Program Overview
The Master of Music in Musicology invites you to study music as a cultural, historical, and intellectual force. Through close mentorship, critical analysis, and independent research, you’ll examine music from around the world and across time, exploring its meanings, contexts, and impact.
Students in the musicology concentration engage in coursework covering music history, research methods, bibliography, and cultural studies. You’ll develop advanced writing and analytical skills while building a strong foundation for teaching, scholarship, or further graduate study.
The program culminates in a substantial thesis project, allowing you to explore a research question of personal and academic interest. Whether your focus is medieval chant, protest music, film scores, or global traditions, you’ll gain the tools to investigate and communicate music’s broader significance.
Why study Musicology?
- Dive deeply into the historical and cultural dimensions of music
- Conduct original research under the guidance of supportive faculty
- Develop skills in academic writing, research, and critical thinking
- Prepare for doctoral study or careers in teaching, writing, or curation
- Develop cultural awareness of multiple historical and global traditions of music
- Explore interdisciplinary connections between music making and other aspects of life
- Join a vibrant community of musicians and scholars
What can you do with a Musicology concentration after graduation?
A MM in Musicology offers more than a path to doctoral study, it’s a launchpad for dynamic, interdisciplinary careers. Whether you’re drawn to research, storytelling, or community engagement, you’ll graduate with the analytical tools, historical perspective, and communication skills to make meaningful contributions across the music and arts landscape. Paths for MM in Musicology graduates include:
- Arts administrator for museums, symphonies, or cultural nonprofits
- Music journalist or critic for print, online, or broadcast platforms
- Music librarian or archivist (with additional certification)
- Curriculum designer or education coordinator in arts organizations
- Editorial roles in academic publishing, liner notes, or program books
- Community educator or lecturer in music appreciation and history
- Content strategist or curator for music platforms and tech companies
- Employ music as a powerful tool to organize and lead community engagement efforts and build connections
Featured Courses
Specific courses are dependent on the student’s MM concentration. Visit our Graduate Degree Requirements for more information.
MUCO 411 Music of Appalachia
Explores complex musics and cultures of the Appalachian region, including balladry, bluegrass, and Americana.
MUCO 590 Introduction to Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology as scholarly discipline. History, theories, and methodologies as applied to study of music in culture.
Meet the Faculty
Our musicology faculty are internationally respected scholars and passionate educators whose research spans continents, centuries, and disciplines. Their areas of expertise include American popular musics, Appalachian traditions, African diasporic musics, the musics of Bali, and music, gender and sexuality studies.
They also bring deep insight into film studies, ethnographic research, gender and religion in music, medieval and Renaissance music, music and modernity, Nordic music, and the intersections of sound, technology, and environment.
Through this wide-ranging expertise, faculty mentor students in developing critical thinking, research, and writing skills, preparing them to become insightful scholars, cultural leaders, and creative communicators in and beyond the academy.
Dale Disney
Teaching Assistant Professor of Musicology, Coordinator of Online Programs
Admissions and Aid
Choosing the right university to pursue an advanced music degree is an important decision and a significant investment. We want to make sure that you have the information you need to both apply and make attending UT affordable.
There is a Musicology Graduate Teaching Assistantship open for 2026-2027. Click the link to learn more.
