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MMus Music & Culture

MMus (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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Cutting-edge research with an Irish grounding and a world-wide reach lies at the heart of our taught Master's programme, which gives students the opportunity to work with scholars of international standing in the School’s core disciplines of ethnomusicology, historical musicology and composition. Foundation modules in these areas are followed by case studies based on the research specialisms of our staff. Irish musical culture features prominently in the programme, including case study modules on “Sounding Ireland Onscreen” and “Popular Music in Ireland,” yet the profile of the degree is by no means restricted to Irish topics.

Overall, the degree furnishes students with the core intellectual tools for pursuing musicological or practice-based (composition) research while also facilitating specialisation and encouraging independent scholarship. Students are part of a lively, collaborative research culture and engage regularly with visiting seminar speakers. Students often go on to doctoral study, when they are supported by faculty during the Masters to develop research ideas and funding proposals, yet also go on to a range of related careers in the arts and cultural heritage sector, media, teaching, and many other professions.

The UCD School of Music is one of the leading centres for graduate musical study in Ireland and a QS World Top 100 Performing Arts department.

About This Course

On completion of the programme the students should:

  • have developed a specialised understanding of the principal developments and trends within at least two of the core disciplines of historical musicology, ethnomusicology and composition, and be conversant with a wide range of methodological and interdisciplinary approaches;
  • have acquired an understanding of how Ireland's musical history and present state of musical and musicological discourses relate to those of other countries;
  • have developed, if taking composition options, a good command of a range of compositional techniques in different styles and genres;
  • be able to undertake independent research and deal confidently with the various forms of primary evidence available for research in musicology;
  • demonstrate critical understanding of diverse academic viewpoints;
  • be able to deliver oral presentations clearly and confidently, and engage constructively in group discussions;
  • be able to analyse primary and secondary evidence, place it in context, and assess its reliability;
  • demonstrate the ability to participate appropriately in an academic community;
  • have developed solid writing skills including the ability to engage in rigorous and original research-based work;
  • have developed a range of transferable skills and experience, including disciplined work methods, rigorous, and analytical and imaginative thinking, which would facilitate scholarly progression in music and musicology, but also within a wide range of professional contexts.

Many alumni of the MMus Degree have gone on to successful careers in arts administration, journalism, and teaching. 

Recent graduates have also gone on to pursue doctoral work in musicology and ethnomusicology at internationally-renowned institutions such as Cambridge University, King’s College London, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Our graduates occupy academic posts throughout Ireland and the UK (including Royal Holloway, Goldsmiths, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester) and further afield (including Queensland and Sydney); they also hold positions with the BBC and RTÉ (radio and television) and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

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
 MUS40340 Doing Research Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS41220 New Ideas in Musicology Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MUS41210 Graduate Colloquium Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Select 2 of
 MUS41070 Foundations in Ethnomusicology Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Select 2 of
 MUS41080 Foundations in Hist Musicology Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Select 2 of
 MUS41260 Foundations in Composition Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS31280 The Symphony in Europe Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS41050 Sounding Ireland Onscreen Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS41240 A History of Electronic Music Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS41250 Contemporary Music in Ireland, Britain, and North America Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS41280 Applied Ethnography Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS41290 Fieldwork Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B)20CR:
To fill out remaining credits students select: (a) the 10-credit module and two 5-credit modules OR (b) four 5-credit modules.
 MUS41300 Creating the Musical Self in Medieval Europe Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 1 of:
Select 1 of
 MUS41130 Dissertation Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - C) Min 1 of:
Select 1 of
 MUS41270 Composition Portfolio Summer  30

Emma Gregg

MMus 2022

The MMus really allowed me to delve deeper into historical musicology and ethnomusicology and explore things on a much deeper level than you get to while doing your undergraduate degree. It really helped me to find my niche in music. ultimately it led me to do a PhD in Music and gave me confidence in my area of study.

 

Anchal Khansili

MMus 2022

I loved how we were introduced to so many new ideas and concepts. I really appreciated the support that I got from my peers and my mentors. My supervisor was really helpful at all times. As well as her support, the other lecturers were always one email away, there were always there to help and support us. These were the best things that I experienced while studying in UCD. 

MMus Music & Culture (Z357) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9100
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MMus Music & Culture (Z358) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 4550
nonEU    fee per year - € 11300

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor in a cognate area with a minimum 2.1 or an equivalent of a UCD GPA of 3.08 (NFQ Level 8) or equivalent.  Cognate areas include Music, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Music Education and Performance Studies.  In some cases the School of Music will accept applicants from English, History, Sociology and Anthropology.  However, the School will first assess the applicant's ability to read musical notation and engage with Music Theory. Written sample work (1000-4000 words) and two positive academic references will be required.  Applicants whose first language is not English are also required to submit evidence of their English language proficiency.  It is expected that applicants will normally have reached an overall 7.0 in IELTS, with no individual band lower than 6.5, or equivalent.

These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MMus Music & Culture:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt Z357
MMus Music & Culture
Master of Musicology		 Full-Time
Commencing 2024/2025 September		 Graduate Taught Closed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt Z358
MMus Music & Culture
Master of Musicology		 Part-Time
Commencing 2024/2025 September		 Graduate Taught Apply
* you can change options at the top of the page
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