For immediate release: Dec. 5, 2007

BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s music program has earned accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

The program is one of 617 programs accredited nationally. The accreditation process began five years ago and has been an ongoing process.

“Reviewers visited campus two years ago and again last spring,” said Stephen Clickard, chairperson of the music department. “They examined our curriculum and facilities and listened to our students and ensembles perform.”

“They heard students from all class levels perform, not just seniors,” Clickard added. “They were interested in the musicianship level of our students as the enter and exit our program. Our students did very well.”

BU’s music program, consisting of tracks in music education certification K-12, audio/video recording, and liberal arts, has grown substantially over the past decade. Enrollment has grown from 14 majors in 1997 to 76 majors in 2007. The department has eight full-time faculty and four adjunct faculty.

The accreditation process led to several changes. The music department added a faculty member and work has begun on both a renovation and addition to the Haas Center for the Arts. The new space will provide more practice rooms, new teaching studios, a new piano lab, and additional classroom and rehearsal space.

The music department hosts several events for high school students interested in pursuing a music degree, including an annual jazz festival in the spring and “music major for a day” events, which allow prospective majors to shadow a BU music major for a day.

For more information about BU’s music department, call (570) 389-4284.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Professional Studies, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.