Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology Study the Music of the World
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Degree Options
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Study the Culture Behind the Music with a Master’s in Ethnomusicology
Are you fascinated with the music of the world? As an ethnomusicologist, you might travel to other areas and experience music in its native culture. Learning the language, culture, and folklore of other ethnicities is all part of the job. If this sounds interesting to you, Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology online degree might be what you are looking for.
Our ethnomusicology program aims to provide a strong foundation in scholarship and research, non-Western music theory, and the application of resources to the field. Ethnomusicology has become an important field of study in music education, music performance, and other areas of cross-cultural service.
Gaining a basic understanding of the music of another culture can be vital to establishing trust and a relationship with its people. Ethnomusicologists seek to not only study music from sound and historical perspectives but to look at the music within a culture. Liberty University’s online ethnomusicology degree is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and offered 100% online. This program can equip musicians like you to pursue music careers in cross-cultural environments, education, and research.
What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Ethnomusicology Online Degree Program?
Your career goals are unique, so we designed an online ethnomusicology program that can be personalized. Our faculty has taught and worked in locations across the globe, and you will have the opportunity to gain foundational knowledge in ethnic music theory, anthropology, organology, and transcription from them.
The Society of Ethnomusicology defines ethnomusicology as the study of music in its social and cultural contexts. Liberty University wants you to be able to learn about the musical traditions and history of many types of music. Therefore, you will be able to complete seminars in world music from the cultures of your choosing. Some examples of the seminars available are Native American, Middle Eastern, Indian, Eastern European, Indonesian, and more.
You can learn from our faculty’s vast years of experience to grow in practice and leadership in the field of ethnomusicology. This fascinating field can teach you how to reach other cultures at the heart of where they live.
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Music.
- View the Graduate Music Course Guides (login required).
- Online Database Resources: As one of the world’s leaders in online education programs, Liberty University has the technological capacity and resources to provide for the unique needs required in the ethnomusicology program. This includes library database subscriptions to Groves, Smithsonian Global Sound, Garland Encyclopedia, Oxford Handbooks, and JSTOR, to name a few.
Why Choose Liberty’s Online Degree?
Our master’s in ethnomusicology online degree program is taught by trained musicians and ethnomusicologists with real-world experience in various cultural settings. Our professors have been in locations all over the world studying a broad range of music, teaching and equipping locals to produce music from their language and culture.
If you have an area of music that fascinates you, then this program will provide the vehicle you need to study it. From the music of Eastern Europe to the music of China and more, you will have the opportunity to go into the field and collect material related to your interest. This ethnomusicology online course provides the training that will give you the chance to spread knowledge of other cultures and bring the world together through music.
Our master’s in ethnomusicology program is offered completely online. This allows you to remain active in your job, with your family, and in your community without the worry of having to take courses on campus – all while you are being equipped to make a difference in the world!
Potential Career Options with an Ethnomusicology Degree
Many students enrolled in this degree are preparing themselves for work in a cross-cultural or multicultural environment as educators, recording engineers, global workers, or some other form of service in the field of music or cultural development.
There are many possibilities for intersecting the ethnomusicology degree with other areas of interest, and this program can help prepare you for cross-cultural work as well as for the exciting process of understanding other cultures and their music.
A master’s degree in ethnomusicology can help prepare you for the following positions:
- Archivist
- Ethnomusicologist
- Intercultural music outreach
- Missions
- Music anthropology research
- Music director
- Music teacher
Degree Options for Our MA in Ethnomusicology
Check out the available specializations:
Generalized Track (No Specialization)
Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology – generalized track* gives you the flexibility to customize your degree with elective courses. That way, you can explore the specific topics that interest you and build a unique, marketable skill set.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
*Please note that this is not a specialization. Any reference using the term “General” is the main degree and is only used to differentiate from other specializations.
Global Studies
Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology – Global Studies can help you combine musical skills in ethnomusicology with practical skills in intercultural communication and cultural competency – so you can prepare for an effective career in global engagement.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Music Education
Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology – Music Education can equip you to teach the next generation to investigate, discover, learn, and appreciate the history of music around the world. In this program, you’ll explore methods, curriculum planning, and teaching strategies that can help you pass on your love of music to others.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Graduate Full Time | $565/Credit |
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Graduate Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our Graduate Ethnomusicology Program
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree in music or a related field or its equivalent with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
- Admission to this program requires:
- Submission of contact information for a recommender (login required).
- A Statement of Purpose: In at least 500 words, please explain your purpose for pursuing this degree. Consider the following questions in your response:
- What do you hope to do with this degree after graduation?
- What do you hope to learn through this process?
- How is this degree going to help you in your ministry and vocation?
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
- Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
- If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.
Dual Enrollment
Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
Transcript Policies
Unofficial College Transcript Policy
Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
- Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
- Cumulative GPA
- A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
- Degree and date conferred (if applicable)
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)*
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
*Not applicable to certificates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of earning our master’s in ethnomusicology online?
- A well-rounded education emphasizing research, performance, and application
- An opportunity to be a part of one of the largest and continually growing music schools in the nation
- Compose music in the style of the people you serve
- Establish records for music history and promote the knowledge of world music
- Increased career options in music professions
- Opportunities to work in settings and cultures throughout the world
Is the program accredited?
This program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Are there networking opportunities in this program?
This degree offers networking opportunities with other ethnomusicology online students from around the country.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Will You Study?
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Potential Careers
- Specializations
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
- FAQs
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