The MSM Degree is awarded upon successful completion of the prescribed courses in the curriculum and requirements of the New York School. Generally, four years of residence at the New York School is expected before the MSM degree is granted.
Admission Requirements
Application Part One
The first part of your application includes a few simple questions about your contact information and educational background. Please read all the application instructions and complete all elements of the application by the deadline. If you have any questions, please contact admissions@huc.edu.
Preliminary Consultation
As part of your application process to become a cantor at HUC-JIR, we require that you speak with a professional in the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and/or Cantor Jill Abramson, Director of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. This informal, preliminary consultation and vocal consultation is a way for us to get to know you better, for you to ask your questions and be sure now is the right time for you to apply to HUC-JIR. Simply email admissions@huc.edu to set a date and time.
Recommendation Letters
Good references come from individuals who know you well enough to give the Admissions Committee input on your candidacy and reflect on specific experiences you have had that make you a strong candidate. Please use the Reference Letter Request Form to submit the names and contact information of your references. The individuals you list as references will receive an email from HUC Admissions informing them that you have requested they write a letter of reference on your behalf. It is recommended that you are in touch with your chosen references prior to filling out this online form to alert them that they will receive this emailed request. It is also highly recommended that one of your four references be able to speak from a musical perspective.
Please allow each reference enough time (at least one month) to complete their letter of reference. If you wish to substitute, delete, or add references after you have submitted their names in the online Reference Letter Request Form, you must report this in writing to the National Office of Recruitment and Admissions by emailing admissions@huc.edu.
References for Applying to the Cantorial Ordination Program
Two Academic References: College professors or instructors with whom you have engaged in serious academic study should write the academic references. If you have been out of college for more than five years, you may obtain academic references from adult or informal education instructors.
- One Judaic Reference: Of the remaining two references, HUC-JIR encourages you to submit a Judaic reference from a cantor ordained/invested by HUC-JIR.
- One Professional Reference: In addition, please request a professional reference from a supervisor of your work, paid or volunteer, preferably in a Jewish setting.
Confidentiality of References
The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, provides students the right to inspect their records. This includes letters of recommendation submitted in the application process. HUC-JIR carefully reviews all letters of reference. However, we find that letters written in confidence are most useful in assessing a candidate’s qualifications and promise. By using the Reference Letter Request Form, you are automatically waiving your right. Please contact admissions@huc.edu with any questions or concerns.
Transcripts
Please request transcripts 60 days before the application deadline. Transcripts need to be received in order to schedule an interview.
Please provide us with one copy of an official transcript from all the following:
- The college from which you graduated as well as any other colleges you attended. (This includes any school at which you took a college-level course for transfer credit.)
- Any graduate schools where you have been enrolled, as well as schools where you have taken graduate-level classes.
- Any “Year Abroad” programs or other foreign study. (If grades from international programs are recorded on your college transcript you do not need to submit a separate transcript.)
Have your schools mail the transcripts directly to:
Office of Recruitment and Admissions
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
3101 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45220 tward@huc.edu
For international applicants:
Year-by-year records from colleges and universities attended are required. The record must indicate the number of hours per week devoted to each course, grades received for each course, and degrees awarded, with dates the degrees were conferred. This information must be provided in English. If this information is not available in English, it is the applicant’s responsibility to have it professionally translated and certified before it is sent to HUC-JIR. If grades are not determined on a 4.0 scale system, please include guidelines in English from the school that explain the grading system.
GRE or TOEFL
Graduate Record Examination (GRE): All applicants with English proficiency are required to take the GRE General Test. When registering for the GRE, please use the school code number 1291, which directs the results to the National Office of Admissions and Recruitment on the HUC-JIR Cincinnati campus. For GRE information, please see www.ets.org/gre.
We recommend that the test be taken at least four weeks before the application is due to allow time for the scores to be sent to HUC-JIR. Scores need to be received to schedule an interview. GRE scores are only valid for five years. Candidates with a prior degree from HUC-JIR, PhD or Master’s degree(post-Bachelor) from an accredited institution that required a GRE score for admission may be exempt from submitting a current GRE score. Please email admissions@huc.edu with a request to exempt from this requirement.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): International applicants for whom English is not the first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in approximately 100 centers outside the United States. See the information available at: www.ets.org/toefl. Please note that the TOEFL exam is not a substitute for the GRE. The TOEFL School code for HUC-JIR is 1291.
Application Part Two
We will send you access to Part 2 after your Part 1 is complete and processed. Part 2 contains more in depth and program specific questions. All application materials, including Part 2 of your application, letters of references, transcripts, and test results, must be received by the deadline in order to be offered an admissions interview. Part 2 of your application will ask for a first and second choice for your interview location.
