Ethnomusicology

Ethnomusicology is the study of music in/as culture. Undergraduate students will first encounter ethnomusicology in MUSC 120 Foundations in Music, which is required of all music majors and minors. Following MUSC 120 students will select from diverse courses that explore musical traditions from Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and beyond.

Ethnomusicology at UNC is interdisciplinary, allowing students to explore how musical knowledge and musical practice construct meaning in a variety of cultural settings. Students of ethnomusicology learn skills of ethnographic fieldwork and engage actively with visiting musicians from around the world and with the musical world of central North Carolina.

Our curriculum has recently seen a big expansion and we’re excited to offer new courses over the next few semesters and years. Explore the most up-to-date course listing on the University’s catalog, and learn more about the new Transformations in Music Studies curriculum here.