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Undergraduate: Ethnomusicology
- Program Overview
Ethomusicology (ETH)
The minor in Ethnomusicology is designed to provide undergraduates with knowledge about a range of ethnomusicology topics, methods, and theoretical perspectives, in conjunction with a related area of specialization in the social sciences. In addition to ethnomusicology classes, including survey courses and courses on specialized topics, students will take a combination of performance and social science classes on relevant subjects in other departments. The capstone course is MUS451, “Ethnographic Methods in Music,” in which students conduct ethnographic research projects related to music. The minor in ethnomusicology is distinct from other existing music minors in that it offers training in fieldwork methods, an anthropological approach that does not rely heavily on the skills of analysis and performance that may be used in musicology, jazz studies, and the like. Moreover, it often emphasizes repertoire and practice from outside of Europe and the United States (our minor is especially strong in the musics of Asia). Ethnomusicology is the study of musical cultures, and entails a disciplinarily unique set of questions and methodologies, as well as objects.
- Degrees and Requirements
Requirements for Minor in Ethnomusicology
Students are required to take a series of three ethnomusicology classes, two related classes in other departments, three performance classes, and a 400-level ethnography class (MUS 451 “Ethnographic Methods in Music”). Music majors must take an additional independent study.
Completion of the minor requires 21 credits.
Students should be advised to monitor their progress toward completing their upper division credit requirement. It is therefore suggested that students take at least three upper-division courses as part of their ethnomusicology minor.
II. Ethnomusicology series (3 classes required; 9 credits)
- MUS 105 Music Cultures of the World
- MUS 109 Rock, Popular Music, and Society
- MUS 311 Topics in Ethnomusicology
Students must take one introductory course (either MUS 105 or MUS 109), and choose two of the other courses. MUS 311 may be repeated with a different topic (i.e., “Music and Islam” and “Music of China”). Other ethnomusicology options possible with UGPD permission.
II. Area Studies and Social Sciences (2 courses required; 6 credits)
Students must choose two from the following list of courses (below) from other departments.
Petitions for other courses can be submitted to the UGPD.
- AAS 110 Appreciating Indian Music
- AAS 118 Introduction to Asian Studies
- AAS 211 Asian and Asian American Studies Topics in the Social Sciences
- AAS 212 Asian and Asian American Studies Topics in the Humanities
- AAS 280 Islam
- AAS 305 The Pacific, Travel & Empire
- AAS 351 Revolutionary China: Politics, Culture, and Power
- AAS/ANT 379 Ethnicity and Ecology in China
- AFH 339 Arts of the African Diaspora
- AFS 101 and AFS 102 Themes in Black Experience
- AFS 365 Introduction to African Society
- ANT 102 What Makes Us Human?
- HUS 254 Latin America Today
- HUS 271 United States Latino Literature and Culture
- JDS 226 The Shaping of Modern Judaism
- SOC 247 Sociology of Gender
- WST 102 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies in the Social Sciences
- WST 103 Women, Culture, and Difference
- WST 111 Introduction to Queer Studies in the Humanities
- WST 112 Introduction to Queer Studies in the Social Sciences
- WST 210 Contemporary Issues in Women's and Gender Studies
- WST 291 Introduction to Feminist Theory
III. Performance/practice-based requirements (3 semesters required; 3 credits)
Option A
3 semesters of Ethnomusicology ensemble (such as MUS 235 Introduction to African Drumming or MUS 335 Advanced African Drumming)
Option B
2 semesters of Ethnomusicology ensemble (such as MUS 235 Introduction to African Drumming or MUS 335 Advanced African Drumming)
AND
1 semester of composition/production
class (MUS 341 Sound Design)
Other performance/production options possible with UGPD permission.
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Seminar in Ethnography (3 credits)
MUS 451 “Ethnographic Methods in Music” (Required)
Prerequisities: MUS 105 or 109, and junior or senior standing
If a Music major wants to also do a minor in Ethnomusicology he/she must undertake a relevant independent project under faculty supervision, taken as a 3 credit MUS 487 Independent Project.
- Sequence
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Courses
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