Curriculum requirements.

General Education - Distribution Areas: 23 Credits

Natural and Computational Sciences (4)
Social Sciences (4)
Mathematics (4)
Languages (4) (proficiency through 102 or higher*)
Fine Arts: SOA 200 , SOA 210 , or SOA 250
Humanities (4)

Worship Leadership Major: 79-80 Credits

(Credit total includes credits for the Concentration)

Music Competencies: 38 Credits

MUSC 0999 - Music Seminar/Recital Attendance (0) (take 4 times)
MUSA 0011 - Performance Lab (0) (when enrolled in applied studies)
MUSC 1500 - Music Fundamentals (3) **
MUSC 1510 - Theory I: The Syntax of Music (3)
MUSC 1511 - Theory Lab I (1)
MUSC 1520 - Theory II: Diatonic Harmonic Idioms (3)
MUSC 1521 - Theory Lab II (1)
Secondary Instrument Training (4)
- MUSC 1941 - Class Piano I (1) (omit if student’s principal instrument is piano)
- MUSC 1942 - Class Piano II (1) (omit if student’s principal instrument is piano)
- MUSC 1920 - Class Voice I (1) (omit if student’s principal instrument is voice)
- MUSC 1921 - Class Voice II (1) (omit if student’s principal instrument is voice)
- MUSC 1910 - Class Guitar I (1) (omit if student’s principal instrument is guitar)
- MUSC 1911 - Class Guitar II (1) (omit if student’s principal instrument is guitar)
MUSC 1200 - Basic Conducting (2)
MUSC 2400 - Introduction to Music Literature (2)
COMU 2500 - Introduction to Music Technology (3)
Applied Studies (MUSA/MUSC) (4)***
Major Ensembles (choose 8 credits)****
Music Electives (COMU/MUSA/MUSC) (4)
(includes COMU 3404 - Global Music (3) and Applied Studies in Worship Leadership: MUSA 3195 , MUSA 3295 , MUSA 3395 )

Worship Leadership Core: 30 Credits

Worship Leadership Concentrations: 11-12 Credits

(choose a concentration below and complete all courses listed)

Ministry Concentration: 11 Credits

Songwriting for Worship Concentration: 12 Credits

MUSC 1560 - Introduction to Composition (2)
COMU 2830 - Recording Techniques I (3)
WRLD 3350 - Songwriting for Worship (3)
Applied Songwriting for Worship (includes MUSA 1294 , MUSA 2294 , MUSA 3294 , MUSA 4294 ) (4)
(take 2 semesters for 4 credits total)

Worship Production Concentration: 12 Credits

General Electives: 3-4 Credits

Total Required Credits: 128

*Language Requirement: A placement exam alone cannot satisfy this requirement. At least one course must be completed at Samford. Four (4) credits of language are required (102 or higher).
**Prereq: Musicianship Assessment administered by the Division of Music. If the assessment is passed, students may substitute 3 music credits with advisor permission.
***If student does not place via audition into the applied area for piano, voice, or guitar, he/she should begin applied studies with the Class I and II sequence. Students who begin in this sequence must make a B- or above in both Class I and II in order to progress into further applied study.

****All keyboard principles must fulfill two of the eight required major ensemble credits with MUSC 1740 /MUSC 1741 . Two additional instances of MUSC 1740 /MUSC 1741 may also apply.
Vocal principles must take at least four semesters of a major choral ensemble.
Worship Leadership majors with an instrumental or keyboard principle must take at least two semesters of a major choral ensemble.
Worship Leadership majors may substitute MUSC 1750 /MUSC 3750 or MUSC 1751 /MUSC 3751 for up to four credits as a major ensemble.