BA (Hons) in Arts - Music University College Cork

Our Arts-Music honours degree allows you to combine the study of two subjects – Music and an Arts subject of your choice from the many Arts options on offer in UCC. Studying music at UCC allows you to explore both the theory and practice of music. Not only will you come away with a comprehensive understanding of the role that music plays in society you will have the opportunity to create music, through solo and ensemble performances. This, combined with your second subject choice, will give you the creative edge that makes you stand out from the crowd.

The BA (Arts-Music) programme now offers three pathways after Year 1:

• BA Arts-Music (3 years)
• BA Arts-Music (International) (4 years) – includes study abroad
• BMus (4 years)

In Year 1, regardless of which pathway you ultimately choose, you will take courses providing key foundational skills in Music and two further Arts subjects offered through the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences (CACSSS).

As part of your degree, you will gain experience and understanding of music in contemporary society. You will experience classical, popular, jazz, film, Irish traditional and world music. We integrate practical study alongside academic and theoretical courses and you will have a considerable choice of music-related options, allowing you to build up a distinctive profile as a composer, songwriter, performer, producer, educator or worker within the cultural and music industries.

Connected Curriculum

We encourage innovative teaching and learning practices at UCC. This learning approach reflects our commitment to the Connected Curriculum where we emphasise the connection between students, learning, research and leadership through our vision for a Connected University. Our staff are at the forefront of this integrative approach to learning and will support you in making meaningful connections within and between disciplines across the Music and Arts programme.

Why Choose This Course

• This is the most musically diverse BA or BMus on offer in Ireland. The course is designed to reflect the true diversity and vitality of the contemporary musical world.
• If you are looking for a degree that is in tune with international trends and needs in music and rich in transferable skills, then the BA/BMus/BA Arts-Music International is a very suitable choice.
• The Department is large enough to be exciting and surprising but still small enough to offer a friendly and supportive environment for all students, one where you’ll quickly feel at home.
• The new Arts work-placement module offers students a unique opportunity to take an optional work-placement module in second year. This module offers preparatory training, a work-placement organised by the UCC Careers Office and post-placement follow up.
• The BA Arts-Music (International) programme offers you the extra opportunity to study Music in an approved foreign university.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

• The Arts work-placement module (PX3001) offers students a unique opportunity to take an optional work-placement module in Year 2. This module offers preparatory training, a work placement organised by the UCC Careers Office and post-placement follow-up.
• BA Arts-Music International allows students to study Music and/or an Arts subject with an approved university in Asia, Canada, Europe, South America, and the US.
• We have numerous incoming overseas students each year, so you’re sure to gain the benefits of being in an international study environment whether or not you study overseas.

Modules

The BA Arts-Music programme combines two kinds of learning: that of practice and theory. Firstly, students create music through solo and ensemble performance, improvisation, composition, aural training, applied work in education or in the computer music studio. Secondly, students investigate music in historical and contemporary cultures worldwide.

Much of the degree is selected by you from a wide set of options. In Year 1 you take the core modules, listed below, comprising 30 credits. You also choose 30 credits from the BA Arts CK101 programme.

Year 1 Core Modules:

• MU1020 Western Music, Culture and Media (5 credits)
• MU1021 ITM Studies and Introduction to World Music (5 credits)
• MU1022 Gamelan & Ensemble (5 credits)
• MU1023 Solo Performance & Ensemble Studies (5 credits)
• MU1024 Composition & Music Technology (5 credits)
• MU1025 Music Theory & Aural Skills (5 credits)

Plus 30 credits from two other First Arts subjects from Groups 1, 2, 3, 5, 6(a).

• See Arts CK101 for a list of subject choices.

Year 2 Modules

In Year 2 Arts-Music, students take Music as a Single Subject (50 credits) or as a Major Subject (40 credits) or a Joint Subject (30 credits). Students may also apply to transfer to the BMus to take 60 credits of Music.

Core

• MU2017 Music in Culture and Society
• MU2001 Music Theory 2

Electives

A choice of theoretical options from a broad range of subjects – from film music to the music of Java, from the history of jazz to music education, from Opera to fieldwork. You can choose from more than 30 solo and ensemble performance-based options in numerous genres from around the world; plus 10, 20 or 30 credits from another Arts subject continued from Year 1.

• Please see the University Calendar (Arts-Music) page for a complete list of module options for Years 2, 3 & 4.
• Please see the Book of Modules for programme module descriptions.

Our Arts-Music graduates have a great record for finding employment. Employers recognise Music degrees as being particularly rich in transferable skills, and varied in breadth of learning, a facet reinforced by inclusion of a second subject area taken to graduate level. The result is a graduate who is both versatile and very broadly competent. Our BMus graduates are highly trained and self-reliant specialists, with the strength of an additional year’s maturation and expertise and are in demand professionally.

BA Arts-Music graduates work in a variety of settings including areas such as:

• performing musicians
• music teachers
• the music business
• arts and cultural heritage management
• film/tv/radio

This BA degree also qualifies you to explore exciting postgraduate options, at home and abroad. Some UCC options include:

• Music (HDip in Arts)
• MA Arts Management & Creative Producing
• MA Experimental Sound Practice
• MA Music - Ethnomusicology
• MA Music & Cultural History

Please see the CACSSS postgraduate study page for more information on a vast array of postgraduate programmes including PhD options for CACSSS graduates.