Academic Overview
Visible Music College is an integrated training experience that challenges students to grow spiritually, professionally, and academically. Each degree program includes a core of Bible, Theology, and Ministry courses that teach students to glorify God in the integrity of their thoughts (orthodoxy), emotions (orthopathy), and actions (orthopraxy). The integrity of the student’s spirituality is foundational to professional development, as Scripture informs how to relate to the Creator and His creation--particularly how one ought to respond to the Creator’s invitation to thoughtful, creative, and prayerful engagement in the music industry and the Church. Both the spiritual and professional development are emphasized through the rigorous college-level curriculum.
Philosophically, the “why” (spirituality) precedes the “what” (profession) and the “how” (academics). All three growth areas are represented in the college’s name:
Visible
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Music
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College
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Spiritual
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Professional
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Academic
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The integrated training is experienced through intensity, immersion, and investment.
Intensity
The Bachelor programs are accelerated, three-year formats of the baccalaureate degree. The typical course load is approximately 21 hours per semester. For each credit hour, there is at least 2 hours of homework per week. Thus, the 21 credit hours quickly dwarf the standard 40-hour workweek once the 42 hours of homework are considered. Students are advised to limit outside commitments to 20 hours per week.
Immersion
The three programs integrate theory and practice to support student’s professional and academic development. Generally, the morning classes in each program present theoretical concepts, the midmorning classes reinforce those concepts more tangibly, and the afternoon classes allow students to apply their learning in a microcosm of the music industry. Each afternoon, Music students perform in Performance Seminar or rehearse with their Bands. These Bands rotate through the studio, where the Music Business students create and explain contracts to the Music and Music production students, before the Music Production students record and produce commercially viable recordings of the Music students’ Bands.
Investment
The student must wisely invest time and energy in the curriculum and the community to get the most out of what Visible Music College has to offer. Investment in the curriculum is accomplished through hard work and careful time management. Investment in the community happens in sharing life together in the classroom, in worship, in lessons, at Winter Retreat, and in homes. With a 1:6 staff to student ratio, the staff are readily available to disciple, coach, and teach students. The staff is committed to helping each student grow into effective musicians, technicians, and business professionals.