Master of Arts in Music

To provide the learner with a masters Postgraduate level in the study of music and musicology, (with preference given to the study of African music and related topics), and so to contribute both to the learner's enrichment culturally and scientifically, and to society's enrichment culturally and by the development of knowledge. The successful learner will be qualified to teach her/his subject at tertiary level, and to proceed to doctoral level.

Recognition of prior learning.

The institution conducts RPL in terms of the policy and guidelines of the institution to recognise other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. In cases where learners do not comply with the formal admission requirements, the institution applies its RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Music, NQF Level 8.

1. Learners demonstrate the capacity to design, conduct and write dissertations that can stand alongside refereed and published research in the same field, and have practical application in the societal context.
2. Learners demonstrate an understanding of scientific procedures and an ability to cope with research techniques.
3. Learners demonstrate an understanding of literature related to the research problem.
4. Learners demonstrate the ability to write a dissertation that is linguistically acceptable.

• By: writing research proposals that show that learners can identify problems in music and musicology, and formulate research problems and subsets of problems; formulating hypotheses;
• Selecting and using research instruments that are relevant in research of problems in music and musicology;
• Selecting and using appropriate data analysis methods to interpret the findings of an investigation;
• Conducting fieldwork during the investigation;
• Reporting the findings of the investigation, and formulating recommendations that emanate from the findings;
• By identifying and analysing different scientific procedures in terms of the problems being researched;
• By: critically reading, interpreting and analysis literature from different sources;
• Searching for literature on the identified research problem;
• Comparing the writings of different authors on the same related topic;
• Synthesising reading material on the topic being researched;
• Drawing conclusions from different readings and indicating anomalies;
• Creating a theoretical framework provided by the literature review;
• Compiling a complete bibliography;
• By writing a dissertation that shows that the learner can express her/himself clearly; writing a dissertation that is linguistically correct, acceptable and of a high standard;
• writing a dissertation that is technically well presented and has an acceptable layout.

Integrated Assessment

The learner must select an approved research proposal, then work constantly with the supervisor to construct the dissertation. (As noted in no. 3, preference is given to topics in African and related fields) The dissertation will be the main means of assessment, but oral examination may also be required.