The MMus Musicology programme facilitates movement from general methodological concerns towards greater specialisation, whilst preserving some flexibility and student choice. Particularly distinctive is the balance struck between topics and approaches traditionally regarded as ‘historical musicology’ and those associated with the ‘critical’ or ‘new musicology’ movement since the 1900s. For their main focus of study, students choose either the Dissertation option (where they will be supervised by a staff member whose research specialisms reflect as closely as possible the subject of study) or an Editorial Project, involving the transcription of original source materials, chosen in consultation with a project supervisor. In addition, students choose between two core musicology modules, Issues in Contemporary Musicology and Editing and Archival Skills.

All taught postgraduate students also attend a core research skills module, Introduction to Musical Scholarship. The remaining programme credits are chosen from a wide-ranging menu of optional modules, allowing students the flexibility to tailor their studies to their own individual enthusiasms and interests.

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to: