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Research Postgraduate Programmes

Our research postgraduate degree programmes in music are prided with the longest history and also the largest intake amongst similar programmes in Hong Kong.  The research activities of the Department of Music can be subdivided into four areas of concentration: (1) Composition, (2) Ethnomusicology/Chinese music, (3) Historical Musicology, and (4) Theory.  Although the four concentrations reflect recognized professional boundaries, the faculty as a whole embraces the spirit of interdisciplinary research and is actively engaged in diverse modes of scholarly inquiry.  In keeping with international practice, postgraduate studies in composition lead towards the professional degree titles of MMus and DMus, while that in the other three research concentrations, ethnomusicology, historical musicology and theory, lead towards the MPhil and PhD.

Our research postgraduate students, in additon to formal courses, have many other opportunities to become exposed to the latest academic research in music.   The department research forum series offers a platform for faculty and PhD students to present their work in progress, and the colloquium series features guest lectures by international scholars on a regular basis.  Faculty- and University-wide interdisciplinary lectures, forums and conferences, and exchange opportunities are also available.

本港之音樂研究生課程，以本系歷史最悠久，學生人數亦最多。其研究重心分四個範疇，為(1)作曲、(2)民族音樂學/中國音 樂、(3)歷史音樂學及(4)音樂理論。各範疇之研究重點雖異，本系教研團隊一直秉承跨學科的研究理念，積極以多元及包容的精神 探討學問。與國際慣例一致，本系作曲研究生之學位為專業之音樂碩士及音樂博士，而其他三個範疇如民族音樂學、歷史音樂學和音樂理 論則為哲學碩士及哲學博士。

本系定期舉辦學術論壇及座談會，讓教職員、研究生與學界分享研究成果，以開拓其視野並緊貼學術界之最新發展。學院及大學亦常辦 跨學科的講座、論壇、學術會議等及學術交流活動。

Admissions

Doctor of Philosophy/Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Music/Master of Music
  1. General admissions requirements
  2. Departmental admissions requirements
  3. Online applications
  4. Postgraduate Studentship (monthly stipend of around HKD13,600–14,070 for   
      2011–12)
  5. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme

Master and Doctoral Degree Programmes


   MPhil (Historical Musicology, Music Theory, Ethnomusicology), MMus (Composition)
  • The 2-year MPhil programmes (1-year in the case of MMus) are designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate and doctoral studies, and to prepare students for further advanced studies either locally or abroad.  They are also stand-alone programmes that can equip graduates for careers as research associates, adjunct university teachers and professional composers.
  • The MPhil programmes are emphatically research-oriented, with the completion of a thesis/portfolio as the major degree requirement.  In addition, students are required to take core and elective courses within their specialized fields and a foreign language (aside from English and Chinese) and IT competency are also required of students in selected fields.  These requirements are specifically designed to help students lay the groundwork for carrying out up-to-date research in the field.
   PhD (Historical Musicology, Music Theory, Ethnomusicology), DMus (Composition)
  • The 3-year doctoral degree programmes are highly specialized to prepare students for full-time academic appointments in their selected fields.  The PhD programmes are emphatically research-oriented, with the completion of a dissertation/portfolio set up as the main degree requirement.  Additional course work is required in selected fields.  Apart from fulfilling credit requirements, students are also required to pass qualifying examinations before they formally start working on the dissertations/portfolios.


Areas of Specialization 


Composition
  • There are three full-time faculty members (one Professor, one Assistant Professor, and one Senior Instructor) within the field.  Required classes for the MMus (Composition) include Research Methods and Bibliography, Advanced Composition I and II, and Advanced Music Analysis I and II.  Students are also responsible for producing a portfolio consisting of musical works written after registering in the programme.
  • There are no course requirements for the DMus (Composition) and the study scheme focuses on the creation of a portfolio of new works.
Ethnomusicology
  • There are three ethnomusicologists in the Department (one Associate Professor and two Assistant Professors). They all perform research in more than one area, including but not limited to the music of China (from historical and anthropological perspectives), Sufi music, popular music, Bollywood film music, and the material culture of music.
  • The Ethnomusicology programme includes intensive training in the theory and methods of ethnomusicology research.
  • Doctoral students are expected to complete additional coursework as part of their doctoral studies, and are often encouraged to pursue relevant postgraduate classes outside of the Department when relevant to their dissertation topic.
Historical Musicology
  • The Department has three historical musicologists (one Professor, one Associate Professor, and one Instructor) whose primary areas of interest range from sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European to twentieth-century North American musics.
  • The coursework for both MPhil and PhD students encourages students to acquire broad knowledge of music history and its methods, while simultaneously cultivating their own field of interest and expertise.
  • Students may be required to take additional foreign language study, if their research topic requires it.
Theory
  • There are two full-time faculty members (one Professor, one Associate Professor) within the field of music theory. The former specializes in post-tonal theory and the music of Olivier Messiaen, while the latter is a Schubert scholar with experience in Schenkerian analysis and semiotic theory. Their complementary training and interests ensure comprehensive coverage of research areas in music theory, and can provide supervisory support to research postgraduates on a diverse range of thesis and dissertation topics.
  • The core courses in the MPhil Theory programme (Research Methods and Bibliography, Advanced Music Analysis I and II, Seminar in the Theory of Music I) offers training in research and analytical methodologies, and familiarizes students with the state of research within the field. Students will also be directed to take elective courses and study foreign languages that are relevant to their thesis areas.
  • There are no coursework requirements in the PhD programme in Theory, and the study scheme is primarily centered around the dissertation. Upon admission to the programme, students immediately begin working with their supervisors towards the refinement of their dissertation proposals, and are directed to undertake a comprehensive literature review relating to their research areas. As their work on the dissertation progresses, students are also encouraged to present their preliminary findings as conference papers and journal articles. Thus the dissertation, when completed, would have benefited from peer review and professional exposure.

Study Scheme and Course Description

   Details of the courses offered.
Teaching timetable
Other Information
Outstanding Student Achievements