The Music History major, offered by the Schulich School of Music, examines music in its cultural, social, and historical contexts, covering the evolution of performing styles and the ways music conveys meaning and reflects identity. Students study the parameters of different musical styles and develop the tools to analyze musical syntax, with coursework spanning the Western classical tradition, jazz, and popular music. Classes combine theoretical study with practical training, including musicianship and keyboard skills. Related majors include Music Theory and Music Education, and the program can also be combined with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Graduates pursue further study in musicology or apply the training to careers such as music instructor, music librarian, music journalist, and community programmer, as well as related professional fields including journalism, information science, and arts administration.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: The Schulich School of Music runs its own admissions process, separate from McGill's central undergraduate application review, and does not use the Quebec Cote R (R-Score) for its decisions. Quebec CEGEP applicants to a music research program (which covers Music History and Music Theory) need a diploma of collegial studies with an overall CEGEP average of at least 80%; any offer of admission is conditional on successful graduation and final grades. Every applicant, including those applying to a non-performance major, plays an instrument or voice and completes a live or recorded audition, and a program place also depends on availability. Required supporting documents are a one-page Statement of Intent, a one-to-three-page music resume, academic transcripts (or a permanent code for CEGEP applicants), audition recordings if not auditioning live, and proof of English proficiency for applicants schooled outside North America.
