MA History/Music

About this course

History and music are less obviously paired than some joint degrees, but the connection between them is genuine and deep. Music is itself a historical art form: the traditions of western classical music, jazz, folk, and popular music all have rich historical contexts that illuminate what the music is doing and why it matters, and studying history gives you the tools to understand those contexts with rigour and depth. Conversely, music offers historians a distinctive kind of primary source, a form of evidence about culture, emotion, and social life that written documents can only partially capture. At the University of Glasgow, this part-time programme draws on the university's strong traditions in both disciplines. The history component covers a wide-ranging programme from medieval to modern times and across the globe, with research expertise in Scottish, British, European, American, and global history, including slavery studies, gender history, and war and intelligence. The music component develops both your practical musical engagement and your analytical understanding of musical traditions, forms, and contexts. In your third year you will spend a year abroad, broadening your academic and personal horizons. The part-time structure makes the programme accessible alongside work and other commitments. Graduates from history and music programmes bring a distinctive combination of analytical rigour and cultural sensitivity to the job market. Teaching, arts administration, music journalism, heritage work, broadcasting, academic research, and cultural policy are all natural destinations. The historical depth of the programme is particularly useful in roles relating to early music, music heritage, musicology, and the cultural contexts of musical tradition. Postgraduate study in history, musicology, or arts management is a natural continuation.

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