The National University of Ireland, Maynooth
MA Music, Culture and Practice
Maynooth, Ireland
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 7,550 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The MA in Music, Culture and Practice blends academic and creative research in musicology and performance. You’ll study with international scholars, follow a core curriculum to develop research and creative skills, and choose electives to specialise or keep a broad programme. An elective placement provides practical experience and professional development.
Career Outcomes: Graduates work in Creative Arts, Music Industry, Music Broadcasting, Music Journalism, Music Administration, and Teaching in Ireland and internationally; they also move into arts management, cultural policy, performance, composition, archives and curation, music research and doctoral study, and roles in education, outreach, arts administration leadership sector.
Our innovative MA in Music, Culture, and Practice is grounded in cutting-edge academic and creative research, positioning students at the forefront of scholarly exploration.
Collaborating with esteemed international scholars in the Department's key disciplines of musicology and/or performance, students explore a core curriculum that focuses on honing research and creative skills in these areas.
This is complemented by a diverse range of electives that cater to individual specialisation in musicology or performance, or while also allowing students to maintain a more diverse programme of study.This comprehensive degree equips students with the tools required to pursue musicological and/or practice-based research, to foster specialisation and to nurture independent scholarship.
Immersed in a vibrant and collaborative research culture, students will enrich their academic experience by regularly interacting with visiting seminar speakers, performers, and composers. A distinctive feature of our programme is the inclusion of an elective placement component, providing students with practical experiences that enhance their academic and professional growth.
The programme consists of a mandatory core totalling 60 ECTS, incorporating a specialised individual component in the form of a Capstone Project (thesis, performance, or other agreed research artefact).
Additionally, three 10-ECTS modulesResearch Methods, Writing About Music, Creative Collaboration and Disseminationare designed to be pathway flexible, accommodating a diverse range of entrants under the music umbrella, including musicologists, performers, and composers.
These unique modules foster interaction among different learners, cultivating core academic skills while simulating real-world professional scenarios that integrate academic discourse with creative work.
Notably, the Writing About Music module employs a distinctive delivery method, primarily through online evening classes complemented by two on-campus workshops. This module is accessible to external applicants as a microcredential, enhancing the potential for building professional networks among students. Industry specialists play a crucial role in delivering this module, engaging students in activities such as music journalism, broadcasting, publicity, arts administration, and funding.
Augmenting these core modules are 30 ECTS of elective modules, providing students the flexibility to specialise (e.g., in musicology or performance) or mix and match modules to maintain breadth.
A unique feature is the Placement Module, organised in collaboration with external industry partners like Irish National Opera, Irish Traditional Music Archive, and the Contemporary Music Centre, which offers students invaluable professional experiences and connections to potential employers. Contact time for each module is detailed in the module descriptors.
Course Duration: 1 year full-time
Our graduates typically go on to successful careers in the Creative Arts, in Music Industry, Music Broadcasting, Music Journalism, Music Adminsitration and/or Teaching in established institutions in Ireland and internationally.