About the Division
The Musicology/Ethnomusicology Division of the Butler School of Music is committed to the integration of musicology and ethnomusicology, history and ethnography; we encourage our students to challenge the shifting boundaries between Western “art” repertories, non-Western traditions, and popular music.
Graduate students receive solid training in a variety of historical, historiographical, analytical, cultural, and ethnographic issues before specializing in a historical period, geographical area, or a combination of these and other fields.
Undergraduate students may elect a Musicology or Ethnomusicology Concentration within the Bachelor of Arts in Music program; please contact the Undergraduate Advisor in Music for further information on this option.
Our division is committed to the inclusion, understanding, and support of underrepresented groups. Please read our Statement on Undoing Racism.
Overview of Graduate Studies
The Division of Musicology and Ethnomusicology at any given moment has between 40 and 50 graduate students registered, more or less equally divided between majors in Historical Musicology and majors in Ethnomusicology. Approximately 35 to 40% of the students are at the Ph.D. dissertation stage, and a few of them are not resident in Austin while they write. Also, several students may be away doing fieldwork or archival work during a given year.
International students come most frequently from other nations in the hemisphere, with a few from Asian countries. The Ethnomusicology program has strong ties with the Department of Anthropology and various area studies programs, while Historical Musicology has close connections with Music Theory and performance programs in the School of Music as well as fields in the humanities.
For information on admission to our graduate programs, please see our Prospective Students page.
Scholarly Initiatives in the Division
The Center for American Music
In the fall of 2001, the School of Music inaugurated the Center for American Music, which advances the teaching, scholarship, and performance of American music from all traditions, including concert, folk, and popular musics.
Latin American Music Review
UT Austin publishes a quarterly journal, the Latin American Music Review, which provides a forum for discussion and exploration of Latin American musics. Founded by Professor Gerard Béhague, who served as editor until his passing in 2005, LAMR is now edited by Professor Robin Moore.
