The following outline specifies the minimum course of study required for cantorial ordination. Other courses besides those listed below may be required for individual students if prior background in an area is insufficient, or if additional work in an area is deemed necessary. The Dean of the Cantorial School supervises individual program design and approves electives and course substitutions.
Hebrew: Hebrew must be taken until the student completes Hebrew IV. Where the student starts depends upon their placement exam at entry.
Foundational Courses, 24 credits
Liturgy (6)
- History of Liturgy and Structure of the Siddur
Tanach (6)
- Introduction to Chumash and Nevi’im
History and Thought (6)
- World of the Bible
- Survey of Jewish History
Professional Skills for Cantors (6)
- Introduction to the Cantorate and Weekday Nusach
Hazzanut (Cantorial Studies), 102 credits
Cantorial Music (45)
- Shabbat Nusach & Repertoire (9)
- Yamim Noraim & Repertoire (9)
- Shalosh Regalim Nusach (6)
- Musical Diversity & Special Concert Repertoire (3)
- Music for Jewish Life Cycle (6)
- Cantillation (9)
- Jewish Music History (3)
Musical Skills for the Cantorate (12)
- Conducting (3)
- Coaching (2 credits per year for 3 yrs)
- Improvisation or Independent Study (3)
Judaica, 30 credits
Tanach (6)
- Introduction to Ketuvim or Megillot
- Advanced Tanach
Liturgy (12)
- Intermediate Liturgy I-II
- Festival Liturgies
- High Holiday Liturgy
Rabbinics (9)
- Sefer HaMitzvot
- Rabbinics Electives (6 or more)
Mysticism and Spirituality (3)
- Introduction to Hasidut (or Introduction to Mysticism)
Professional Skills, 30 credits
General
- Spiritual Development Seminar: 9 credits (usually 3 per yr for 3 yrs)
- Professional Ethics
- Homiletics
- Tefillah Seminar: must be taken till proficiency is demonstrated
- Jewish Education
- Art of Chaplaincy
- Art of Counseling
- Fieldwork Seminar (with rabbinical students)
Beit Midrash
This facet of the Academy study experience provides an opportunity for students to learn with hevruta (study partners) under the guidance of Rabbi Mark Mandel, Director of the Beit Midrash. In addition, opportunities for special tutoring are available. Several periods each week are built into the three-days-per-week Academy schedule during the Fall, Winter and Spring trimesters. These sessions are used to master the texts for forthcoming classes in Bible, Talmud, Liturgy and other text-based courses. Students taking Talmud or advanced Rabbinic text courses are required to sign up for Beit Midrash.
Electives as needed to total a minimum of 210 credits.
Cantorial students are strongly recommended to take either additional Tanach and Rabbinics courses or a series of Jewish Education electives to complete their requirements. CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) is also open to cantorial applicants.
Required courses besides Hebrew normally constitute about 142 credits of the required total of 210. Students who begin with Hebrew I may be required to take more than 210 credits in order to fulfill all requirements or achieve appropriate mastery in an area.
The curriculum that constitutes the course requirements for the degree of Master of Jewish Sacred Music includes all Cantorial Music courses and the Judaica courses numbered 200 and above.
