MA Musicology (Part-Time)

Year 1

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate advanced competence in a range of methods, approaches, and research techniques appropriate to the scholarly study of music
2. Evaluate critically the concepts, values and debates informing the discipline
3. Devise, plan, and execute an extended musicological research project in the form of a dissertation or applied musicology project
4. Engage critically with disciplinary boundaries and norms
5. Evince an advanced and comprehensive understanding of the relationship between enquiry, evidence, and interpretation in musicological study

Skills Learning Outcomes
Students will:
1. Exhibit intellectual confidence and independence of thought
2. Take a proactive and self-reflective role in working through the evaluation of own and others’ ideas
3. develop professional relationships with others
4. Evaluate own achievements and those of others
5. Undertake independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development
6. Make effective self-directed decisions in complex and unpredictable situations

Assessment

We use a variety of assessment methods, each of which is chosen to best measure your achievement of a module’s learning outcomes and associated skills, so you and we can understand and support your progress and development. Depending on the modules you choose, across your degree you are likely to encounter a mix of written assignments (e.g. essays, reports, reviews, reflective logs), creative outputs and portfolios (e.g. compositions, editions), recitals and performances, presentations, and project work. Assignments will generally be completed individually, though some may require elements of group working leading to individual submissions. 

You might be given a brief, question or problem to be addressed, or you may have scope to determine your own question or approach under the guidance of a member of staff. You’ll be given clear instructions regarding the assessment requirements and criteria, and you’ll receive both formative and summative feedback on your work to support your learning as you progress through your course. Assessments will usually require you to synthesise and evaluate learning from multiple taught sessions and learning resources (e.g. a module’s lectures, seminars, set readings and other online resources), and you should think of your course as a whole, and apply your learning across your modules. Creative, applied and practical work may offer you the chance to take risks and experiment with new ideas and concepts, and in all cases we encourage you to challenge yourself, to think critically and creatively, to move as far beyond your comfort zone as you can, and to reflect on your working process and achievement. 

Our assessments are designed to be fair and inclusive, to engage you intellectually and to help prepare you for life beyond University through the development of relevant skills, knowledge and experience.