Personal Statement
In no more than six double-spaced, typed pages, and respond to the following questions:
Why have you chosen to become a cantor? Discuss your intellectual, musical, religious, and spiritual development as well as the life experiences that have led you to make this decision. In addition, in this personal statement, please include reflection on one of the following: the evolution of your current Jewish practice; your relationship with Israel; your conception of and relationship with God.
Short Essays
Please respond to each of the following questions separately. Limit your response to the two questions to a total of six double-spaced, typed pages.
- Reflect on a Torah portion that you have found meaningful or challenging. You may include classical or contemporary commentary that has been helpful to you in understanding the text.
- How do you express your Judaism in relation to Reform Judaism? What do you find most compelling and what do you find most challenging about Reform Judaism?
Resumé
Please include a resumé that focuses on your academic and professional accomplishments, awards, honors, publications, and any significant leadership positions in which you have served.
Photo
A simple portrait to help us recognize you when you visit and maintain our campus security.
Financials
| Annual Tuition |
$28,500 |
| Coaching Fee |
$550 |
| Student Activity Fee (Full-Time) |
$35 |
Degree Requirements
The Course of Study
The Graduate Cantorial Program begins with a year of study at the Jerusalem school of the College-Institute and continues with four years at the New York School.
- Specific courses and prerequisites are noted in the annual course description announcement.
- Courses are offered in weekly units of 3 hours, 2 hours, and 1.5 hours. In some instances, courses are offered as non-credit requirements.
- The general structure of the course of study leading to the degree Master of Sacred Music (MSM) is in the following areas:
- Hebrew Judaic Studies.
- Cantorial and Musical workshops, Jewish Music Study, Clergy Formation, Professional Development Instrumental Proficiency, and Electives.
- Elective offerings are indicated in the Course Description Booklet. All inquiries regarding course availability should be addressed to the Registrar.
- Performance Requirements.
Course Requirements
Academic
At the beginning of each course, the instructor will outline the requirements for a passing grade and the calendar dates by which requirements (e.g., papers and examinations) must be filled.
HUC-JIR students are expected to maintain the highest standards of integrity with respect to their academic work. Plagiarism, the appropriation of unattributed ideas or verbatim copying, is entirely at odds with the core principals of Jewish tradition and academic rigor. Students are expected to be familiar with the proper rules of citation (see the MLA Handbook, or similar works). Students must ensure that they understand their instructors’ expectations, and avoid utilizing completed work, notes, drafts, or homework of other students when it is inappropriate.
Work completed for one course may not serve to fulfill the obligations of another course, unless explicitly permitted in writing by the two professors involved. When in doubt, ask the professors involved about the appropriate actions to take. Disciplinary action may be taken by faculty members or the Student Tenure Committee where necessary.
Practicum
Second, third-, and fourth-year students are required to perform various aspects and styles of Jewish music in a simulated service or mini recital known as a practicum. Students receive one assignment per year in years 2-4. Faculty members and fellow students engage in an evaluative discussion following the practica each week. In addition, faculty members offer student confidential written comments.
Practica are held weekly in the College synagogue. DFSSM students are required to attend the practica and participate in the subsequent discussion. No classes are scheduled at that time so that students and faculty in other programs can attend.
Additional Performances
All students are expected to participate in several annual events as part of their studies at the College-Institute.
Coaching
Every student in New York is provided with two coaches each year, one for each semester. It is the student's responsibility to come to coaching sessions on time and prepared with music already learned. Accompanists are generally available to support coaching lessons.
Voice Lessons
Every student must study weekly with a voice teacher. The College-Institute maintains no voice faculty of its own but does have a list of recommended teachers. Students are required to file the names of their voice teachers with the office of the Director of the School of Sacred Music.
Students are reimbursed up to $1400 per academic year with documentation of fees paid to voice teachers. In certain cases, voice teachers will be contacted by the DFSSM Director’s office to ascertain their evaluation of their student’s progress.
Guitar
Students are required to study guitar for three semesters. They will be asked to demonstrate basic competency on the guitar as an accompanying instrument to be assessed by the instructor.
Comprehensive Oral Examinations
Students in the second, third and fourth years take COMPREHENSIVE ORAL EXAMINATIONS at the end of the academic year. These are scored on a pass/fail basis. In the case of failure, the students may not advance to the next year of study unless satisfactory performance has been achieved. They may be asked to repeat the exam, either in part or in its entirety.
Senior students take comprehensives at the end of their fall semester. In order to be ordained and enter ACC Placement, they must fully pass comprehensive exams.
Thesis Project Requirements
During the fourth year, a student must submit the proposed subject of the thesis to the Registrar on or before the date announced in the Academic Calendar.
