The long wait is over… Here is your chance to understand what the Ethnomusicology major is!! 

Puzzled, inquisitive look. I will admit, before I chose this field as my major, I had no idea what it was, and had never heard of it. To be honest, I was originally an English/Creative Writing Major (still am!!) with a Music minor, but, upon careful consideration, I decided to amp up that Music minor into the full-blown Ethnomusicology (double) major. Since you can’t minor in Ethnomusicology, it has to be taken as a major (which is a bone I would like to pick, but alas); compared to the regular, well-known Music major (and minor), Ethnomusicology is a specialized track within the general Music major, and is only offered at Barnard College (sorry CC and GS). While the regular Music major focuses primarily on western music history and theory, the Ethnomusicology track engages with both western and non-western musicality, anthropology, music performance, music history, and musical influence over media and society.

Since the Ethnomusicology track is so dense, even if you are considering it (which you truly should be), you should be with Barnard Music Department ASAP!! The foundations for this major, or the prerequisite classes, begin at the latest during sophomore year; so, by junior year, if you are starting to consider the major, it may be a bit too late (no time to waste people). The major requirements cannot be modified or cross-fulfilled, but a signification consists of electives. If you are interested in studying music at Barnard, but do not want to take the traditional western theory, classical route, then this major was basically created for you! While the track may seem a bit obscure, its nicheness is what makes it so fun!

Requirements: 

Prerequisite: 

  • An Introduction to Music (I or II): MUSI-BC1001, MUSI-BC1002 
    • You do not have to take both!!! While these courses are listened in numerical order, they are not sequential; you take either the first course or the second, the only difference is the material and when they are offered – but they satisfy the same prerequisite.

Gateway Class (3 credits) 

  • Topics in Music and Society: MUSI-UN3400
    • Must be completed by the end of junior year! This course studies musical collections from around the world, and how the ways in which they are collected influence/are influenced by various perspectives.  
  • The Social Science of Music: MUSI-UN3420

Music Theory/Ear Training (8 credits)

  • Music Theory I: MUSI UN2318 
    • Should be started during junior year, unless you get super secret, super special permission (not that secret, potentially special). 
    • Ideally taken at the same time as Ear Training I: MUSI-UN2314. Regardless of when you take Music Theory I, you still have to take Ear Training I (you can’t cut corners and, believe me, I tried). 
  • Music Theory II: MUSI UN2319
    • Ear Training II: MUSI UN2315
      • Similar to Ear Training I, Ear Training II is best taken simultaneously with Music Theory II (but you definitely don’t have to, don’t worry!)

Performance (up to 4 credits)

  • This is probably the second-most fun part of Ethnomusicology (I will get to the top spot in just a wee bit)! 
  • Up to 4 performance credits, either lessons or ensembles. For lessons, you must audition within the first week of the semester; if accepted, registration is open for either vocal or instrumental lessons for credit, and six hours of lessons are required per semester. Each semester of lessons is worth one credit, so for this major, you must take four semesters. 

Music History (6 credits)

  • One 3000-level western music history course (3 credits)
  • One Asian Humanities-Music (AHMM) course (3 credits)

Anthropology  (6 credits)

  • Two courses in Anthropology
    • You need one course at the introduction level, and another as an anthropology elective (for a total of 6 credits)

Electives (9 credits)

  • This is the most fun part of the major (as it is for any major, but I digress)!!! 
  • You need a total of three electives, one at the 2000 level and two from the upper division electives (for a total of 9 credits). The Music department recommends that one of these upper electives be the Field Methods Seminar (MUSI GU4401), which should be taken in either junior or senior year.

Senior Thesis Project (6 credits)

  • The last chunk of the major consists of an ethnographic thesis of 30-40 pages, totalling 6 credits, and can be broken into two semester sections: 
    • During the first semester of senior year, 3 credits can be attributed to the Senior Seminar (MUSI UN3992)
    • During the spring of senior year, 3 credits will count for an Independent Study (MUSI 3999). The independent study must be advised by an Ethnomusicology professor, assigned by the Barnard Ethnomusicology Adviser.

Vinyl with music notes via Bwarchives