musicology applicant academic backgrounds?

[anoldappletree]

Hi all,

I was wondering what the typical background of a musicology applicant is. I assume it's often a discipline directly related to music?

My degree is in another field of the humanities that did not have much to do with music. I have done both undergraduate and graduate work in other, non-music fields. I'm now hoping to apply to programs in musicology. I do have a background in music, though not academically. I'm not sure how to come off as a credible candidate to the schools I plan to apply. I understand that a writing sample(s) will be very important, especially in my case to demonstrate scholarly ability relevant to music, but I'm worried that my application will be dismissed before even a more serious consideration of my writing sample.

Thanks for your thoughts. 

[Sasha243]

On 12/20/2019 at 7:19 PM, anoldappletree said:

Hi all,

I was wondering what the typical background of a musicology applicant is. I assume it's often a discipline directly related to music?

My degree is in another field of the humanities that did not have much to do with music. I have done both undergraduate and graduate work in other, non-music fields. I'm now hoping to apply to programs in musicology. I do have a background in music, though not academically. I'm not sure how to come off as a credible candidate to the schools I plan to apply. I understand that a writing sample(s) will be very important, especially in my case to demonstrate scholarly ability relevant to music, but I'm worried that my application will be dismissed before even a more serious consideration of my writing sample.

Thanks for your thoughts. 

Hello! I hope i'm not too late to answer your question. I just recently applied for musicology master programs and my background (undergraduate degrees) is a BA in Music and a BA in Anthropology. Not your typical double major but all the effective when trying to understand musicology. I don't know how credible not having a background in music will be for musicology but I wise you luck!

[anoldappletree]

On 1/8/2020 at 9:15 PM, Sasha243 said:

Hello! I hope i'm not too late to answer your question. I just recently applied for musicology master programs and my background (undergraduate degrees) is a BA in Music and a BA in Anthropology. Not your typical double major but all the effective when trying to understand musicology. I don't know how credible not having a background in music will be for musicology but I wise you luck!

Thanks for you reply. However, what I meant when I said I have a background in music but not academically is that I never majored in music.

I could easily pass any theory or musicianship placement, and took courses in my undergrad in theory and musicianship, but was never any kind of music major. Other than my undergrad institution's music theory sequence, I don't have any academic background in music. Both my undergraduate degree and MA are in humanities outside of music. I am an amateur musician I suppose, and have never taken any performance classes since high school...so it's been many years! 

Best of luck to you too! I won't be applying until next cycle for the 2020-21 year. 

[musichistorygeek]

I know a few people who did MAs (and one who went on to a PhD) in musicology after undergrads in unrelated fields (in their cases, history and political science). If I remember correctly, they had to take a few undergraduate courses in theory and possibly a placement exam in music history to demonstrate that they could teach and write about music.