Master of Arts in Music and Cultural History

The one-year MA in Music and Cultural History is a progressive alternative to conventional postgraduate courses in musicology, and it draws on the diverse expertise of internationally renowned scholars to combine the very best of traditional and contemporary scholarly practice.

During the course you will be presented with the opportunity to acquire and develop core musicological skills, including research techniques, the critical editing of music, and the close reading and analysis of musical texts. You will also engage with some of the most exciting developments in recent music scholarship, including:

explorations of politics,
gender and sexuality in music
race and ethnicity in music
(dis)ability in music
the interaction of music with other media
musical globalisation
the manifold issues in today's popular music and culture, and
the new links being formed between musicology and other disciplines such as film studies, cultural studies, postcolonial theory, and philosophy.
The MA in Music and Cultural History offers a well-rounded but focused introduction to methodologies and issues in contemporary musicology. It presents you with an opportunity to expand your familiarity with musical repertoire, deepen your engagement with key critical concepts and acquire valuable research skills.

In order to be permitted to proceed to the MA Degree in Music and Cultural History, a candidate must hold a minimum of Second Class Honours, Grader II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in Music (or one in which Music is a major subject).

Applicants with an appropriate professional equivalent will also be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Final acceptance is subject to approval by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, UCC.

Duolingo English Test: DET 120 (with a minimum score of 110 in each individual section)

IELTS: 6.5 Overall; 6.0 Individual Skills (academic version)

TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall; Listening 20; Reading 19; Speaking 21; Writing 20

Cambridge Examinations:

C2 Proficiency
C1 Advanced
B2 First

176 overall with no less than 169 in each element of the test

Pearson PTE: Minimum score of 63 with no section score below 59