Master’s programme in Musicology

Admission & Requirements

Admission to the master’s programme in Musicology requires the completion of a bachelor’s programme in Musicology or another music-related bachelor’s programme. No special admission examination is required. Graduates of the bachelor’s programme in Musicology at the University of Vienna are definitely eligible for the master’s programme in Musicology. All other prospective students have to apply for admission at the Admission Office of the University of Vienna. Apart from formal requirements, the Admission Office checks whether the bachelor’s programme completed by the applicant is (approximately) equivalent to the bachelor’s programme in Musicology at the University of Vienna in scope and content. For information on the admission procedure and applicable deadlines see here: https://studieren.univie.ac.at/en/admission/master-programmes/

After having checked the general entrance requirements, the Admission Office will send the application documents to the Directorate of Studies for Musicology – Linguistics (SPL 16) to assess the applicant’s subject-specific qualification. Should the bachelor’s programme completed differ slightly in scope and content from the bachelor’s programme in Musicology offered by the University of Vienna, applicants may be requested to complete additional courses (up to 30 ECTS credits). In case the completed bachelor programme differs significantly from the programme in Vienna, the application must be rejected. In this case applicants are recommended to complete the bachelor’s programme in Musicology first. Course credits obtained from previously completed degree programmes may be recognised.

Graduates of a degree programme in music education or an artistic degree programme at a university of music or a conservatoire should bear in mind that courses with a purely artistic scope (voice, violin, conducting, repetiteurship, etc.) are not relevant for the admission to the master's programme in Musicology. To be admitted to the master's programme students must have completed courses in music history, harmony and counterpoint, musical form, acoustics, organology, etc. amounting to at least 25 examinations or 120 ECTS credits in the course of a previous degree programme. Graduates of a degree programme in music education (music education, instrumental or voice education) can in most cases be admitted with the requirement to complete additional courses. Students who have graduated from a purely artistic degree programme (instrumental studies, voice) can usually not be admitted unless they have also completed academic courses. In case of doubt, please refer to the Director of Studies.