12.11 Ethnomusicology

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The Master of Arts program in Ethnomusicology is administered by the School of Music in consultation with the Department of Folklore, and generally in response to recommendations from an Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee with representation from both academic units, chaired by the Program Co-ordinator.

The Degree of Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology is offered by part-time and full-time study. While it is normally a course work degree, a thesis option is available upon application. Fieldwork is often a requirement both for independent research and course work. The resources of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive are available to graduate students in Ethnomusicology.


12.11.1 Qualifications for Admission

Applicants may be admitted to the program if they have at least a B+ average with a B.Mus. Degree or other Degree in the Humanities or Social Sciences with evidence of specialization in music. Applicants whose professional music training took place outside the university system are also encouraged to apply, provided they have the academic equivalent of the qualifications described above. Applicants from a discipline other than Music will be expected to demonstrate the following skills:

  • Competent performance in any musical tradition, as judged by a musician knowledgeable about that tradition.

  • Knowledge of culturally appropriate language for discussion of performance techniques in that tradition.

  • Ability to discuss musical details on the basis of aural and/or written sources, as appropriate to that tradition.

Applicants for admission may, at the discretion of the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee, be required to write diagnostic examinations measuring skills and knowledge in music literacy, theory, or aural perception. Applicants with deficiencies in any of these areas may be required to take remedial course work prior or in addition to the required program.


12.11.2 Program of Study

The M.A. program will normally be completed within five consecutive semesters of full-time study. The degree is normally taken by completing course work and a major research paper. In special circumstances, a student may apply to complete the degree by completing course work and a thesis. Demonstration of competence in a language other than English may be required if warranted by the research proposed by the student.

  1. Course Work M.A.

    1. Students must normally complete a minimum of 24 credit hours plus a major research paper (Music 7002). Further courses beyond the minimum number may be required, depending on the background of the student. The required courses are:

      1. Music 7001; Folklore 6030.

      2. Folklore 6100.

      3. One area or genre studies course (3 credit hours) relevant to the research of the student.

      4. Twelve credit hours to be selected from the Music and Folklore courses listed below (with the approval of the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee); one elective (3 credit hours) may be a relevant course offered in another discipline (with the approval of the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee).

    2. Research paper (Music 7002) on a topic chosen by the student with the student's supervisor's approval. Proposals for topics and supervisors will be vetted by the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee no later than the beginning of the third term of study. The paper will normally demonstrate the student's ability to apply methodologies and theoretical constructs, learned in the courses taken, to a specific repertory, or performance context.

  2. Thesis M.A. (available by special application to the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee)

    1. Students must normally complete a minimum of 21 credit hours plus a thesis. The required courses are:

      1. Music 7001; Folklore 6030.

      2. Folklore 6100.

      3. One area or genre studies course (3 credit hours) relevant to the research of the student.

      4. Nine credit hours to be selected from the Music and Folklore courses listed below (with the approval of the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee); one elective (3 credit hours) may be a relevant course offered in another discipline (with the approval of the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee).

    2. Thesis submitted in accordance with General Regulations, Theses and Reports of the School of Graduate Studies. A thesis proposal, consisting of a statement of topic, working title, plan of research, and preliminary bibliography, with the name of the preferred Supervisor, shall be submitted by the student to the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee no later than the beginning of the third term of study.


12.11.3 Courses

Theories and Methods:

  • Music 6001 Research Methods
  • Music 6002 Graduate Seminar
  • Music 6807 Video Documentary Production (credit may be received for only one of Music 6807, Music 7003 or Music 7803)
  • Music 7001 Research Problems and Methods in Ethnomusicology
  • Music 7002 Research Paper
  • Music 7003 The Politics of Ethnographic Video Methods in Ethnomusicology
  • Music 7803 Radio Documentary Production (credit may be received for only one of Music 6807, Music 7003 or Music 7803)
  • Folklore 6010 Survey of Folklore Genres and Processes
  • Folklore 6020 Field and Research Methods
  • Folklore 6030 Folklore Theories
  • Folklore 6040 Feminist Theories: Perspectives and Issues
  • Folklore 6080 Vernacular Theories
  • Folklore 6090 Ethnology
  • Folklore 7100 Advanced Folkloristics II: Research and Ethnography

Form and Performance:

  • Music 7005 Performance Option
  • Folklore 6100 Song and Music
  • Folklore 6120 Ballad
  • Folklore 6130 Folk Music Canons and Documentary Sound Recordings
  • Folklore 6200 Folktale
  • Folklore 6210 Legend
  • Folklore 6220 Personal Experience Narrative
  • Folklore 6250 Language and Play
  • Folklore 6260 Ethnography of Communications
  • Folklore 6300 Ethnography of Belief
  • Folklore 6310 Health Systems
  • Folklore 6350 Custom
  • Folklore 6360 Traditional Drama
  • Folklore 6400 Material Culture
  • Folklore 6410 Vernacular Architecture
  • Folklore 6420 Art and the Artifact
  • Folklore 6430 Food and Culture
  • Folklore 6720 Folklore and Literature

Area and Genre Studies:

  • Music 7010 Musics of Asia and Oceania
  • Music 7011 Musics of Africa and the Americas
  • Music 7013 Music and Culture
  • Music 7017 Folksong
  • Music 7018 History of Jazz
  • Folklore 6060 Foundations of Performance Studies
  • Folklore 6120 Ballad
  • Folklore 6600 Folklore of Newfoundland
  • Folklore 6610 Folklore of Canada
  • Folklore 6620 Folklore of the United States
  • Folklore 6630 Folklore of the British Isles
  • Folklore 6770 The Global and the Local

Social Identities:

  • Music 7006 Urban Ethnomusicology
  • Music 7007 Music in the Study of Gender, Race and Class
  • Music 7009 Music and Place
  • Music 7802 Music and Intercultural Processes
  • Folklore 6510 Occupational Folklore
  • Folklore 6551 Indigenous Expressive Cultures in Cross-cultural Encounter
  • Folklore 6730 Folklore and Gender
  • Folklore 6780 Ethnicities

Public and Applied Ethnomusicology and Folklore:

  • Music 6700 Career Skills for Musicians
  • Music 6750 Music Industries Internship (2 credit hours)
  • Music 6900 Public and Applied Ethnomusicology
  • Folklore 6740 Public Sector Folklore
  • Folklore 6760 Archiving
  • Folklore 6790 Museums: Perspectives and Practices
  • Folklore 6800 Applied Folklore

Interdisciplinary Perspectives:

  • Music 7008 Media Studies
  • Folklore 6700 Folklore and Culture
  • Folklore 6710 Oral Tradition and Oral History
  • Folklore 6750 Popular Culture: Theory and Debate

Independent Study:

  • Music 7026-29 Directed Reading in Ethnomusicology
  • Folklore 6570-79 Reading Courses in Folklore

Special Topics:

  • Music 6800-09 (excluding Music 6807) Special Topics in Music
  • Music 7800-09 (excluding Music 7802 and 7803) Special Topics in Music
  • Folklore 6511-29 Special Topics in Folklore
  • Folklore 6570-79 Reading Course in Folklore

The information on this site has been extracted from the Official 2024-2025 University Calendar. While every reasonable effort has been made to duplicate the information contained in the official University Calendar, if there are differences, the official Memorial University of Newfoundland Calendar will be considered the final and accurate authority.

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