The Candidate shall first discuss the proposed thesis subject with the member of the Faculty who coordinates the DFSSM Senior Theses. During the 4th year work for the thesis will begin in the Jewish Music Research Course. At the conclusion of that course, written approval must be obtained from the academic advisor and the recital advisor regarding the formulation of the subject. The topic must be related to Jewish music with a written thesis and a recital. The thesis and recital should be based on the same subject, but variances are allowed.
- The thesis proposal form is obtained from the Registrar’s Office, and once signed by the advisor, is to be presented to the Registrar for transmission to the Faculty for approval.
- During the fifth year, a student will receive from the Office of the Registrar a copy of the thesis regulations current at the College- Institute.
- During the fifth year, each student must register for the Thesis Conference in which they meet regularly with the thesis and recital advisors while the work is still in progress.
- If a student fails to meet regularly, they will receive a failing grade (F) and will not be allowed to continue work on the MSM Thesis. As a result, they will not be ordained that year.
- In the Senior year, the candidate presents the completed thesis to the Faculty by way of the Registrar no later than the date announced on the Academic Calendar as the “Last Day for Submitting Theses.” The recital generally takes place during the Spring semester of the 5th year. Students are required to select repertoire, schedule rehearsals, and create a program for the recital. The recital is a minimum of 45 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes. The recital must include at least 20 minutes of solo music.
- If a student does not complete their thesis in a timely manner, the Faculty may grant one more year to complete the thesis at their discretion. Any student who does not complete the thesis after a second year will have their tenure in the program terminated.
Student Fieldwork
Students are required to serve in a Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) pulpit for at least two of their four years of study in the U.S. At least one of these years must be in a pulpit where they are the only cantorial presence (e.g., not as chazan sheini). This minimum of two years of fieldwork experience is a prerequisite for investiture. (See XIV.B).
Student Pulpits/ Cantorial Internships
Student Interns may work alongside cantors in larger congregations or as the sole cantorial presence in smaller congregations. These positions are coordinated through auditions and interviews and a matching system arranged under the auspices of the College-Institute. Auditions and interviews take place each spring at the College-Institute. A special College-Institute brochure entitled, DFSSM Student Placement Guidelines” contains procedures to be followed by students and congregations participating in this program. Student Cantors are responsible for the fulfillment of all requirements in this booklet.
Students should become acquainted with these guidelines prior to their first assignment.
Under no circumstances may students make private arrangements with a congregation for any type of cantorial service, or internship position, either on the High Holy Days or at any other time during the academic year. All negotiations must be approved, and all arrangements ratified by the College-Institute. Students who do not abide by this rule may face disciplinary action.
Types of Services Provided
All job responsibilities, including hours, must be approved by the Student Placement Director.
Students may perform clergy functions except marriages and conversions. The student, however, may co-officiate at a wedding in the presence of an ordained or invested clergy person. The ordained or invested clergy person must sign all civil and religious documents.
With regard to conversions, the student may guide the studies of the prospective convert under the supervision of an ordained Rabbi or cantor. The ordained Rabbi/ Cantor must sponsor the conversion, officiate, or co-officiate at the conversion ceremony, and must sign the conversion certificate.
Fieldwork Supervision
There is a two-year supervised fieldwork requirement for ordination. As part of this requirement a student serving as Student Cantor in weekend pulpits, or as Hazzan Sheni (Student Cantorial Intern), participates in a multi-faceted supervision program at the College-Institute.
Tefillah
Daily morning services are conducted by rabbinical and cantorial students throughout the academic year. The assignment of responsibilities is made by the Dean of Students, in association with the faculty synagogue advisors.
Students are obligated to meet with faculty synagogue advisors before, during and after their week of conducting services in order to receive feedback throughout the planning and leading process.
Rabbinical and Cantorial students will occasionally be asked to participate as Student Rabbis and Student Cantors at special observances held in the synagogue during the academic year.
Torah Reading Requirement –At least twice during their tenure, each student is required to read from the Torah during the daily service. They are required to chant at least 8 lines of text and receive feedback after the reading.
Plan of Study
First-Year
The Year-In-Israel program is mandatory for first-year cantorial students. Students who are accepted to the cantorial school who can demonstrate native or near-native fluency in Hebrew, and have a strong background in Jewish Studies, and have spent a significant amount of time living in Israel, may be able to apply for an exemption from the Year-In-Israel through an examination. The program begins at the start of in early July and culminates in mid-May of the following year. Year-in-Israel priorities include the following:
- An understanding of the structure of the Hebrew language which will serve our students in mediating between the sources of Judaism and the North American Jewish community.
- An encounter with Israel which leaves the students informed, enthused, and energized about the challenges of statehood and the implications of peoplehood.
- The acquisition of basic textual skills which allows the successful continuation of studies in the U.S.
