Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Semester fee
78
Euro
Start of the program
Winter semester
Standard length of the program
6
Semester
Place of study
Eichstätt
Part-time studies possible
Yes
The Bachelor's degree program in Applied Musicology and Music Education is unique in Germany to date. The combination of these two areas of study and the applied approach make it unique. The program’s applied nature means that students have the opportunity to practice using the skills that they have learned in practical projects where they create their own arrangements, organize concerts, carry out music education projects, or create podcasts, for example. The Bachelor’s program can be studied in full-time or part-time.
What is Musicology?
Musicology deals with music from different perspectives and with very different methods. It knows neither stylistic nor cultural boundaries. Thus, the music of long-deceased composers as well as current music charts or music from other cultures can become the study focus. At the same time, it is not only about the music itself, but also about how to deal with it, for example when listening or making music. For example, the question of how the memory for music functions or how music triggers emotions can be considered just as much as stage fright during a performance or the practice processes of musicians. Musicology pursues its research questions primarily based on theoretical considerations and empirical studies rather than with the help of practical music education.
Within musicology, a distinction is made between three areas of work. These investigate different questions and work with different methods, but also show cross-sections and similarities.
Historical Musicology
- Music history, e.g. origin, notation, tonal reproduction, function and effect of works of Western musical tradition)
- Organology
- Music philosophy and music aesthetics
Systematic Musicology
- Acoustics, e.g. instrument acoustics, room acoustics
- Music psychology
- Sociology of music
- Music informatics, cognitive musicology, mathematical music theory
Music ethnology (also ethnomusicology)
- Music of non-European cultures and peoples
- European folk and popular music
- Music in the context of urbanity or migration
However, only a combination of all these areas makes it possible to understand the complex phenomenon of music with its manifold historical, psychological, sociological, acoustic and cultural interactions in its entirety.
The three musicological sections are supplemented by music theory, which deals with the following aspects of music: Harmonics, theory of forms, composition and musical analysis.
Where does musicology leave its traces?
The findings of musicology are not only found in scientific books and journals. Listening to music and making music are popular leisure activities, and often at least indirectly connected with the activities of musicologists.
Examples:
- In concert halls or opera houses: Conception of programs, music and opera dramaturgy, program booklets, music management, sheet music editing, etc.
- In radio and television stations: Music journalistic contributions such as reports, reviews, features, interviews, etc.
- In libraries, archives, museums: Sheet music inventories, maintenance and analysis of musical instruments, etc.
- In music publishing houses: Conception of programs, sheet music editions, songbooks, books about music, etc.
The program in detail
Contents
General information on the degree program
The Bachelor’s degree program in "Applied Musicology and Music Pedagogy" generally prepares students for a music-related profession in those areas where music is written and spoken about, where music is taught, organized and managed. It is therefore not specifically oriented towards a particular professional field, but rather provides the basic qualifications that are important for all professional fields.
The degree program is aimed at people with an interest in a music-related activity, who strive for a balanced combination of scientific-theoretical, music-practical and professional training.
According to these basic ideas, the courses deal, among other things, with music history, work analysis, music theory, music aesthetics, pop music, jazz, notation, instrumental studies, music psychology, acoustics, music sociology, music and media, music ethnology and music anthropology, introduction to scientific work and methods of empirical research.
Prerequisites for a successful course of study
- Interest for music of different epochs and styles
- Willingness to deal with scientific texts about music
- Curiosity about music-educational processes
- Enjoyment of musical practice, without wanting to professionalize it at university level
- Experience with music in school/leisure time
Program structure
The teaching practice in Eichstätt is based on six central pillars, which guarantee a sound education in the fields of musicology, music education, music practice and music theory that are relevant to the diverse professional fields. The connection to professional practice as well as the possibility of including supplementary study modules from relevant neighboring disciplines round off the comprehensive range of courses.
The six main pillars are:
Musicology
Basic teaching of topics, methods and working methods of all three sub-disciplines of musicology (systematic musicology / historical musicology / music ethnology)
Action-oriented music pedagogy
Introduction to music-educational methodology and theory formation
Music practice
Students will continuously be dealing with and approaching different forms of practical music-making in various KU ensembles (available in german) such as choir, chamber choir, a cappella group, orchestra or big band.
