The Cantigas of Santa Maria of Alfonso X: Context, Notation, Performance

For the University Specialist Certificate on the Research and Performance of Medieval Music you will have to take a mixture of required (8 credits) and elective (7.5 credits) courses. Tuition is 3,900€ for the 15.5 credits.

The certificate has to be completed within our “school year”, a nine-month period that spans between September of every year to June of the following year (example September 2022 – June 2023). For people enrolled in the program, the courses are open throughout this entire period.

If you are not sure about enrolling in the program or you require more time, you have the option to take the courses over more than one year. However, you will have to pay the individual course credit fee (non-program). Then when you are ready to go for the specialist certificate, you will have to register in the University Specialist Certificate program. At this point you will pay the prorated program fee for the remainder of the credits you have not taken yet. (For example, if you have taken 10 credits singly, and then decide to go for the certificate, you would pay for 5.5 more credits at the discounted program rate.) Basically, any courses taken for credit through us will be transferable to the 15.5-credit specialist certificate once you enroll in the program.

Our recommendation is that students first take individual courses to get a taste of our program and to see the level of demand. This will also help you to figure out what is the best self-pacing for the type of work required. After you have taken some courses, then register to the Specialist program to validate your credits and earn the full degree.

Yes, if you are validating more than 6 credits, the university requires that you also produce some extra work. This work will be discussed between the student and the director of the program and it can be composed of research work or the creation of an essay, a full concert program proposal, or concert program notes on a specific subject.

Courses that we have offered in the past (pre-Spring 2021 only) without credit cannot be validated as credit through the University as per their rules. However, if you have already taken some required classes for non-credit, you can substitute it with another elective class as a one-time exception.

Payment for credit courses or the Specialist Certificate will be conducted directly through the University. 

The tuition package for the specialist certificate already is reduced by 15% compared to if you take the 15 credits individually.

No discounts are available if you take the courses for credit individually (without being enrolled in the program.)

No, only a handful of courses are available each semester. Please see the Course Schedule to see which courses are available.

All courses are university-level courses and require a good amount of work from the student. In case of difficulty, the instructors are available to help participants resolve doubts and complete assignments.

Due to the amount of work required, we recommend that students take only one course during their first term, and then one-three courses maximum during the following terms (four months terms).

Previous knowledge of medieval music is not necessary. What is required is to possess knowledge of modern music notation and basic music theory.

An audition recording is required to enter the medieval singing courses.
Musical instrument courses do not require audition. However, depending on the case, for these courses an audition recording might be requested in order to place you in the correct level course. 

In order to successfully complete a course and receive the credit(s), participants must  submit all exercises and get them approved by the instructor.