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Music  (MCS5)

BA/BSc (NFQ Level 8) · Academic Year 2025/2026
School
School of Music
Attendance
Full Time
Level
Undergraduate
NFQ Level
8
Award
Bachelor of Arts
Mode of Delivery
On Campus
Programme Director
Assoc Professor Jaime Jones
Overall Programme Credits:
240
Programme Credits:
Stage 1
Core/Option: 55 Electives: 5
Stage 2
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Stage 3
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Stage 4
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Major/Minor Core & Option Credits:
Stage 1: 55
Stage 2: 50
Stage 3: 50
Stage 4: 50

Curricular information is subject to change.

Whether it is a classical symphony from Vienna, a garage band in Dublin, a gamelan ensemble from Indonesia, or a curated playlist to share with friends, making music, listening to music, and thinking about music are fundamental parts of being human. At UCD, we equip students with the multiple tools necessary to understand a wide variety of musical practices as composers, producers, performers, and thinkers. Study music at UCD if you love creating, listening to, understanding, and talking about music.

We offer Erasmus exchange in Europe and study abroad in the USA, Canada, Japan and other countries.

UCD is Ireland’s Global University and its largest university with a track record in empowering students to enter a diverse range of careers that reflects the most diverse curriculum on the Island of Ireland. Consistently, over 90% of graduates are employed or in further study or training 9 months following course completion. The QS World Ranking on Graduate Employability has placed UCD at number 1 in Ireland for Graduate Employability since 2018. On the global stage UCD leads the Irish higher education sector and is the only Irish university to be ranked inside the world’s top 80 for Graduate Employability.

At University College Dublin we are aware that for many students, programme outcomes in terms of graduate jobs and career options is important. The purpose of this statement is to help you understand and appreciate the range of skills you may develop during your time at UCD and how you may develop your employability. Visit the UCD Careers Networks website and MyCareer, the UCD Career management Platform, to access career information, internships and graduate roles as well as information about the range of initiatives, supports and events available to you.

This programme provides opportunities for students to develop in areas such as:
  • Writing
  • Researching
  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication
  • Presentations
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership
  • Networking
  • Project management
  • Creativity
  • Professionalism, e.g. internships, work experience
  • Global awareness
  • Social responsibility
  • Critical thinking
  • Self-awareness
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Life-long learning


This programme supports students’ career development and employability through:
  • Career and professional development e.g. internships and work placements
  • Cultural awareness, resilience and self-confidence e.g. Study Abroad/ERASMUS
  • Enhancing digital literacy skills
  • Development of critical thinking, problem solving skills and decision-making e.g. through individual and group projects and assignments
  • Development of self-reflection skills
  • Creativity and entrepreneurship e.g. elective modules at UCD Innovation Academy


Music graduates have a range of skills, including research, creative thinking, critical reasoning, and writing, that enable them to pursue careers in education, composition, production, performance, creative practice, the music industry, journalism, media, arts administration, and a diverse range of careers in business and industry.

UCD School of Music offers a taught MMus in Music & Culture, plus research-based MLitt and PhD programmes in Musicology, Ethnomusicology, and Composition. 

You can register for the UCD Arts and Humanities Open Evening (14 November) here and the School of Music Open Evening (27 January) here.



For any other enquiries, please email music@ucd.ie


Stage 1

Students will be pre-registered to 8 core modules (40 credits), 4 in the Autumn trimester and 4 in the Spring trimester. Students must choose a minimum of 3 option modules (15 credits). Students may choose to substitute Music option modules in place of their Spring elective.

It is recommended that students spread their credit workload evenly between Trimester 1 and Trimester 2.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10150 Writing about Music Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10250 Understanding Music Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10270 Music in Human Life Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10220 Popular Music Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10120 Music, Culture and Society Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10190 Music Theory 1 Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10230 Classical Music Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS10260 Introduction to Composition Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS10210 Musicianship Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20340 UCD Symphony Orchestra Autumn 2025-26 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20360 UCD Choral Scholars Autumn 2025-26 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20730 Irish Traditional Music Practices Autumn 2025-26 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20770 UCD Philharmonic Choir Autumn 2025-26 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20800 UCD Composition Ensemble Autumn 2025-26 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20820 UCD Gamelan Ensemble Autumn 2025-26 Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS10240 Music in Ireland Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20350 UCD Symphony Orchestra Spring 2025-26 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20370 UCD Choral Scholars Spring 2025-26 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20740 Irish Traditional Music Practices Spring 2025-26 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20780 UCD Philharmonic Choir Spring 2025-26 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20810 UCD Composition Ensemble Spring 2025-26 Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose a minimum of 3 modules from the following list. All students are strongly advised to balance their workload. This means 30 credits in autumn and 30 credits in spring.
Stage 1 elective modules are chosen and taken in the Spring trimester.
 MUS20830 UCD Gamelan Ensemble Spring 2025-26 Spring  5

See the UCD Assessment website for further details, including worked examples of how degree award GPAs are calculated

Module Weighting Info
 
  Award GPA
Programme Module Weightings Rule Description Description >= <=
BHACS024 Stage 4 - 50.00%
Stage 3 - 30.00%
Stage 2 - 20.00%
 Standard Honours Award First Class Honours

3.68

4.20
Second Class Honours, Grade 1

3.08

3.67
Second Class Honours, Grade 2

2.48

3.07
Pass

2.00

2.47
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