Music theory
Students will continuously be dealing with the music theoretical foundations of the occidental music tradition as a basis for scientific-analytical considerations as well as for music practice in the field of improvisation and song accompaniment.
Professional practice
A continuous career orientation through various events offering a good overview of the professional field, short internships, practical projects and a required internship semester. In order to enable graduates from Eichstätt to enter professional life as smoothly as possible, the degree program works closely with cooperation partners from the cultural life and music industry, such as the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation, the Nuremberg State Theater, the Stuttgart State Opera, as well as music publishers and cultural offices for workshops, internships and introductory events.
Elective modules
The study program is opened for supplementary, freely selectable study contents from neighboring disciplines according to individual interests and the requirements of the desired field of activity in the form of a component of optional modules from the entire KU curriculum that is being integrated into the program curriculum.
Facilities
Our Eichstätt campus offers attractive and state-of-the-art facilities: KU music students have their own computer music laboratory with special software for music editing and digital music processing as well as a well-maintained pool of recording equipment for audio and video recordings. For their music practice, students are provided with a separate band room as well as various music practice rooms. Through the University Library, you have access to a large and up-to-date stock of current music-related books and periodicals. In addition, you can borrow sheet music. Interesting cooperation partners from cultural life and the music industry, who enrich the degree program with practical seminars, workshops and external internships, make studying in Eichstätt so interesting.
The program in awards and rankings
Our students have submitted an assessment of the Bachelor’s degree program in Applied Musicology and Music Pedagogy and would recommend it to 100%!
Rankings and assessments
KU students and alumni have voted for their University to be Germany's most popular university in the 2024 ranking of the online portal StudyCheck. This is the third time in a row, as KU was also voted the most popular university in 2021 and 2022. The ranking was based on over 78,000 evaluations for more than 500 higher education institutions and universities. 97 percent of students questioned for the ranking would recommend studying at the KU to others.
"There is no better praise for a university than almost 100 percent of students and alumni agreeing: I can only recommend studying at the KU! That is why we are very pleased with the ranking’s outcome, because it expresses the high level of satisfaction of our students," says KU President Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien.
Studying abroad
Within the framework of the practical semester in the fifth semester (and correspondingly at a later point in time in the part-time program), it is possible to either complete a study visit or an internship abroad without any problems. All partner universities of the KU that offer music-related programs are available. The International Office supports you in your search for an internship abroad or a suitable exchange university.
Practical connection
This degree program has a strong practical connection: Already in the second semester, students get a first insight into possible occupational fields and their requirements through lectures and workshops with professionals from the field. Within the framework of a 4-week short internship, which takes place in the lecture-free period between the second and fourth semester, students can take part in a practical training. Students take an intensive approach to one or two occupational fields during their practical semester, which is held in semester 5.
Career possibilities and professional fields
Career prospects
Central occupational fields for which students of this degree program are prepared include:
- Concert education specialist
- Music journalist
- Theater education specialist
- Music manager
Other professional fields for which this degree program constitutes an important first step, but which usually require more in-depth study (Master's degree program, volunteer work, etc.):
- Lecturer
- Editor sheet music
- Opera director
- Dramaturge
- Arranger
- Artistic director
- Music therapist
- Music producer
- Agent
Occupational fields for which students are NOT being prepared in this degree program are:
- Musician
- Singer
- Sound engineer
- Composer
These professional goals can partly be achieved by an artistic degree program at a university of music or within the framework of a practical training (e.g. musical performer).
Alumni testimonials
"If you already know that you would like to do something with music, the degree program offers the possibility to find out, which areas suit your interests best: it offers many different subjects, many practical components and practical courses, which are firmly integrated to the program. For me, the most suitable areas…
"If you already know that you would like to do something with music, the degree program offers the possibility to find out, which areas suit your interests best: it offers many different subjects, many practical components and practical courses, which are firmly integrated to the program. For me, the most suitable areas were systematic musicology, writing and teaching. These insights helped me to choose the right Master's degree program and to discover my own way.”
