What to Expect

Musicology students study the music of different cultures and historical periods. They may also study things like the way music affects our thoughts and feelings.

Jennifer Ladkani did her PhD in ethnomusicology at Florida State University. She is qualified to teach courses on music from many other countries and its role in those cultures, as well as classes in North American music styles such as blues, Cajun, zydeco, salsa and Native American music.

She has a particular interest in music of the Middle East. "I have learned to play many instruments from that part of the world," she says. As part of her research, she lived in Jordan for a while. She hopes to eventually publish her research in book form.

Ladkani says graduate studies are necessary if a student hopes to find a job related to the field. "There is a fairly limited range of what you can do with a musicology degree, so you really must commit to a full course of three degrees through the PhD level," she says.

Being a graduate student in musicology means being a teaching assistant, which requires spending time preparing lectures, teaching and marking. Students must also find time for their own graduate courses and research.

Another language comes in handy. "You will be required to learn one or two other languages," says Ladkhani. "For historical musicology, usually German and French or Italian. For ethnomusicologists, a whole range of others. I learned Arabic, for instance."

How to Prepare

High school students should learn as much about European history as they can, suggests former musicology student Michael Jones. "Maybe even some 19th-century philosophy, as late Romantic composers are undeniably affected by the writings of the major philosophers."

Jones says students should take music lessons of some kind and join a choir if the opportunity is available.

"You really must play an instrument or sing," says Ladkani. "Well enough so to be accepted into a music school at a university. Try to play in as many ensembles as possible."