Course Descriptions

Proseminar in Ethnomusicology I

GR6411 (An Intellectual History of the Field): This course aims to contextualize the modern enterprise of Ethnomusicology and the cultural study of music in a broad history of musical and social thought reaching back to the Age of Enlightenment and the rise of modern science, the political and economic contexts of colonialism and social change in global modernity, especially within Europe and the United States (but obviously as affecting peoples and cultures around the globe), and the specific disciplinary history of major contributions to social thought about music since the 1890s, the modern era of "Comparative Musicology," the "Anthropology of Music, " and "Ethnomusicology" as institutionalized disciplines, concluding with a consideration of the rise of cultural studies and popular music studies as alternative disciplinary and theoretical and empirical foci.

Proseminar in Ethnomusicology II

GR6412 (Contemporary Musical Ethnography): This course entails an exploration of topics in contemporary critical theory of music by closely examining a series of key contemporary and historical ethnomusicological works -- primarily ethnographic monographs.

Field Methods I

GR8412: The first of a two-semester required sequence of courses in field-based ethnographic research, the goal of this course is to assist students in developing an independent ethnographic research project in New York City. There is some reading of the literature on fieldwork and ethnographic methodology, but most of the course is devoted to the practical tasks of developing a research problem, seeking and entering a field research site, conducting interviews, documenting musical performance in context (including practical skills in audio and video recording and photography), and organizing preliminary fieldwork into the form of a fully realized research proposal. The work done in this seminar is typically continued by students into the Spring Semester, when it is continued in the second course in the Field Methods sequence.

Field Methods II

GR8413: A continuation of the first course, this course is run as a workshop, in which students bring materials to class from their work in the field and discuss problems and issues related to both the field research itself and the development of a theoretical and analytic framework for writing about this research. Assignments will be tailored to specific problems raised by specific projects and lead to the writing of the thesis. As the semester proceeds, students will begin to turn in drafts of their MA thesis, and the goal of the seminar is to oversee the completion of a complete draft of the MA thesis by the end of the semester. The MA Thesis is conceived of as an extended publishable project of 35-40 pages. A final, edited and revised draft (as mentioned above) will be due at the beginning of the Fall semester of year 2.

Proseminar in either Historical Musicology or Music Theory

GR6105 or GR6333: We expect our students to take a proseminar in one of our sister musicology disciplines (both are offered annually).

Elective in Area Studies

A course of the student's choice, from a long list of possible choices offered around the University and at the consortium schools, in which a student is able to pursue some specific area of potential research focus for the MA and PhD projects to come. This choice is made in consultation with the entire Ethnomusicology faculty in an advising session at the beginning of the semester. Area studies may be defined by region but also by topic (i.e. media studies, anthropology and nature, etc.).

Elective Research Seminar in Ethnomusicology, Anthropology or a Related Field

Generally related to the project focus of a student's developing MA/PhD project, but not necessarily so. If a research seminar -- even on a topic unrelated to a student's major area of interest -- is offered within the Ethnomusicology program, this will generally be the best choice for most students. (Chosen in consultation with the Area Committee advising process)

Elective Courses in Anthropology, Ethnomusicology, Area Studies, etc. 

Chosen in consultation with the Area Committee advising process.

Dissertation Proposal Seminar I

GR8500: Individual work with an adviser to develop a topic and proposal for the Ph.D. dissertation.

Dissertation Proposal Seminar II

GR8501: Interdisciplinary group work as part of Dissertation Proposal Seminar series.