The ability to play an instrument or multiple instruments is strongly recommended. A sound knowledge of music theory is also required.

Prior to the start of the master’s degree program, you should make an appointment with the academic advisory office in the department of musicology.

Proof of a bachelor’s degree with at least 60 credits earned in musicology at a higher education institution in Germany, or proof an equivalent higher education degree that does not differ significantly. Qualifications that were not part of the bachelor’s degree program may also be recognized.

We expect you to have sufficient active and passive proficiency in an additional modern foreign language for you to read specialist literature, or have taken the qualifying examination in Latin (Latinum).

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be demonstrated by the end of the first semester after enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information in the examination regulations (in German).

As a part of the master’s programs with a selectable focus area, you can pursue the master’s degree as

• a single-subject master’s degree, i.e., a master’s subject + master’s subject specialization, OR
• a master’s subject in combination with a (different) supplementary subject, OR
• a master’s subject with a supplementary qualification (certificate programs), OR
• a supplementary subject (as part of another major, with or without previous knowledge).

Course sequence

• Views in musicology
• Current research in musicology
• Musicology through practical application
• Music historiography
• Musicology as historic cultural studies

In the “subject specialization” track, you will additionally choose two of the following modules

• Music and digitality
• Music as a cultural asset
• Music education
• Music and contemporary culture

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

We recommend going abroad before you begin preparing for your master’s thesis.

Internships

As a part of the program of study, you will take part in an internship in a relevant musicological professional field. We recommend completing your internship during the semester break after the second or third academic semester. Alternatively, you have the option to get involved in musicological research projects.

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

As a graduate of musicology, you will have acquired the following competencies that are relevant for your future career:

• Methods of (musical) academic work (research, analysis, processing)
• Critical and academic approaches to working with musical resources (sheet music, sound recording media, performances, and written, visual, and online sources, etc.)
• A solid understanding of European musical history from Ancient Greece to the present day
• The ability to understand any type of musical phenomenon and contextualize it historically and culturally
• A critical awareness of the characteristics of music in different forms of media such as sheet music, recorded music, performances, etc.

In the master’s degree program, you will acquire a deepened knowledge as well as skills that will qualify you for demanding tasks and leadership positions. Typical employers that are relevant to you are:

• Universities (academic work)
• Publishing houses for music
• Music editorial departments in radio, television, and online media
• Music journalism and critique
• Culture and concert management
• Dramaturgy and/or public relations at concert halls or theaters
• Music libraries and archives

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.