Curriculum

Educational and research structure

 
The following three courses of study are provided for education and research in the Department of Musicology and the post-graduate programs of musicology:
Studio 1: aesthetics of music, ethnomusicology
Studio 2: history of Western music
Studio 3: history of Japanese and Asian music
 

Curriculum (undergraduate education)

 
The Department of Musicology seeks to train versatile students who have insight into humankind and the world through music and who can present their thoughts to society. Therefore, undergraduate education focuses on giving students broader perspectives and knowledge related to music and musicology, acquiring musicological research methods, and developing an awareness of issues into a single research theme. At the same time, each student’s independence is highly valued and encouraged. The program also emphasizes developing musical ability and learning foreign languages.
The department has established six specialty fields: (1) history of Western music; (2) history of Japanese music; (3) history of Asian music; (4) aesthetics of music; (5) theory of music; and (6) ethnomusicology. Instruction in these areas is based on lectures, seminars and tutorials. The most striking characteristic of this department is the large number of special topics it covers in a systematic manner, covering each subfield of musicology.
Students who exhibit outstanding performance by the end of the second year can in certain cases arrange to graduate after the third year of the undergraduate program.
First and second years: Students gain basic knowledge in each field of musicology and in research techniques, as well as the broad range of skills and training related to studies in musicology. Introductory lectures and beginning-level exercises in each of the six fields above are provided for musicology-major students, and lessons of musical performance are given. A core set of classes on foreign languages, general issues, and special basic topics are also required for all students.
Third year: Students generally attend more specialized lectures and programs of study. They also begin one-on-one tutorials with an adviser and begin preparing to write their graduation thesis. A research trip is scheduled for the summer of the third year.
Fourth year: Students study special topics of their own choosing and work to complete the graduation thesis. Students seeking to earn teaching certification take internships at high schools.
 

Curriculum (graduate education and research)

 
Students in the master’s degree program pursue research in Studio 1 (aesthetics of music, contemporary music, ethnomusicology), Studio 2 (history of Western music), or Studio 3 (history of Japanese and Asian musics), with efforts culminating in a master’s thesis. Core requirements include two years of “seminar in musicology” and “special studies in musicology”, classes offered by their own studios. Students also can attend exercises and special research classes offered by studios other than their own. Certain undergraduate classes are also open to master’s degree candidates.
While students in the doctoral program, like students enrolled in the master’s degree program, are assigned to one of the studios, instructors cooperate closely with each other beyond studio boundaries in order to address more advanced research topics. Depending on the topic chosen, they may also choose as advisors faculty from departments outside the Musicology Program or specialists from outside the university.
To get credit for a special doctoral research program, first-year students make presentations in a general seminar and write first-year papers. In the second year, they are required to make a presentation in a doctoral colloquium and are strongly encouraged to present results of their studies at academic conferences and to submit papers for publication to academic journals. Meetings with advisors are held at least once annually in order to evaluate progress in independent research and to provide guidance for future research. Doctoral students are expected to gain the capacity and discernment to pursue research independently and to apply these skills in preparing the doctoral dissertation.
 

Other information

 
Graduates of the Department of Musicology are active in a wide range of fields, including music education, journalism, art management and other areas of the music business, as well as working in private companies and government agencies. Some graduates are active composers and performers. Most graduates from the graduate school are scholars and faculty at universities and research institutions.
Another outstanding characteristic of the Department of Musicology and the graduate musicology courses is their energetic pursuit of international students. In the 2009 academic year, these programs enrolled 13 international students from a total of 10 nations. There are many international students who excel in musical performance, and their studies exemplify the strong relationship of scholarly research and practice of music.
International students from different countries enjoy a wealth of opportunities for international exchange through performances and other activities both on and off campus.