Lead with Passion and Integrity Using a Music and Worship Degree from Liberty
Your ambition can drive you to serve the Lord in ways you never imagined. If your passion and talent lie in music, why not pursue a career that takes that natural ability further? With Liberty, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in music and worship that focuses on pastoral leadership, so that you can be prepared to use your passions and lead with integrity.
Our pastoral leadership specialization is intended for students who want to lead within the church. If you want to work with family ministries, church planting and organization, or staff management and relations, this focus will be very useful for you. Our courses are designed to prepare you to confidently guide and shepherd your congregation in becoming more effective for Christ.
We have resources, facilities, and trained professors standing by to make your ministry dreams a reality, so why wait? Get started with our music and worship program today and serve God in a big way.
Award-Winning Campus
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education that equips students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence helped us rank among Niche.com’s Top 3 college campuses in America. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Why Choose Liberty’s Music and Worship – Pastoral Leadership Degree?
If you choose Liberty to pursue your B.S. in Music and Worship, be prepared for a new level of academic excellence and experiential learning. Our team of music faculty and professors are excited to share with you their wealth of experience as you become skilled and knowledgeable in all areas of music and worship ministry.
Wondering what makes our program stand out? Here are some of the major benefits and resources you will receive by studying with us:
- Our School of Music is the 7th largest in the nation
- Various centers, practice rooms, and Mac labs at your disposal
- Our Center for Worship has been voted “Best of the Best in Higher Education” 6 years in a row by Worship Leader Magazine
- We offer our very own on-campus recording studio: Liberty Music Group (LMG)
You deserve a program that invests in you. With industry leaders as your professors, state-of-the-art equipment at your fingertips, and successful alumni whose examples you can follow, your path to success is paved for you. Partner with Liberty and see how far your ministry goals can take you.
What Will You Learn in Our Pastoral Leadership Focused Music and Worship Degree?
By focusing your degree in pastoral leadership, you will complete courses in the following areas of study:
- Foundations in pastoral leadership
- Family ministry in local church settings
- Staff management and relations
- Church assimilation and development
- Homiletics
These courses are designed to help you evaluate your role as a leader in the church. From pre-marital counseling to creating a solid missional statement, this concentration will develop the skills you’ll need to rise to leadership roles and create more effective ministries.
Aside from the pastoral leadership courses, our music and worship degree includes ensemble courses, practicums, and internships. These opportunities provide you with the ability to put your talent to the test in real-world worship and pastoral leadership settings. You will also gain a strong foundational knowledge in harmonic practices and theory, musicianship, creative worship, music production, audio engagement, basic conducting, and worship choir.
Review the Degree Completion Plan, and check out our featured courses below to learn more about what you’ll be studying!
Featured Courses
PLED 201 – Foundation to Pastoral Leadership
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Beginning with the biblical and theological foundations of pastoral ministries, students will study the pastoral leadership qualifications, teaching/learning role of the church, and the various ministries available in the field.
- Special attention is given to mission statement development and program strategy.
PLED 301 – Family Ministry in the Church
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- A comprehensive examination of the family dynamic in context of the local church.
- This course will not only examine the traditional home but will also investigate the non-traditional home.
- The role of pastor to family members will be considered including courtship, pre-marriage counseling, and parenting.
- Special attention will be given to providing strategies and resources to parents consummating in the assimilation of the church.
MUSC 105 – Harmonic Practices and Theory I
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- A practical introduction to harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic principles of music
- Musical elements including key signatures, scales, intervals, chords, chord construction, and chord progression, which are the foundation for harmonic analysis of traditional, contemporary Christian, popular, and jazz music
- The Nashville number system and jazz harmony practices as accepted methodology for music analysis
MUSC 107 – Musicianship I
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Listening skills are developed through rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic dictation
- Refined skills through daily sight singing and rhythm exercises from a variety of styles
- Special attention is given to tonal center referencing, which is the ability to identify harmonic rhythm while listening to a variety of musical styles
Highlights of Our Music and Worship – Pastoral Leadership Degree
- You will have access to 45 full-time faculty members with degrees from some of the most prestigious music schools in the nation.
- Our music programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
- Our Center for Music and Performance is housed in a 141,000-square-foot building.
- Our Center for Worship has been voted “Best of the Best in Higher Education” six years in a row by Worship Leader Magazine.
- We are designated an “All-Steinway” school.
- Liberty Music Group (LMG) is our very own on-campus recording studio and professional music publishing and recording company.
- Our alumni have gone on to become Dove-award winning Christian artists and songwriters.
- All coursework is market-driven and focuses on developing your skills for the current industry.
Music and Worship – Pastoral Leadership Degree Information
- Residential
- 120 total credit hours
- Transfer in up to 75% of your total degree
- This program falls under the School of Music
- View the Degree Completion Plan
- View our course catalog
Career Opportunities for Music and Worship – Pastoral Leadership Graduates
- Associate director of worship programming
- Director of worship conferences
- Music minister
- Music production manager
- Worship and missions director
- Worship leader or pastor
Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees
Every application is reviewed by the admission committee on a case-by-case basis, meaning there are no set minimums for acceptance. However, all applicants must submit the following documents* for admission:
- Admission application
- Official high school transcripts
- Official college transcripts (if applicable)
- Results from the CLT, SAT, or ACT are not required for admission, but may be used in consideration for merit-based aid.
- Admission essay
*Note that additional documentation may be requested by the admission committee after your application has been received.
