Music (M.A.): Musicology (Thesis) (45 credits)
Offered by: Music (Schulich School of Music)
Degree: Master of Arts
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The M.A. in Music; Musicology program focuses on the diverse ways in which music's political, social, and historical contexts shape the meanings. The program comprises foundational methodologies, critical thinking skills and exploration of themes in musicological literature and analytical skills. Students write an in-depth monograph-style thesis.
Students admitted to the M.A. in Music; Musicology program who have undergraduate degrees other than the B.Mus.; Major in Music History from McGill University, may be required to successfully complete one or more undergraduate course(s) before completion of the Master's program.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Required Courses (30 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 529 | Proseminar in Musicology. | 3 |
Proseminar in Musicology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of selected methodologies in musicology through critical examination of significant texts. Topics may include approaches to historiography, biography, editing and source studies, as well as aesthetics, literary criticism, semiology, feminist musicology, and ideology critique. Works by Adler, Adorno, Dahlhaus, Kerman, McClary, Meyer, Nattiez, and Subotnik, among others, will be addressed. | ||
Thesis Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUGS 684 | Master's Thesis Research 2. | 6 |
Master's Thesis Research 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor. | ||
| MUGS 685 | Master's Thesis Research 3. | 9 |
Master's Thesis Research 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor. | ||
| MUGS 686 | Master's Thesis Research 4. | 12 |
Master's Thesis Research 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor. | ||
Complementary Courses (15 credits)
3 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 591D1 | Paleography. | 1.5 |
Paleography. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The theory and practice of musical transcription for the period 1100 to 1600. Black modal notation, Franconian notation, French and Italian Ars Nova notation, Mannerism, white mensural notation, proportions, and lute and keyboard tablatures will be studied. | ||
| MUHL 591D2 | Paleography. | 1.5 |
Paleography. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See MUHL 591D1 for course description. | ||
| MUHL 592 | Popular Music Studies. | 3 |
Popular Music Studies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of scholarly methods used in the study of popular music. Topics will include a broad range of issues related to music analysis, including technical-stylistic approaches as well as ideas about analytical pertinence, aesthetics, and semiotics. Introduction to approaches associated with the sociology of music, sound studies, media studies, gender and critical race studies. These topics will be explored through a range of readings, and the analysis of selected recordings. | ||
12 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 680 | Seminar in Musicology 1. | 3 |
Seminar in Musicology 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar in musicology. Topic varies by year. | ||
| MUHL 681 | Seminar in Musicology 2. | 3 |
Seminar in Musicology 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar in musicology. Topic varies by year. | ||
| MUHL 682 | Seminar in Musicology 3. | 3 |
Seminar in Musicology 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar in musicology. Topic varies by year. | ||
| MUHL 683 | Seminar in Musicology 4. | 3 |
Seminar in Musicology 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar in musicology. Topic varies by year. | ||
| MUHL 684 | Seminar in Musicology 5. | 3 |
Seminar in Musicology 5. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar in musicology. Topic varies by year. | ||
| MUHL 685 | Seminar in Musicology 6. | 3 |
Seminar in Musicology 6. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar in musicology. Topic varies by year. | ||