Master Musicologie

Musicology is the academic study of music, and the Master Musicologie at Universite Rennes 2 in Rennes Cedex, France, offers a two-year, French-taught master's degree in this discipline, with studies beginning in September. As a field, musicology examines music from historical, theoretical, analytical, and cultural perspectives, drawing on tools from history, aesthetics, sociology, and sometimes acoustics. Students typically study the history of Western art music alongside popular, traditional, and non-Western musical traditions, learning to analyze scores, place compositions in their historical and social context, and examine how music circulates and is received by audiences. Coursework often includes music analysis, historiography, aesthetics and philosophy of music, ethnomusicology, and methods for archival and documentary research. Depending on the program, students may also engage with organology, the study of musical instruments, or with the sociology of musical institutions and performance practice. A musicology master's program develops strong skills in written analysis, research methodology, and critical thinking about cultural artifacts. Graduates pursue varied paths, including doctoral research toward academic careers, positions in cultural institutions such as concert halls, opera houses, and archives, music criticism and journalism, arts administration, and roles in music publishing or broadcasting. Some graduates work in heritage preservation, managing music collections or supporting festivals and performing arts organizations. Others move into teaching, either through further qualification or in cultural education settings. Studying musicology in France, and specifically at Universite Rennes 2, situates students within a long tradition of French musical scholarship and gives access to francophone research literature and institutions. The program is delivered in French, and the yearly tuition is 250 EUR.