M.A. in Musicology Program
At WVU, we offer a two-year Master of Arts (M.A.) in Musicology, in which students develop a broad understanding of the primary methods used in musicological and ethnomusicological research. Courses and seminars explore a wide range of musical repertories and scholarly debates, and our curriculum encourages students to meaningfully engage with the field through pedagogical training and focused research.
Our graduates have entered leading North American doctoral programs or have found employment in occupations drawing heavily upon the expertise and skills developed through our degree program.
Coursework for the M.A. program includes foundational courses in research, pedagogy, theory/analysis, and current perspectives of the fields of musicology and ethnomusicology, as well as musicology seminars and courses focusing on specific periods, genres, or regions. Six elective graduate credits allow students to explore other disciplines and departments as they develop their research, creative, and teaching interests.
Recent Graduate Seminars in Musicology and Ethnomusicology
- Global Pop Music
- Religion, Sound, and Music
- Music, Migration, and Politics
- The Singer-Songwriter
- Music and Comics
- J. S. Bach: Then and Now
- Decolonizing American Music
- Music of Tudor England
- Film Music Studies
- The Concept of Late Style in Music
- Musical Aesthetics
Additionally, we regularly offer courses oriented toward particular historical periods, musical genres, or regional musical traditions.
Culminating the M.A. in Musicology is a substantial,
four-credit research thesis that is designed with and advised by a musicology
faculty member over the course of three semesters, and results in an oral exam
and thesis defense. It is this mentored experience of research and writing that
allows our students to pursue their creative and research interests, while exploring
new methodologies and engaging with scholarship within musicology and in other
disciplines, ultimately preparing our graduates to conduct independent research
at the doctoral level or other professional and personal endeavors that draw
on these research, teaching, and creative interests and skills.
Students also participate in two semesters of a music ensemble in the School of Music, one of which must be a world music ensemble (including Balinese and Javanese gamelan, steel band, African music and dance, Brazilian music and dance, taiko drumming, or bluegrass and old-time string bands). Students must also demonstrate the equivalent of four semesters of training in a language other than English and must demonstrate Level 2 piano proficiency.
In recent years, several students enrolled in musicology graduate studies at WVU have also pursued a Master of Music (M.M.) degree in music performance, earning both degrees in a total of six semesters. A total of 12 credits may be shared between the two degree programs.
Admissions to the Master of Arts in Musicology
requires academic transcripts, three letters of reference from academic faculty,
a personal statement, a representative sample of academic writing (minimum of
10 pages in length), and an interview with members of the faculty. For those
also considering the M.M. in Performance, the admission requirements to that
degree vary by area.