What students say about the program
"I am very happy that I have chosen the KU when I was searching for a suitable university. The informal atmosphere, which I had already read about in numerous testimonials, was immediately visible for me as well. The fact that lecturers were always available to talk in person and professors were constantly helpful also…
"I am very happy that I have chosen the KU when I was searching for a suitable university. The informal atmosphere, which I had already read about in numerous testimonials, was immediately visible for me as well. The fact that lecturers were always available to talk in person and professors were constantly helpful also helped me greatly to find my way around from the very beginning.
In my opinion, the relationship between theory and practice in my degree program is perfectly coordinated. In various ensemble groups, we have the opportunity to develop our musical freedom and at the same time develop educational skills in music teaching.
The course of study is also very varied due to the great variety of theoretical contents such as music history, music theory and the various musicological seminars.
Offering exciting theoretical insights and fun in practice, the program ideally prepares us for a professional field full of different possibilities."
"The degree program creates a good balance between theory and practice. In small and large projects within the framework of different courses, students always have the opportunity to apply the theoretical contents of the course in practice. Although it can happen from time to time that you are thrown in at the deep end,…
"The degree program creates a good balance between theory and practice. In small and large projects within the framework of different courses, students always have the opportunity to apply the theoretical contents of the course in practice. Although it can happen from time to time that you are thrown in at the deep end, you are never alone and can always count on support from lecturers and fellow students. Guidelines are usually formulated relatively loosely and you are always encouraged to freely implement your own ideas.
This is also reflected in the possibilities of practical music making at the university, which of course must not be neglected in a music course. Thus, numerous lecturers lead large ensembles that practice on a weekly basis, offering everything from choirs and band projects to traditional instrumental ensembles. In addition, students organize themselves in small ensembles and develop short programs that are performed as part of the Klangreise at the end of each semester.
You are also not alone when it comes to your own career prospects. In the course of the studies, a series of lectures will give you an insight into different professional fields and at the same time you will make your first contacts with people from all areas of the music industry. Through practical projects, you will have the opportunity to realize your own ideas in a relaxed atmosphere and you will gain valuable professional experience during the practical semester.
So if you are interested in a varied music study program in an informal setting and perhaps do not know exactly where you want to go, I can warmly recommend the Bachelor's degree program in Applied Musicology and Music Education at the KU."
The KU
The KU has two campuses: Eichstätt and Ingolstadt. Seven faculties are located in Eichstätt. The Ingolstadt School of Management (WFI) and MIDS (Institute of Applied Mathematics, Machine Learning and Data Science) are located on our Ingolstadt campus.
This degree program is taught on our Eichstätt campus.
Studying in Eichstätt
Study location
The district of Eichstätt and the city of Ingolstadt are located in the heart of Bavaria. This central location also means that the KU is easy to reach. Eichstätt impresses with its unique combination of baroque architecture, modern amenities and the picturesque nature of the Altmühltal natural park.
Campus
Short distances and lavish green spaces characterize the KU campus in Eichstätt. The KU is a campus University with modern facilities. The buildings on campus are located close to the Eichstätt old town.
More than just a degree
Studying at the KU not only provides you with the specialist knowledge you need, but also aims to open up real future prospects for its students. We want to support our students in finding their own personal path to their individual dream future! The question is not "What career do I want to pursue?", but rather "Who do I want to be?"
Advisory Service
Some offers and study conditions are different for international students – our International Office is happy to provide help and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team. We are happy to accompany you on your way to the KU and hope that we can welcome you in person soon!
Armelle
Langenwald
International degree seeking students coordinator - Campus Ingolstadt
Building
Hauptbau
|
Room: HB-209
Application
Requirements
General university entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife)
Language requirements
DSH 2
Application period winter
Jun 01
-
Jul 15
Admission restriction
No
Selection procedure
No
Application
The application process for international applicants is now completely digital. You can register online in our application portal and carry out and submit your application. After you have carried out the application and uploaded your documents, you do not need to send your documents to us again by post. You do have to submit certified true copies only if you are admitted at the time of enrollment.
Depending on the course of study, you may be asked for information on internships, professional experience, etc. Please upload the relevant documents in the upload area for all the information you provide, even if these are not mandatory fields!
Before you start the application process, please read the additional information on this page, in particular the information on the respective (German) language requirements and university entrance qualifications.