Music
BA (Hons) (NFQ Level 8) or BSc (Hons) NFQ Level 8)
Course Video
Curricular information is subject to change.
Open AllMusic is a universal form of expression, one that captures our imagination in countless ways. In UCD, we equip students with the skills necessary to understand a wide variety of musical practices. Study music in UCD if you love performing, listening to, and talking about music.
Develop your musicianship through both theory and performance. Deepen your knowledge of musical history and cultures. Analyse the important role music plays in contemporary life. Learn how to research and write about specific musical genres and topics. Find out why music is such a central part of being human.
First Year: Modules Include:
- Writing about Music
- Listening to Music
- Music, Culture & Society
- Musicianship
- Music Theory 1
- Performance Ensemble
Second & Final Years
Core modules on music history, theory, and Irish/world music, with options including:
- Popular Music & Culture
- Formal Analysis
- Introduction to Conducting
- Blues & Jazz
- Traditional Music Practices
- Post-Truth, Politics & Music
- Music & Philosophy
- The Mass in European Culture
- Music & the Moving Image
- Music Theatre, plus a choice of performance ensembles
Music is taught in lectures, seminars, tutorials, ensemble rehearsals, and through independent study and practice. Students are assessed through a mixture of end-of-semester exams, continuous assessment, dissertations, recitals, and concerts.
There are six professionally-directed ensembles in UCD that can be taken for credit: Ad Astra Chamber Orchestra, UCD Choral Scholars, UCD Composition Ensemble, UCD Gamelan Orchestra, UCD Philharmonic Choir, and UCD Symphony Orchestra. Auditions take place during the first two weeks of the semester.
BMus
Students who wish to move to a pure music degree, after completing the first year of the BA, may apply to transfer to the single subject BMus, subject to meeting the entry requirements. Alternatively, following completion of the BA, you may add a BMus degree by studying for another year.
For detailed information on subject content click here
You may be interested in the following Blog posts: Why I chose to study Music at UCD.
| Studying Music |
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as a Joint Major with one of the subjects below:
| Study Music (BSc Social Sciences) as a Minor with one of the following: |
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| Information & Communication Studies |
The UCD School of Music operates Erasmus exchange programmes with universities in:
- Munich
- Prague
- Rouen
Non-EU exchange opportunities include:
- Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada
- Waseda University, Japan
- University of California, Los Angeles.
Performance Scholarships
The School of Music offers over forty performance scholarships each academic year, including with the UCD Choral Scholars and the UCD Symphony Orchestra. Scholars regularly perform on radio, TV and at major events. Details on criteria and auditions can be found on our website.
Music graduates can pursue careers in:
- Performance
- The Music Industry
- Journalism
- Media
- Arts Administration
- Education
- Academia
- Music Therapy
Music graduates often pursue further study. The UCD School of Music offers a taught MMus in Music & Culture, plus research-based MLitt and PhD programmes.
“Studying music at UCD has shaped me into a well-rounded musician. The music faculty has broadened my horizons, by bringing me in touch with different cultures and genres of music across various eras. The support I received from the academic and administrative staff was brilliant. The third-year final recital allowed me to break my boundaries as a musician, by being able to perform both the piano and flute. As a trumpeter of the UCD Symphony Orchestra, I have performed in many major venues. When I complete my BMus, I am excited to embark on postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge.”
Ee Ann Ho, Student
UCD School of Music
Newman,
Belfield,
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 716 8178
Email: music@ucd.ie
