Program Overview

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Musikwissenschaft - Master

Key data on study program

• Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
• Academic Degree: Master
• Restricted admission: None
• Regular duration of studies: 4 semesters
• Is a combination subject required?: No
• Application deadline 1st semester:
  • Application deadline for Germans and EU citizens:
    • Summer semester: 15.03
    • Winter semester: 15.09
  • Application deadline for non-EU citizens:
    • Summer semester: 15.01
    • Winter semester: 15.07
• Program start: Winter semester, Summer semester
• Language of instruction: German
• Costs: Tuition and other fees

Requirements and application

On what criteria are applicants selected?

This master's program is formally open to all applicants. However, a timely application via the University of Tübingen's online application portal is necessary, on the basis of which the program coordinators check whether the admission requirements (see below) are met.

Which requirements must I meet for studies?

An above-average BA in Musicology (subject share of at least 50%) with a final grade of at least 2.5 or an equivalent degree. Please schedule a study counseling session in advance.

Which languages must I know?

English (at least level B2), another modern foreign language (at least level B1), and Latin skills (at least level A2) must be proven by presenting the Abitur certificate or corresponding language certificates when registering for the master's examination. Latin skills can be acquired in a single course without an examination.

Program details

Which topics are dealt with in the program?

Historical Musicology deals with music from antiquity to the present. It starts with source research and deals with music theory and editing practice, notation and typesetting, genres and forms, and the analysis and interpretation of music. The goal is to explore and understand music works and music cultures in their historical and social mobility, as well as in their anthropological, scientific, aesthetic, and media context. This results in interfaces with historical and philological subjects, but also with numerous other disciplines from the humanities and natural sciences, theology, and economics, law, and education.

In the master's program, the understanding of changes in composition techniques and form building from the Middle Ages to modern times is promoted, and the interdisciplinary perspective is strengthened. Colloquia offer a forum for discussing current research questions. A master's thesis and an oral examination conclude the study.

What is special about the Tübingen program?

Located in the Pfleghof in the historic old town of Tübingen, the institute offers optimal study conditions in a personal atmosphere. Cooperations with local publishing companies ("Neue Schubert-Ausgabe", "Denkmäler der Musik in Baden-Württemberg") and the Collegium musicum enrich the range of courses and offer opportunities for practical experience. The institute is home to the Schwäbische Landesmusikarchiv and the extensive music instrument collection from the Karl Ventzke Foundation (wind instruments, mainly from the 19th century).

The teachers at the institute try to cover the wide field of music history as comprehensively as possible. Current focal points lie in the epochs of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Viennese Classicism, the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as in the areas of Gregorian chant and editing practice, music and language, effects of music, music theater, or music and dance. Systematic Musicology (e.g., music aesthetics and sociology) and, to some extent, Ethnomusicology are also offered. The curriculum is regularly supplemented by career-oriented seminars (e.g., music journalism or dramaturgy).

The program can be combined with the Master's profile in Digital Humanities. Within a module, the humanities research approaches and methods acquired in the program are combined with methods and tools of modern digital data processing - such as 3D modeling, programming databases, or digital editing.

The program can also be combined with the Master's profile in Museums and Collections. This profile provides practical skills for preparing and presenting research results in exhibitions.

How is the program structured?

The structure of the study program can be found in the following module overview:

• The modules MUS-MA-01 to MUS-MA-06 can be completed in any order.
• The module MUS-MA-07 should be taken in the second year of study.

Is study abroad expected?

You may choose to spend some time abroad as part of any study program. You should start planning it 12 to 18 months before your departure.

Help with choosing a study program

Is the program right for me?

To help you decide whether Tübingen is right for you, here are some contact points and information on studying in Germany:

• University of Tübingen's international profile
• Contact: University office for the Advising and Admission of International Students
• Information on application for international students
• FAQs for international students
• Addresses and contact points for international students at the University of Tübingen

After your studies

Career prospects

Employment opportunities for graduates of a musicological study program are available in the large area of cultural work and cultural management, in dramaturgy or press and public relations of music festivals, theaters, or concert halls, in the editorial offices of newspapers, radio, and television, at book and music publishers, in libraries, archives, or in the recording industry. A good career start requires the acquisition of corresponding additional qualifications during the study program. For this purpose, internships, but also career-qualifying seminars from the field of Studium Professionale, as well as language and computer courses, are suitable.

Doctorate options

Available after completing the Master's program in Musicology with an above-average grade.