Program overview | Faculty Specialties | Degree Information

Program Overview

Encompassing much more than music history, the Musicology Program at Northwestern approaches music as a social activity shaped by aesthetic movements and intellectual theories – in essence, the humanistic study of music in culture.  Students are invited to view musics through an interdisciplinary lens to reveal cultural contexts and meanings not accessible through the study of music notation alone. By integrating the perspectives of historical musicology and ethnomusicology, the program trains open-minded yet critical scholars adaptable to varied repertoires and academic strategies, in an atmosphere of collegiality and peer support.

The internationally renowned musicology faculty is the program’s greatest asset. Their collective expertise covers all periods of traditional music history as well as neglected geographies that are gaining increasing prominence in the field, such as the former Soviet Republics, Spain, Britain, the Middle East, and Latin America. A particular program strength is eighteenth-century studies.  All of these areas, coupled with Northwestern’s historic strength in African and African-American studies, create a group of specializations that is unique to Northwestern.

The PhD degree program is truly interdisciplinary in design, requiring coursework in a ‘cognate’ area in the humanities or social sciences.  The musicology coursework reflects the wide interests of the faculty and its interdisciplinary approaches. Among the courses regularly offered are Film Music, Music in Islam, Music and Gypsies, Music and Evolutionary Biology, Humor in Music, and Authenticity. Students are regular presenters of academic papers at regional, national, and international conferences, and have received prestigious fellowships and awards, as well as academic placements, after graduation. All students in the PhD program receive four years of full tuition and a living stipend so that they may fully devote themselves to research and study.

The mission of the Musicology Program is enhanced by its location at a major research university and within a prominent school of music.  Because the University is dedicated to interdisciplinary study, the Musicology program gains support from a campus-wide network of scholars who are open to collaboration.  A vibrant performance culture includes more than 400 concerts each year, including three professional series.  Students also benefit from the multi-faceted scholarly community, research libraries, and thriving musical cultures of both Evanston and Chicago.

| Back to Top |

Faculty Specialties

A list of the musicology program faculty and their specialties.

Linda Austern: 16th- and 17th-century England; gender; European iconography; music as related to history of medicine and science

Thomas Bauman: 18th-century opera; film music; cultural studies

Drew Edward Davies: 17th- and 18th-century Mexico and Iberia, 20th-century Britain

Inna Naroditskaya: Ethnomusicology, Middle East, Russia, gender studies

Jesse Rosenberg: 19th- and 20th-century opera

| Back to Top |

Degree Information

Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts
The Bachelor of Music degree with concentration in musicology combines broad training in the field of music history with limited performance study. The curriculum provides a balanced exposure to music of all periods and offers studies in the analysis of music, foreign language, ethnomusicology, and related areas. The Bachelor of Arts degree permits a wider selection of liberal arts courses, but less time for musical performance.

Master of Music
The Master of Music in musicology is diverse, exposing students to a variety of musical styles and research methods. Although the program offers an advanced degree only in Western studies, students are encouraged to take courses in ethnomusicology. Admission is selective, keeping the program small so that students receive individual attention. Most students receive some financial aid in the form of graduate assistantships, requiring that they work within the department. Upon admission, students are automatically considered for all forms of financial aid.

Master of Music Requirements
The Master of Music requires the completion of 12 courses (4 each quarter), normally during a residency of one year. The terminal requirement involves language proficiency in either German or French, and a comprehensive written examination. While some of the course work is required or is stipulated as the result of diagnostic entrance tests, there is a great deal of flexibility so that students may contour a degree program suited to their needs.

For complete information, visit the Graduate Degree Requirements page. Admission information can be found on the Music Graduate Admission page.

PhD Program
The PhD in musicology exposes students to a variety of musical styles and research methods. Although the program offers advanced degrees only in Western studies, students are encouraged to take courses in ethnomusicology. Admission is selective and the department is small so that students have easy access to the faculty. All students receive full tuition and a living stipend so that they may fully devote themselves to research and study.

PhD Requirements
The degree requires 18 courses beyond the MM degree, 3 each quarter during the two years of residency. The terminal requirement involves language proficiency in two European languages, a comprehensive examination in music history and theory, and a dissertation. While some of the coursework is required or is stipulated as the result of diagnostic entrance tests, there is a great deal of flexibility so that students may contour a program suited to their needs.

For complete information, visit the Graduate Degree Requirements page. Admission information can be found on the Music Graduate Admission page.

| Back to Top |