The minor in ethnomusicology offers students an expansive understanding of music in its diverse contexts, prioritizing global engagement, culturally-situated knowledge, and community-centered research. The foundation of the minor is a unique introductory course, Music in Everyday Life (MUSC 1002), which investigates many dimensions of the musical experience and music’s connections to society. Students select in-depth electives that focus on the music of a region or a particular musical genre, the global circulation of music, or music’s relationship to other aspects of the human experience, such as philosophy and aesthetics, identity and culture, society and politics, economics and social justice. The minor culminates in a course that invites students to conduct their own ethnographic research projects.
Ethnomusicological studies would enrich many programs or degrees, including but not limited to Africana studies; sociology; anthropology; Asian studies; Middle Eastern studies; Jewish studies; world language studies; cultural studies; women, gender, and sexuality studies; Latin American studies; religion; urban studies; Art + Design; cinema studies; communication studies; international affairs; theatre; political science; or health sciences. Music majors may also add this minor.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 1002 and MUSC 1003 | Music in Everyday Life and Lab for MUSC 1002 | 4 |
| MUSC 2330 | Musical Communities of Boston | 4 |
Ethnomusicology Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete two of the following. At least one must be at 2000-level or higher: | 8 | |
| Topics in Diverse Musical Cultures | ||
| Black Popular Music | ||
| Sound and the Sacred | ||
| Music of Asia | ||
| Topics in World Music | ||
| Music and the Racial Imagination | ||
| Music and Social Justice | ||
| Global Music Industries in Context | ||
| Ethnography in Creative Industries | ||
GPA Requirement
2.000 GPA required in the minor. Students must complete all required music courses with grades of at least C.