the master of arts in musicology gives students a wide-ranging introduction to advanced musicological study. the university of sheffield breadth of expertise in the department of music means that they can engage with a range of specialist areas. graduates will explore themes such as gender, musical philosophy and culture, the creative process, performance and reception, and use a range of methodologies to understand how music is created, disseminated and received.

in the first semester, all students take a module on critical musicology. this gives them a grounding in the key concepts of musicological thought and technique, from nationalism and canon to semiotics and aesthetics. they will then apply these concepts to a specific repertoire in the second semester.

for many students, the dissertation is the climax of their course. they will have the opportunity to explore a research topic of their own choice on any topic or repertoire. previous graduates have explored everything from art and music in renaissance italy to gender identity in disney musicals.