Course description
Course overview
This programme is designed to develop critical reflection of music in its broadest sense as interwoven with other aspects of culture and history in the specific contexts in which it is composed, performed, and encountered by listeners.
The main focus is on individual research, leading to a dissertation that explores an area or issues related to the student’s musical interests. The Department is able to supervise a very wide range of subjects in Western music history, contemporary music and culture, popular music studies, ethnomusicology, gender and women’s studies, and other interdisciplinary topics. Please see the staff pages and Departmental research profile for further information about staff research areas and specialisms.
Students choose between three pathways through the MA, allowing them to focus their dissertation in the area of their choice:
* Musicology
* Ethnomusicology
* Popular Music Studies
Working with academics in one of the best research departments in the UK (obtaining the top rating of 5* in the latest Research Assessment Exercise), you will be very well-placed to pursue your studies in whichever field you choose. The programme leads to the award of MA in Musicology, MA in Musicology (Ethnomusicology), or MA in Musicology (Popular Music Studies), and provides ideal training for those wishing to proceed to a research degree.
This programme is strongly research-oriented. Prospective students who seek a greater taught component in their degree might instead like to consider our MA in Music Studies.
Course content
A range of teaching and learning strategies is used:
* lectures and seminars
* one-to-one supervisions
* oral presentations by students on their dissertation
* optional participation in workshops and masterclasses
The programme proceeds from the more structured environment of the core module, Approaches to Music Studies, which provides a firm grounding in recent musical thought and scholarship. Students work to improve sensitivity to some of the main tenets of recent music research, leading to more specialized studies.
Initial training in research methods prepares for individually supervised research in the context of the dissertation, which full-time students complete within the 45 weeks of the MA year, and which part-time students complete over two years. Two coursework assignments aim to deepen students' understanding of concepts discussed in lectures and seminars, and to develop methodological and writing skills.
Prior to the Spring vacation, a series of presentation seminars is held, in which students present and discuss their dissertation work in progress. Part-time students may benefit from this opportunity in both years of their study.
All MA in Musicology students are also warmly invited to attend other research events, such as the MPhil/PhD seminars that take place throughout Spring Term, and the Women's and Gender seminars.
Teaching and assessment
Assessment is by research dissertation (160 credits) and by two short coursework assignments related to the "Approaches to Music Studies" module (20 credits in total).
