MA Music/Philosophy

About this course

Music and philosophy make an unusual but deeply rewarding combination, and their connection is not merely incidental. Philosophy of music is a genuine subdiscipline, asking questions about the nature of musical meaning, whether absolute music can represent or express anything, how notation relates to performance, and what kind of knowledge musical understanding constitutes. More broadly, music raises questions in aesthetics, phenomenology, philosophy of mind and cultural theory that philosophy is well placed to address, while philosophy's rigour in argument and conceptual analysis sharpens the way you think about musical structure, history and practice. At the University of Glasgow, this part-time joint programme allows you to explore both the technical, cultural, historical and philosophical dimensions of music and the wider philosophical disciplines alongside it. You will design your own degree pathway to some extent, choosing from a range of options in both music and other subjects that allow you to pursue your particular interests and develop your individual strengths. A year abroad is built in, giving you the opportunity to study in a different academic environment and bring new perspectives back to your work in both disciplines. The programme is suited to students who come with some practical experience of music and a genuine curiosity about the questions it opens up. Graduates of music and philosophy programmes move into a wide range of careers in which analytical thinking, cultural knowledge and intellectual flexibility are valued. Music education, arts administration, journalism, broadcasting, publishing, academic research and the cultural sector are all common directions for those whose interests lie primarily in music. The philosophy component supports careers in law, the civil service, policy research, education and any field where careful reasoning and the ability to evaluate complex arguments are valued. Postgraduate study in music, philosophy, musicology, aesthetics or cultural studies is a natural next step for those who wish to pursue their interests at an advanced level.

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