Study Ethnomusicology

In the UK, there exists a growing number of universities and institutions of higher education where ethnomusicology is offered as a subject for study. Ethnomusicology is most frequently integrated within music departments, but it also occurs in anthropology departments at some institutions.

At undergraduate level, ethnomusicology is usually offered in the form of individual modules on the world's musics that are integrated within a degree programme in music or anthropology. Here, students usually begin with more basic and general courses on the world’s musics at entrance level, and move towards more specialist regional area or themed courses in subsequent years. Whilst many universities adhere to this model, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) and QUB (Queen's University of Belfast) are notable exceptions where you can study for a BA in Ethnomusicology or BA in Anthropology.    

At postgraduate level, many programmes typically focus on ethnomusicology’s conceptual subject matters in independent and fully-fledged courses of study. Often entitled MA (Master) or MMus (Master in Music) in Ethnomusicology, such courses usually centre on learning about the discipline’s history, scope and subject matter, methodologies of fieldwork and participant-observation, emic/ etic perspectives, writing ethnography, and other more theoretical concepts. (There is one exception, namely the University of Sheffield, which also offers an independent course of study in world musics, entitled MA in World Music Studies (Distance Learning).)

Many ethnomusicology programmes also strive to offer performance opportunities in a number of musical styles and genres from around the world. Indeed, many ethnomusicologists have received musical training in the music culture they specialise in and are often keen to lead world music ensembles or vocal choirs as part of the ethnomusicology curriculum. Immersion in actual world music performance may also occur in the form of occasional workshops or extended ensemble practice led by a culture-bearer. Thus before applying to an institution, you may wish to contact the department about the performance opportunities offered to students.  

Besides taught postgraduate courses, you can also embark on independent research on a topic related to ethnomusicology towards a MPhil (Master in Philosophy) or PhD (Doctor in Philosophy). During such a research degree, you will be supervised by an ethnomusicologist who will provide support and feedback for the preparation of an extended piece of writing, a dissertation. If you are interested in studying towards a MPhil/PhD, you should contact the ethnomusicologist at the university at which you wish to study to discuss your ideas and proposal.   

Where can I study ethnomusicology?

Ethnomusicology can be studied at a number of universities in the UK and Ireland, which offer courses at undergraduate or postgraduate level, or both. Below you can find a list of institutions (in alphabetical order) with links to detailed information about current course offerings and contact details. The information was updated in November 2009; for additions and updates, please contact Thomas Wagner.   

• University of Aberdeen
• University of Birmingham (this programme is closed in summer 2010)
• Cardiff University
• City University London
• University College Cork
• Durham University
• Goldsmith College, University of London
• Liverpool John Moores University
• University of Manchester
• Open University
• University of Oxford
• Queen's University Belfast
• Royal Holloway, University of London
• University of Sheffield
• SOAS, University of London
• University of York

For a comprehensive overview of all universities and higher education institutions in the UK, go to the following website.   

• NATIONAL GRADUATE CONFERENCE FOR ETHNOMUSICOLOGY
  Theme: Music and Movement, 12-14 September 2012, IMR London

• Keynote Speaker: Dr Michael Bull, University of Sussex
  You are warmly invited to participate in the third National Graduate Conference for Ethnomusicology in the UK. This three-day conference will be hosted by the Institute of Musical Research (http://music.sas.ac.uk/) in central London and supported by the British Forum for Ethnomusicology (http://www.bfe.org.uk/). It will provide a forum in the UK for graduate students in ethnomusicology to meet, discuss, and network with graduates from other disciplines interested in the relationship between music and culture. For further details, go to Graduate conference.

Other resources

• You may wish to join the Ethnomusicology in the UK site on Facebook where students from around the world engage in dialogue about their (ethno)musical experiences.
• Further, a recent book publication (see below for a link) may be of interest, as it focuses on the transmission of ethnomusicology at universities in the UK and elsewhere: