The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) have presented degree awards to the very students to enroll for their joint Foundation Degree in Church Music.
Five students started the two-year course in 2011 and were honoured in a graduation ceremony at Canterbury Christ Church University on Saturday.
Later this year, the graduates will also receive a certificates from the RSCM, entitling them to use the letters AdvDipRSCM after their names.
All the students in the degree programme are practising musicians working in churches all over the country and much of the course makes use of the student's home church and community setting.
Teaching and support is provided to the students both online and face-to-face by CCCU tutors and a UK-wide team of RSCM Mentors, backed up by three Residential Study School in Canterbury a year.
The first students to graduate were David Dewar, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, Hannah Dix from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, James Gallagher, from Liverpool, Tracey Laws from Canterbury, Kent, and Michael Williamson , from Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire.
Chris Price, the Programme Director, is delighted for the students. "Each has completed an innovative degree course which has required them to be amongst the most motivated and autonomous learners in the country," he said. "Their achievement should not be underestimated."
