The Musicology Minor is designed for students with an interest in music history beyond the core requirements. Students approved for the minor will take Music Bibliography and two graduate electives: one from the graduate offerings at Peabody and one from the musicology seminars offered on the Homewood campus. Students complete the minor with a personally supervised capstone project.
| Music Bibliography | PY.610.561 | 2 |
| Electives: | ||
| Peabody Musicology Seminar | PY.610.6xx | 3 |
| KSAS Upper Division Seminar | AS.376.3xx | 3 |
| Musicology Practicum | PY.610.499 | 1 |
| Total : | 9 |
Any credits taken in pursuit of this minor may also be applied as general electives for the Bachelor of Music degree. It may be possible to count some of the courses taken for the minor as Humanities electives, but only on a case-by-case basis and in consultation with the Associate Dean and the Humanities faculty. Students who matriculate to the five-year BM/MM program or who continue in the MM may not apply elective courses for the minor to their MM if those courses have already been counted as electives for the BM, with the exception of Music Bibliography.
The academic discipline of musicology investigates the varied relationships between musical traditions and the cultures that create and sustain them. The discipline necessarily combines historical and cultural research with analysis of music.
The Master of Music degree program in Musicology offers students an introduction to the academic study of music at the graduate level, with exposure to a broad range of approaches to contemporary musical scholarship and an emphasis on the development of critical, analytical, and practical skills germane to the profession. All students are assigned an advisor who will monitor the student’s progress during the first year of the program. In the second year of study, the advisor will supervise an independent project of research and writing leading to the completion of the master’s thesis. Upon completion of the program, students are well positioned for admission to PhD programs in Musicology.
Students entering the program should demonstrate a strong potential for future success in the field. Successful applicants normally possess 1) a solid undergraduate foundation in music history, theory, and musicianship, 2) relevant experience as a performing musician, or 3) a distinguished academic background in a related field of study. All students are required to meet the proficiency standards in music history, theory, and ear training required of master’s students in all disciplines.
All students must pass a reading exam in French, German, or Italian administered by the Office of Academic Affairs and should plan to fulfill this requirement before the completion of the third semester of full-time study. Entering students who are not prepared to meet this requirement are advised to undertake appropriate coursework at Peabody or on the Homewood campus of The Johns Hopkins University. In certain instances, a student may petition the department for an examination in a language other than those listed above. In such cases, the student must make a compelling case that knowledge of this language is of direct relevance to his or her research interests. All such requests must be submitted in writing to the Chair of Musicology before the end of the second semester of study, and cases will be decided by a vote of the full faculty. Any questions about the language requirement should be directed to the graduate advisor.
As the final requirement for the Master in Musicology degree, all students complete a master’s thesis, a serious scholarly endeavor displaying excellence in research, writing, and critical thinking.