- An exploration of the students' religious and spiritual identities, with special emphasis on Reform Judaism.
- The provision of professional skills and the encouragement of a self-consciousness as future Jewish professionals within the community.
Studies are full time with classroom study 5 days a week, Sunday thorough Thursday, divided between core courses and, professional courses, and worship. and a weekly First Year Seminar. Other requirements include week-long intensive, tefillah, inquiry groups, field study trips,advisory, end-of-year colloquium.a mid-year colloquium, and community service project.
Second-Year Fall
Second-Year Spring
Third-Year Fall
Third-Year Spring
Fourth-Year Fall
| MUS 414 | Cantorial Coaching | 0.50 |
| MUS 415 | Voice Lessons | 0.50 |
| MUS 438 | Life Cycle Reform Workshop | 1.50 |
| MUS 439 | Yom Kippur | 2.00 |
| MUS 446 | Jewish Music Research | 1.50 |
| PDE 441 | Ma'agal Ha'chayim: Covenantal Relationships Across The Lifespan | 3.00 |
| PDE 463 | Practicum Review | 1.00 |
| PDE 572 | Cantorial Field Mentorship | 0.50 |
| RAB 412 | Introduction to Midrash | 3.00 |
Fourth-Year Spring
Fifth-Year Fall
| MUS 414 | Cantorial Coaching | 0.50 |
| MUS 415 | Voice Lessons | 0.50 |
| MUS 435 | Shalosh Regalim Traditional Workshop | 1.50 |
| MUS 473 | Yiddish Art Song | 1.50 |
| MUS 524 | Advanced Recitative | 1.50 |
| MUS 579 | Contemporary Congregational Repertoire | 1.50 |
| PDE 447 | Senior Seminar Cantorial | 1.50 |
| PDE 448 | Cantorial Thesis and Recital | 3.00 |
| PDE 463 | Practicum Review | 1.00 |
Fifth-Year Spring
Elective
Take minimum of 9 elective credits. Many choices including:
Others
Faculty
The Faculty meets regularly throughout the academic year. There are a number of Faculty/Student Committees. The student representatives to these committees are chosen through the Student Association.
Advisors
Entering Students shall be assigned a program advisor. The Advisor-Student Relationship should not be viewed in purely academic terms. The Faculty Advisor should serve as the hub connecting to all of the student’s activities. The Advisor works on formative assessment of students and serves as a liaison with the other members of the Faculty in whose classes their advisees are enrolled.
Since the Faculty Advisors serve as liaisons with the student’s many activities, students and advisors should meet a few times each year, individually and with their assessment groups.
Copies of completed Grade Evaluation Sheets will be circulated to the Advisors.
Student Review
At each meeting of the faculty, any faculty member has the prerogative of bringing up a student’s name for discussion, provided there has been prior consultation with the student’s advisor and with other faculty members. This can occur either to follow up on a problem that has arisen or to focus on a student’s accomplishments and potential.
Adequate follow-up to a faculty discussion about any student is mandatory. The Director of the School of Sacred Music will determine the most effective means of dealing with the issues raised.
At the final meeting of the spring semester, the faculty will review the progress of each student individually.
Faculty Review of Students
At the end of the Year in Israel, the Jerusalem faculty and administration will conduct a review of students regarding their suitability to continue in the program.
There also will be a formal review of students at the end of the third year. In addition, there shall be periodic reviews of students by faculty according to the assessment protocols established in each program.
Requirements for Ordination
Academic
After the Year-In-Israel program, completion of the Core Curriculum, and all performance requirements as stated above (SEE XII F) and senior theses (both the written theses and recital) are required for ordination. In addition, each student must attend the annual Kallah program, participate in required yemei iyyun programs such as the Gerecht retreat, and fulfill tfillah responsibilities on campus.
Senior students are expected to complete all course work by the date announced in the academic calendar.
Professional
A minimum of two years of congregational experience is a requirement for ordination. . This involves at least one year of service as a student cantor in a weekly or bi-weekly pulpit, as the sole cantorial presence (e.g., not as a sheini). Two years of a monthly student pulpit is equivalent to one year in a weekly or bi-weekly.
Beyond this minimum requirement, students are encouraged to explore professional growth opportunities such as: serving as an intern or working in a health care facility, CPE program, Jewish organization, teaching in a Jewish context, supervising a Jewish educational or camping program or participating in the Alumni Summer Residencies Program.
Financial
The student must secure clearance of all fees and obligations from the appropriate offices before certification for ordination can be made.
Study at Other Academic Institutions
Students may receive permission to study at another college or university. Such permission is to be secured through the respective Department Chairperson, provided that the proposed course of study is submitted in advance, in writing, and with the approval of the Director of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.
Credit will be granted only if approval has been granted in advance.