Purpose

The Music Diploma program is designed to prepare graduates to work as music professionals in emerging music and music-related professions. Graduates of the program may find employment in non-profit music and arts organizations or private music production facilities, or they may also become self-employed, entrepreneurial artists and teachers.

Duration

The Music Diploma is a two-year, four-term program.  Maximum time for completion is five years.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Perform/compose in solo and ensemble contexts in one or many idioms.

2. Demonstrate critical awareness and the ability to self-evaluate, think and listen critically about core concepts of musicianship.

3. Demonstrate awareness of historical and contemporary styles and practices in academic, practical skills and other performance contexts.

4. Meet or exceed standards of musical literacy appropriate at a second-year level of instruction.

5. Demonstrate successful mastery of vocal, instrumental and/or compositional performance techniques.

6. Promote themselves as professionals in the music industry and related professions.

Admission Requirements

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

1. Grade 12 graduation, GED or equivalent

Note: Applicants who have not graduated from high school may still be considered, with permission from the Music Department Leader.

   2. English 12 or Communications 12 with a pass, or equivalent.

MUSIC REQUIREMENTS

• Successful audition in major performance area. See the VCC Music Application and Audition Requirements for details.
• Submit the Supplemental Application form

Note: Entrance auditions and musicianship examinations are held from February through May. Applicants for admission to the Music Diploma program will write a diagnostic examination in theory and are tested on aural perception and rhythmic skills. Minimum standards are equivalent to Preparatory Music Theory 1 & 2 (MUSC 1013 and MUSC 1033), and Preparatory Musicianship 1 & 2 (MUSC 1011 and MUSC 1031).  Students who are accepted at the audition but who require upgrading of theory and musicianship may register concurrently in the recommended preparatory courses (MUSC 1011, 1013, MUSC 1031 and MUSC 1033). Students may also register for the other preparatory-level courses (MUSC 1010, 1030, 1054, 1064) and the following diploma-level courses: MUSC 1305, MUSC 1319, and MUSC 2490 (instructor permission and available space required.  Students will be wait-listed until available space and instructor permission are confirmed).

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

English language proficiency at an English 12 level, or equivalent

Please note all English assessments must have been written in the previous calendar year, with the exception of English 12 taken in Canada.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Music Department is located at the Broadway Campus on the 3^rd floor. Applications, along with transcripts and all supporting documents, will be accepted by VCC between November 1^st and April 1^st. An entrance audition or interview will be scheduled once all required documents are received. Applications received after April 1^st will be considered subject to space availability.

Program Requirements

The average course load is 15.0 credits per semester. Students may not register for more than 18.0 credits without written permission from the Music Department Leader.

 A minimum full-time course load is 9 credits per term. Dropping below 9 credits requires approval from the Music Department Leader. Normally, students taking fewer than 9 credits in a term will not be entitled to individual instruction. In exceptional circumstances, students will be allowed to register for individual instruction with fewer than 9 credits total. However, in order for such an exception to apply, the student must have previously completed all academic and skills-course requirements for the term of individual instruction in which they are registering.

Note that the Music Diploma requires a minimum of 60 credits for graduation.

¹

 ”Performance Ensemble” is repeatable for credit.  Students require 4 terms (6 cr.) of “Performance Ensemble” to graduate.  Students may participate in any VCC ensemble (or community ensemble as approved by the Department Head), subject to audition and/or entrance requirements. 

²

 Students enrol in two terms of Musicology OR Electronic Music OR Jazz Improvisation

Evaluation of Student Learning

Evaluations will be done throughout the program.  The evaluations will be based on quizzes, exams, juries (see below), assignments, and the assessment of practical skills in performance activities.

In the skills exam week of each term, every student enrolled in individual instruction is required to perform a jury exam for a faculty committee. The committee members each submit a written analysis of the performance. The student receives copies of each analysis for review with their individual instructor. Jury exams are mandatory to receive an Individual Instruction grade.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Generally, each course for which the student is requesting PLAR will require the following:

1. Practical and/or written examinations that demonstrate ability at or above the final exam and learning outcomes of the VCC course in question.
2. A successful interview with the Music Department Leader and one other regularized music faculty member.

Transcript of Achievement

The evaluation of learning outcomes for each student is prepared by the instructor and reported to the Student Records Department at the completion of semesters.

The transcript typically shows a letter grade for each course. The grade point equivalent for a course is obtained from letter grades as follows:

Grading Standard

Grade Point Average (GPA)

1. The course grade points shall be calculated as the product of the course credit value and the grade value.
2. The GPA shall be calculated by dividing the total number of achieved course grade points by the total number of assigned course credit values. This cumulative GPA shall be determined and stated on the Transcript at the end of each Program level or semester.
3. Grades shall be assigned to repeated courses in the same manner as courses taken only once. For the purpose of GPA calculation of grades for repeated courses, they will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.