The Master's in Music Studies is a one year programme that allows you to specialise in historical, cultural and cognitive musicology, or a combination of the three.
The Master's programme in Music Studies comprises 60 ECTS credits: 24 credits for Core courses; up to 18 credits for electives; 6/12 credits for an Internship (optional instead of electives); and 18 credits for Master’s thesis.
Students are required to start the programme with a choice of core courses that cover aspects of Cultural musicology and Cognitive or Historical musicology and finish the programme with a 20,000-word thesis. They choose several musicology and interdisciplinary electives. Core courses can also be chosen as electives.
There is, moreover, the opportunity to enrol for an internship (with a well-articulated research component) at one of the many professional music organisations, ensembles, music venues, and festivals in Amsterdam or elsewhere in the Netherlands.
The master's thesis reports on research carried out under the supervision of an academic staff member involved in the programme. The subject of the thesis must be mutually agreed upon by the student and academic adviser(s).
Students who show exceptional promise during a regular or professional programme are encouraged to continue their studies in a research programme. Once students are admitted to the research programme, they can transfer credits earned during their previous course of study towards their research programme degree. The Examinations Board determines which courses qualify for transfer.