Musicology

Overview

Study music in depth

The Musicology  programme offered by  Utrecht University  aims to innovate, while at the same time retaining its links to the traditional musicological research fostered at the University over the past 85 years.

Western music from the Middle Ages to the present; Music and Media

The Musicology programme at Utrecht University focuses on Western music from the Middle Ages to the present, the impact of media on the reception and conceptualisation of music, and digital musicology. Interdisciplinary work is central to the programme, and there are particularly strong links with Medieval and Renaissance Studies, New Media & Digital Culture, Gender Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Computational Humanities, as well as Game Research.

Hallmarks of Research

Our current research focuses on late medieval music from the 13th to the early 15th centuries, Renaissance Franco-Flemish polyphony, music and migration, Baroque opera, Dutch music since the 17th century, music and its epistemologies from the late 18th century to the present, 20th-and 21st-century art and popular music, the complex relationship between music and politics, the interaction between music and media, and the impact of digital research tools on musicology. This research is firmly imbedded within the taught components of this programme, which are further enhanced by guest lectures and master classes led by international experts.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the programme are equipped to operate in the international field of musicology and, in particular, the field of their research specialism. They often continue their studies at doctoral level and subsequently pursue careers in academic teaching and research. 

Graduates who do not wish to pursue doctoral studies have found employment in museums, libraries, archives, publishing houses, and as teachers or freelance consultants in the cultural sector.

After successfully completing the Research Master's programme in Musicology, you will be able to formulate a PhD research proposal on a particular aspect of musicology. You will have a clear idea of the positioning of your own research within the context of international musicological research.