Musicology
Our Program ConcentrationsThe Musicology program seeks an interdisciplinary approach to the study of music in culture. Students enrolled in this program are expected to intellectually engage in richly contextualized music scholarship and to produce original work
This program welcomes a variety of scholarly projects and pursuits. Common approaches to the study of music in culture include oral history, ethnography, archival research, historiography, music analysis, reception studies, aesthetics and criticism, gender and sexuality studies, discourse analysis, and sound and performance studies.
Given our location, this program is especially interested in musical and expressive practices of Native, Hispano, and Anglo communities in the southwest. Students are encouraged to actively interface with regionally specific departments housed at UNM, including the Latin American and Iberian Institute, American Studies, and Native American Studies.
While the degree is self-standing, the Master of Music with a Concentration in Musicology prepares students for external doctoral programs in Musicology and/or Ethnomusicology. Moreover, this degree provides an optimal foundation for enrollment in UNM doctoral programs, including but not limited to: Art History, American Studies, Anthropology, and Latin American and Iberian Studies.
“I came to the University of New Mexico to study guitar and received incredible instruction and opportunities as a performer. An inspiring music history class further expanded my interests, leading me to complete a dual master’s degree in both performance and musicology. Beyond excellent academics and lessons, in Musicology it was the personal attention, time, mentoring, and supportive relationships built with my UNM professors that led me to become the scholar and person I am today. I always felt uplifted in all my endeavors by the caring faculty who believe in their students, and a greater UNM community, full of compassionate individuals with a passion for music.“
