Musicology

The Glasgow MMus offers a rich, stimulating introduction to Musicology in all its current diversity. Solidly grounded in traditional historical and analytical methods, the program opens out to embrace the most vibrant recent developments in the field – including cultural musicology, as applied to all imaginable genres and styles; practice-based research, rooted in active music-making by our staff and students; cutting-edge digital research methods; and interdisciplinary criticism of all kinds, including the study of contemporary audiovisual media.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

-The core Musicology team works together with a diverse team of other specialists (e.g., in Composition, Sonic Arts, Performance, Digital Musicology, and Ethnomusicology) to offer a multi-dimensional critical approach to music in all its forms.

- As a UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow is a unique centre of creative activity, from legendary music venues to classical orchestras and ensembles (e.g. Scottish Opera, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra). Several of these ensembles contribute to our courses.

- Our facilities include a Concert Hall, three studios, an audio lab and several practice rooms. We have an excellent collection of modern and historical keyboard instruments including two Steinway Model D grand pianos, an 1840s Broadwood grand piano, a Classical forte-piano, and two harpsichords. Other instruments include a selection of percussion instruments, a consort of viols, Baroque strings, recorders, crumhorns and other wind instruments.

- We actively encourage interdisciplinary work, notably across the several Subject Areas in the School of Culture and Creative Arts (Music, Film and TV Studies, History of Art, Theatre Studies, and the Centre for Cultural Policy Research), but also throughout the College of Arts and the University.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

You will take:
- Three core courses

- Three optional courses

You’ll also write a dissertation on a musical topic of your choosing.

Core Courses
RESEARCH SKILLS AND DIGITAL MUSICOLOGY (Semester 1)
INTRODUCTION TO MUSICOLOGY (Semester 1)
CURRENT ISSUES IN MUSICOLOGY (Semester 2)

Optional Courses
You’ll take three courses in addition to the three above. These could include:
FIELD RECORDING, SOUND AND PLACE
THE CONTEMPORARY MUSIC INDUSTRIES
INDIVIDUAL CREATIVE PRACTICE
SONIC ART AESTHETICS & CRITICISM

You can also take options from the Honours courses in Music, and from other subjects in the School of Cultural and Creative Arts, such as:

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AND CULTURAL POLICY - CORE 1 (Centre for Cultural Policy Research)
FESTIVALS (Film and Television Studies)
MAKING TIME: PERFORMING AND THINKING TEMPORALITIES IN THE CREATIVE ARTS (History of Art)

Please note the availability of a particular course depends on student numbers, regular programme rotations, and patterns of staff leave. Not all courses will be available every year.

Dissertation
You’ll develop an independent piece of academic writing (12-15,000 words) in musicology under the supervision of a member of staff.
DISSERTATION IN MUSICOLOGY