Calamus Distance Learning Courses

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Subject area: Music Bachelor, Master, Doctorate

Awarding body: Calamus International University. For further details of CIU please see the about page.

Status of course: The degrees are non-UK qualifications. For status of CIU please see the status page. CIU is accredited by the International Association for Distance Learning.

Entry requirements: Bachelor - by accelerated entry - approx. 50% credit from previous studies and/or experience needed for entry.

Master - a suitable bachelor's degree or professional qualifications are normally required.
Doctorate - a Bachelor's degree (and preferably a Master's) plus professional qualifications are normally required.

Method of study: Distance learning (taught course units are textbook-based) Textbooks are not included in tuition fees.

Start date: Any time of year (subject to availability)

Duration: The standard period of registration for an accelerated (advanced-entry) Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree or a Doctorate is a maximum of 18 months, after which registration lapses unless continuing registration fees are paid. This plan ensures that students can (a) complete as soon as academic requirements are fulfilled and (b) do not have to pay for long compulsory registration periods of several years before the final requirements can be met. In some cases, where the student needs to meet additional requirements, the agreed initial registration period will be up to 24 months.

Details:

This brochure should be read together with the Calamus general prospectus (catalogue) and Course Unit List. Calamus International University degrees are not UK degrees and do not have government accreditation.

Degrees in Musical Arts (for classically-trained musicians)

The following distance learning degree opportunities are currently available in Music. These degrees are for classically-trained musicians only with performing experience.

Non-classical areas: If you are a contemporary singer (rock, pop, folk or other non-classical styles) please see our Contemporary Voice brochure page. If you are a contemporary performer (not vocalist) we regret we have no suitable degree courses at present, but we might have in the future.

B.Phil. (Bachelor of Philosophy) in Music : available to qualified and practising musicians who wish to convert their current music diploma to a degree by writing an extended project/ submitting a portfolio of compositions and/or performances, together with taking a selection of CIU taught course units where necessary. Candidates must have a prior diploma or recognised qualification in music plus experience as a performer. Other educational qualifications will also be taken into account for credit transfer. In exceptional circumstances, candidates with a strong record of performance, but no qualification in music, will be considered provided they have at least the equivalent of two years’ post-high school education. Award of the B.Phil. leads to entry to Master’s or Doctoral courses in musical fields with Calamus International University.

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Music. The core of the Ph.D. is research and dissertation. (For musicians, a project such as a major composition or a series of performances will be considered together with an academic paper). Entry requirement: an acceptable Bachelor’s degree plus a recognised qualification in music plus evidence of suitability through previous achievements in composition, performance, teaching or scholarship. A certain amount of credit, if suitable, may be transferred from previous courses/ trainings/ performing experience plus ongoing work. If there is insufficient credit the student may be required to take certain textbook-based taught CIU courses from relevant ranges or to do equivalent studies as set by the academic supervisor.

M.Mus./ D.Mus. (Doctor of Music) / D.M.A. (Doctor of Musical Arts) These distance learning degrees are for trained and experienced classical musicians only with recognised qualifications. They are by taught courses plus a final project. Please see Course Unit List under Music for specialities, which are as follows:

Music theory and composition

Philosophy and aesthetics of music

Music education (nb – this does not lead to a teaching qualification but is for those already working as music teachers)

Musical performance

Church music

Other specialities can be considered.

In exceptional circumstances, applicants with no Bachelor’s degree but with other relevant qualifications and an outstanding resume/CV may be considered for admission direct to the Master’s degree. A professional standard of performance and knowledge of theory is essential.

Location of tutors

Tutoring for the classically-based music degrees is based in the USA. Normally students will be able to communicate with the academic advisor by email.

Music course units

A list of music course units is given at our music course unit index page.

Study of individual course units

At present it is not possible to study individual units from the M.Mus. section of our Course Unit List as part of any degree other than the classically-oriented M.Mus./D.Mus./DMA group, apart from the following which are available to Contemporary Voice students at Bachelor’s or Master’s level:

MUS 208          History of Rock and Roll
MUS 304          Managing Your Career in Music
MUS 306          The Jewish Contribution to Rock ‘n’ Roll

Further units in this series are being developed.

Music Therapy: Arts/Expressive Therapies

At present we do not offer certificates or diplomas in Music Therapy or Expressive Arts Therapy for professional practice as a music therapist. The nearest we offer is an M.Mus. (Master of Music degree) with concentration in Music Therapy, but that path is for the trained musician only, preferably with a Bachelor’s degree in music. This MMus is a professional development qualification – it does not lead to a licence in music therapy or to membership of any music therapy association.

Textbooks and coursework

The tuition fees do not include textbooks. Students normally buy their books from on-line bookstores such as Amazon. Second-hand copies of textbooks can often be found via Amazon or www.abebooks.co.uk or www.abebooks.com It is impossible to indicate the cost of books as prices vary and fluctuate all the time.

The programmes work on the basis of continuous assessment and there is no final examination. The programmes are totally by distance learning and there is no attendance requirement of any kind at any time.

Practical performance requirements will need to be recorded and submitted on audiocassette, CD, DVD or video.

Credit requirements

Bachelor - 120 credits including transfer credits.

Master - 45 credits including any transfer credits if the degree includes a thesis, or 48 credits without a thesis.

Doctorate (taught or research) - minimum 60 credits including any transfer credits if the degree includes a dissertation, or 70 credits without a dissertation. The Ph.D. must include a dissertation. A research doctorate will normally incorporate postgraduate transfer credits or credits from professional trainings. If insufficient transfer credit is available then some CIU taught course modules may need to be taken in addition to the research programme and dissertation.

One credit is nominally equivalent to one semester hour as in the typical American degree programme. The average course unit taken with CIU has a value of 3 credits or 3 semester hours.

Further advice

This brochure cannot cover everything, and further advice is available on enquiry. For best advice, please send us a copy of your curriculum vitae or resume with details of all relevant trainings you have done.

To see our prospectus and course unit list, and also to download an application form, please go to our downloads page

To see our tuition fees on-line please go to our tuition fees page

Calamus International University which awards the degrees is not a UK or US university - for status details click here.

If you have any queries please contact us, preferably by email on info@unicalamus.org

Page updated 22 April 2011