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MUS31460

Academic Year 2026/2027

New Ideas in Musicology (MUS31460)

Subject:
Music
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Music
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Wolfgang Marx
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module offers students the chance to engage directly with a diverse range of eminent thinkers on music. In reading recently published material and discussing it with its authors, students will encounter the new ideas that are at the forefront of Musicology, Ethnomusiocology, and Popular Music Studies, gaining a broad knowledge of the cutting edge of the discipline.
UCD's target to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability in all its varieties will also be contextualised.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will be able to:
• Summarise the insights gained from reading a piece of scholarly writing.
• Present their own critical appraisal of scholarly writing.
• Engage productively and helpfully in academic discussions with other scholars.
• Write clearly and confidently about their impressions of a piece of scholarly writing.
• Contextualise UCD's target to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability in all its varieties.

Indicative Module Content:

Sessions will be organised in pairs. For each pair of sessions, students will be assigned one piece of scholarly writing to read. In the first session, they will discuss their impressions of this piece of writing with the module coordinator. In the second, they will participate in a question-and-answer session with the author, moderated by the module coordinator. Through their discussions with the lecturer and the authors, students will develop their skills in critically appraising scholarly work in an independent, productive, and constructive way. Furthermore, the authors and their writings will cover a wide variety of topics in musicology, allowing students to explore a range of interests within a single module and to gain an understanding of the contemporary state of the discipline. For each of the five pairs of sessions, students will write a reading report of 500 words, leading to a combined portfolio of c. 2500 words.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 5

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 5

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 5

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 5

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 5

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 5

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 5

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 5

Reduce inequality within and among countries 5

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 5

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 5

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 5

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 5

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 5

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 5

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 5
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

10
Conversation Class

10
Specified Learning Activities

10
Autonomous Student Learning

70
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
• Group discussions with lecturer.
• Moderated question-and-answer sessions.
• Critical writing.
• Reflective learning.
• Contextualising UCD's target to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability in all its varieties

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Preparation of questions for the guest speakers, contribution to in-class discussions. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
25
 No
Portfolio: Reading report of 500 words for each seminar, leading to a combined portfolio submission of 2500 words. Week 12 Graded No
75
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Formative feedback will be given on draft reading reports while the final versions will receive feedback together with the grade.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Tomás McAuley Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
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