Art History and Music, MA

Program Overview

The Art History and Music, MA program at the University of Aberdeen offers a unique blend of art history and music studies. Students can tailor their studies to their interests, choosing from a wide range of courses in both disciplines. The program is taught by internationally recognized experts and provides access to exceptional resources, including a renowned collection of historical musical instruments. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in museums, galleries, education, and other fields related to art and music.

Program Outline

Outline:

Year 1:

• Students take a mix of mandatory and optional courses in both Art History and Music.
• Mandatory Art History courses include Introduction to Art History, Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art, and Art Matters: Materials and Techniques.
• Mandatory Music courses include Introduction to Music Studies, Performing and Composing 1, and Digital Musicianship: Music Making in the Digital Age.
• Optional courses cover a wide range of topics in both fields, such as What is Art?, Art and Protest, and Analysing Music.

Year 2:

• Students choose mandatory courses in their preferred discipline.
They are required to choose one out of two options in Art History (What is Art? or Art and Protest) and three out of four options in Music (Introduction to Ethnomusicology, Analysing Music, Global Music History, and Scottish Folklore and Oral Traditions). The chosen Art History course will be completed alongside 30 credits more in their chosen Music options. Additionally, there are several other options available that can also be chosen.

Year 3:

• Students select 60 credit points from level 3 Art History courses and another 60 credit points from level 3 Music courses.
• There are several different options available.
Some examples include Music, Health and Wellbeing (Public Engagement), Spanish Identity Through Music, Film and Visual Culture, and Film and Music.

Year 4:

• Students choose one of two options: a dissertation in Art History or a dissertation in Music.
• Both dissertations involve extensive research and writing on a topic of the student's choice.

Teaching:

• The program is taught by a combination of lectures, research, tutorials, and individual projects.
• The course is taught by "internationally recognised experts in composition, performance, musicology, music in schools, community music and many rising student stars”.
• The music department has been rated "highly satisfactory" by the national quality assessment.

Careers:

• The program can lead to many careers in a variety of fields, including museums, galleries, libraries, archives, schools, and universities.
• Graduates can also work in the fields of teaching, writing, editing, publishing, journalism, broadcast media, arts administration, marketing, public relations, and arts event management.

Other:

• The University of Aberdeen boasts a rich history and a thriving artistic and cultural scene.
• It is home to one of the finest collections of historical musical instruments in the UK.
• Aberdeen is an exciting place to study, with numerous cultural events throughout the year.