Music

The Music Department enjoys a high research and publication profile with faculty being active members on many national bodies. Facilities include purpose-built music lecture rooms, a Music Technology Studio, a suite of practice rooms and a comprehensive music and audio-visual library.

Students and staff are involved in regular concert activity in the College and the wider community, and societies include the Choral Society and various traditional music groups.

Undergraduate Programmes

Music is offered as part of the following degree programmes:

B Ed (Primary Teaching) 

Students take mandatory Music Education components and may select elective modules in Music and Music Education.

BA (Liberal Arts) 

Music is one of 13 subjects that students can opt for in this programme. Four subjects are taken in the first year and two subjects from the second year on. The third year is spent off-campus either on work-placement or studying abroad.

Topics covered include:

• Music Theory & Techniques
• Music History
• Arranging & Composition
• Performance
• Music Technology,
• Popular Music
• Irish Traditional Music
• Musical Analysis

Entrance Requirements: Prospective students should have a satisfactory standard of music literacy (i.e. a knowledge of scales, intervals, key signatures, rhythms, transposition etc) and the ability to play an instrument and/or sing. There is a written advisory assessment in Week 1 (no performance). The prime text for preparation is Eric Taylor: The AB Guide to Music Theory (Part 1). You may also wish to visit musictheoryhelp.co.uk or similar websites.

Note: If you intend to pursue a career as a post-primary school music teacher, you should visit the Teaching Council’s website as you will require registration in the future (having also acquired a postgraduate teaching qualification). If you major in music in MIC you can acquire 72 ECTS in music. All areas of music study required by the Teaching Council are currently covered in our programme.

Postgraduate Programmes  

The Faculty of Education in association with the Department of Music offers an MA in Music Education.

The department also offers MA and PhD degrees by research in Musicology and Music Education.

Students of the College’s taught M Ed programme may specialise in Music Education.

The Department of Music can award a Departmental Teaching Assistantship to the value of €6,900 per annum (plus fee waiver); contact the Head of Department for further information.

• Study Music Ireland
• Irish World Academy of Music and Dance (University of Limerick)
• Contemporary Music Centre Ireland
• SMI Music Theses Register