Objectives and competences

The university master's degree in Music as an Interdisciplinary Art, which is taught at the Faculty of Geography and History, covers theoretical and practical aspects of music that are generally overlooked in the academic world: the association between music and cultural activities such as visual and audio-visual art and literary creation and classical or popular music concerts. This unique academic approach is combined with the opportunity to carry out placements in organizations and institutions involved in various aspects of music, to further the students' professional development.

The master's degree in Music as an Interdisciplinary Art is unique because it addresses music as the catalyst of cultural activity, that is, it examines the impact of the active presence of music and its agents (the creator and the audience) on contemporary cultural life. Subjects cover theory (dramatic composition, musical anthropology, musical thought, and music analysis), practice and performance in various areas (electronica, jazz, pop, music and image, neuromusic) to give students a complete overview of music as a living cultural and creative phenomenon.

In addition to the range of subjects, students will contribute to the creation of an interdisciplinary show, attend debates on interdisciplinary topics, and carry out work placements with companies in the sector, giving them greater insight into the many facets of music as a professional activity.

Basic information

TypeMaster's degree
Faculty or schoolFaculty of Geography and History
Branch of knowledge
  • History of art and artistic expression, and fine arts
  • Interdisciplinary
  • History, archaeology, geography, philosophy and humanities
Mode of delivery
  • Face-to-face
Credits60
Number of places available30
Length of course1 academic year
Language(s) of instructionSpanish, Catalan
Approximate price per credit27.67 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2023-2024
CoordinationJOSEP LLUIS FALCO
Course detailsIndicators
Open pre-enrolmentYes
Open enrolmentNo
Lead to doctoral studiesYes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualificationNo
InteruniversityYes
Main universityUniversitat Barcelona
Universities
  • Universitat Barcelona
  • Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Bridging coursesNo

Objectives and competences

Objectives

The master's degree in Music as an Interdisciplinary Art is intended for graduates in the humanities (history, art history, anthropology, modern languages, philosophy, fine arts, graduates in conservatories and schools of music), journalism, audio-visual communication, cultural sociology, music education and teaching who wish to complete their academic training with a systematic and rigorous study of audio-visual media and music criticism.

In accordance with the Bologna Process and the structure of the EHEA, the new approach is open to related disciplines, which boosts the interdisciplinary nature of the programme, to better adapt to the current world.

The course provides a broad overview of music, from the perspective of creation, consumption and business, so that students gain an understanding of the world of music and of professional work in this field. A cross- and interdisciplinary perspective will be used to debate and develop knowledge of music through complementary fields such as history, sociology of music, anthropological analysis, philosophy, teaching, and problems in the music profession, in relation to the complex worlds of concert music, music that incorporates technology and popular music.

The master's degree prepares students to engage with different professions related to music (including playing and performance, programme management, written and broadcast journalism and music teaching) and to promote the development of academic strategies for research on music subjects.

Competences

BASIC AND GENERAL COMPETENCES




  • Capacity to apply the knowledge acquired to problem-solving in new or relatively unknown environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of studies.

  • Ability to develop artistic and musical creativity.

  • Capacity to display initiative in interdisciplinary creative processes.



Capacity to work in interdisciplinary teams.



GENERIC COMPETENCES




  • Capacity to assess cultural processes in the creative process and in professional activity.



Capacity to use the latest methods from other humanistic disciplines as additional tools.



SPECIFIC COMPETENCES




  • Capacity to apply rigorously methodologies and tools of analysis to the aspect of sound.

  • Knowledge of mechanisms and procedures aimed at creating multidisciplinary shows.

  • Capacity to assess the creative dynamics associated with popular music creation in all its forms and specific features, and in its social reach.

  • Capacity to understand thought processes related to the creation and dissemination of music in the past and the present.

  • Capacity to write critical reports and assess the value of interdisciplinary art products in the mass media.

  • Capacity to learn about and assess the association between music and the audiovisual world, from a theoretical and practical perspective.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

The master's degree is designed for holders of pre-EHEA or bachelor's degrees with knowledge of music and an interest in studying the presence and value of music in different cultural sectors, who wish to gain greater knowledge of the value of interdisciplinarity in music, and to pursue a career in the music sector.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

  • Official Spanish university degree.

  • A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

  • A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements
Candidates should have studied humanities, and will therefore be familiar with the procedures and resources used in these disciplines. They should: know how to consult and use information from bibliographic sources; have developed their own criteria for analysing the information they obtain, and holds their own opinions about particular events and circumstances. They must be open to understanding artistic processes related to music along with other arts. In addition, they should be familiar with techniques for writing scientific texts so that they engage in the theoretical work that the master's degree requires. Candidates should have musical knowledge, gained through studying the theory of and playing an instrument, in order to work more proficiently with the course content.

Preference will therefore be given to holders of pre-EHEA or bachelor's degrees in branches of the human sciences, preferably the History and Science of Music, History of Art, Journalism, Sociology, Audiovisual Communication or Music Teaching and Education; holders of qualifications in any music specialization from the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya or from other Spanish schools of music; and holders of degrees in other university disciplines, which will be assessed on an individual basis.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

- First period: 16 February - 16 April 2024.

- Second period: 18 April - 20 June 2024.

Notes:

  • Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
  • Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

Selection criteria

Candidates will be given preference if they hold a pre-EHEA or bachelor's degree in a branch of humanities or social sciences, preferably history, music science, history of art, journalism, audio-visual communication, philosophy, anthropology, sociology or music teaching .
Holders of pre-EHEA or bachelor's degrees in other disciplines may also be admitted, subject to consideration on an individual basis. Credit will be given for knowledge of music gained in a conservatoire or higher school of music.

At the end of each pre-enrolment period, the master's degree committee will assess the applications of all candidates who meet the administrative and academic requirements and make an initial selection of successful candidates according to merit. If possible, places will be left open for a subsequent round to applications.

The list of successful candidates will be posted on the master's degree web page. Candidates who meet some, but not all, of the requirements will be placed on a reserve list.

The following selection criteria and weightings will be used:
  • Suitability of CV (5 points).
  • Knowledge of music (2 points).
  • Reasons for applying (2 points).
  • Other considerations (1 point).


The course coordinator will remain in email contact with all candidates (whether they have been accepted or are on the reserve list), to inform them about pending administrative and academic procedures.

Notification

Successful candidates will be placed on an admissions list in order of priority. Unsuccessful candidates will be placed on a reserve list and automatically accepted if a successful candidate withdraws or if places are available at the end of the pre-enrolment period.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type ECTS
Compulsory 20
Optional 30
Compulsory placements 0
Compulsory final project 10
TOTAL 60

List of subjects

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: Music as an Interdisciplinary Art
Creation Workshop Optional 2nd semester 5
Final Project Compulsory 1st semester
2nd semester
10
Institutional or Company Placement Optional 2nd semester 5
Music and Artistic Expression Optional 2nd semester 5
Music and Popular Environment Optional 2nd semester 5
Music and Procedures Optional 2nd semester 5
Music and Profession Compulsory 1st semester 5
Music and Society Optional 1st semester 5
Music and Spectacle Compulsory 1st semester 5
Music and Theory Compulsory 1st semester 5
Music, Gesture and Word Optional 1st semester 5
Music, Symbology and Thought Optional 2nd semester 5
Música i Audiovisual Optional 2nd semester 5
Opera as a Spectacle Compulsory 1st semester 5

Previous years

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.

Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record.  There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 500 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.

Contact

 

Institutional information

Career opportunities

What can you work on ?

The master's degree prepares students to engage with different professions related to music (including playing and performance, programme management, written and broadcast journalism and music teaching) and to promote the development of academic strategies for research on music subjects.

Access to the labour market

Data from the university system in Catalonia

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