Course Aims and Mission Statement
The aim of the Master’s degree program is to provide graduates with outstanding levels of artistic, scientific, didactic and social/communicative competence, thus ensuring that they are equipped with the best possible qualifications for the music education profession at public and private institutions (e.g. music schools, conservatories, higher education institutions and universities). Graduates will also have the necessary prerequisites and skills for organisational, advisory and executive/managerial activities in the cultural and media sectors (concert venues, theatres, museums, artists agencies, publishers, radio, etc.).
Building on the abilities and qualifications acquired in the bachelor studies, students of the Master's degree enter a process of intensified research and realisation of musical education concepts, especially those in the field of Jazz and Popular Music. This also extends to include their own individual artistic work and consequently these varied aspects are brought into broad and interdisciplinary discourse of institute research through team and project work (e.g. Master’s project and Laboratories for Music Research).
In this sense, the already acquired abilities of the students are further deepened and highly professionalised. At the same time, the open-ended research activities of the Master's program serve as free spaces for thought and work in which students from different backgrounds and origins encounter each other through research. They can also share and exchange their own thoughts and approaches and develop their work together, even beyond the horizon of one's own experience.
In order to make the research work visible to the outside world and to bring it into a public discussion, concert events, symposia, sound and video recordings, various internal institution publications and external partners are actively promoted. This provides the students with an important basis for continuing Career Orientation and Professionalisation, but it is also part of JAM MUSIC LAB University’s general contribution to the advocacy of ongoing conscious perception of artistic production. This also encompasses reflection on a wide variety of aspects that are linked with society and the facilitating of related dialogues.
Structure of Studies
The Master’s degree consists of four semesters and is divided into two degree programme stages of two semesters each. (Please refer to the core application, Chapters 3 and 4, and the descriptions and specifications contained therein regarding Research)
MA 1st Programme Stage (MA Expertise Level 1: Project Planning Research) Semesters 1-2:
1st Programme Stage allows the students to plan, organise and begin the initial implementation of the upcoming work as part of the Master’s project. The artistic, research-related and organisational challenges of the project are discussed in consultation with the respective supervisors of the Master's projects, or where relevant, with the major artistic subject (MAS) teachers. As part of the collaborative process, a related action plan and a project plan for implementation will be identified. A recommendation with regard to the compulsory electives that are to be covered is also provided for the best possible support for the Master’s project.
With the involvement and close coordination of MAS teachers, Master’s project teachers and the respective scientific director, the planning of the Master’s project is completed according to following standardised categories:
- Definitive formulation of the area of interest regarding research and knowledge - Indication of the methods of scientific or artistic work - Defining of the time frames of the work process up until completion - Coordinating and broadly defining adequate compulsory and free-choice electives in the context of the Master’s project
Coinciding with this as part of the Master’s degree, students continue to further deepen musical and artistic expertise in theory and practice, as well as intensified research. A presentation given by the students on the progress and development of the Master’s project and the written Master’s thesis at the end of semester 2 decides on the progression to the 2nd Programme Stage.
MA 2nd Programme Stage (MA-Expertise Level 2: independent scientific/artistic work and research) Semesters 3-4:
Students finalise their Master’s project regarding independent work and organisation. Musical and artistic expertise in theory and practice, as well as related research, are brought to a higher degree of professionalism in preparation for the upcoming Master's examination. A successfully completed Master's examination at the end of the 4th semester demonstrates outstanding qualifications in the respective main artistic subject (MAS), the ability to independently and effectively realise musical/artistic production and research, as well as a distinct expertise in project management and communication.
Examinations
Committee Examination Depending on the type of examination, the board would consist of at least two to a maximum of six examiners and one chairperson. The appointing of personnel for various boards are set up by the relevant bodies of JAM MUSIC LAB and published internally within the institute.
Entrance Examination:
The basic prerequisites for enrolment in the Master’s degree program are a completed Bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree from a recognised Austrian or non-Austrian postsecondary education institution, the successful completion of the admission examination and the availability of a study place.
An application for the admission examination of the Master's degree must be applied for in writing, which should include the following: a curriculum vitae, a motivation letter and an synopsis of the planned content of the artistic and research work.
Admission into the Master’s degree course relies strongly on excellent musical proficiency in the MAS and professional suitability for the area of independent artistic production and research of educational concepts. The same criteria must be demonstrated in the course of the entrance examination through an artistic/musical presentation followed by a verbal presentation of the submitted synopsis.
Details on examination requirements and content are defined by the relevant bodies of JAM MUSIC LAB University and published on the Institute's website (Please see the details in the core application, Chapter 3.7.4, Examination and Examination Methods, Admission Examination for Bachelor and Master Studies).
MA Degree Examination:
The committee examination is carried out at the end of the 2nd semester of the Master’s degree and serves to verify the students' studies thus far and serves to verify the status quo of the Master’s project and ongoing work. The students present the progress of their work and explain the planned steps towards successful and timely completion. The content and the appropriate form of the presentation – be it an artistic presentation, verbal lecture etc. – are chosen by the students and to be submitted in writing in advance. The presentation itself is followed by a critical questioning of the candidate by the examination board. Students who register on time and have sufficient study success are admitted to the examination. Examinations are determined by the relevant bodies of JAM MUSIC LAB University and published on the Institute's website. A Lesson Demonstration Examination is an integral part of both the degree and the Master's examination and contains the following specifications:
MA Lesson Demonstration Examination:
The Lesson Demonstration Examinations certify the necessary level in expertise for teaching practice. They are permitted to cover the following areas: Preliminary Lesson Demonstration MAS (single or group lessons), ensemble lessons, music theory, aural training, music history, and possibly other scientific areas as well. The performance requirements and objectives for the students in the course of the respective Lesson Demonstration examination are determined and then publicly published. The Examination Board has to advise and decide on the guidelines for defined assessment criteria (Please refer to the detailed information in the core application for further details: Chapter 3.7.4, Auditing and Examination Methods).
Master’s Examination:
The Master’s examination with exam committee consists of two practical parts (internal examination, which includes a lesson demonstration examination, and an external/public examination concert of about 45 minutes each) and an oral part in the form of a defence of the written Master's thesis. The defence consists of an approximately 30 minute verbal presentation of the submitted work, followed by a subsequent critical questioning of the candidate by the examination committee.
Students who register on time and have sufficient study success are admitted to the examination. Examinations are determined by the relevant bodies of JAM MUSIC LAB University and published on the Institute's website.
Prospective Professional Fields and Qualifications after Master’s Degree
As music educators and musicians, graduates have outstanding artistic and professional qualifications and social competence to pursue teaching and research activities at public and private institutions (e.g. music schools, conservatories, higher education institutions and universities), and to compete in the current international professional reality. In addition to their core activities as music educators in the field of music education institutions, they can also work in other active areas of professional music, art and culture mediation for all ages and target groups. As performers and creative musicians they can also work freelance as part of their own projects, as soloists and/or as ensemble members in various musical groups and orchestras focusing on Jazz, Pop, Rock, theatre, musicals, TV programs, film music etc..
In addition to their expertise in the areas of music education, artistic production, performance and research, which is tied to the practical experience gained by interacting with areas such as project management and public relations as part of the Master’s degree, graduates now have best possible prerequisites for organisational, pedagogical, advisory and executive activities in cultural enterprises and media (e.g. concert venues, orchestras, theatres, museums, artists agencies, publishers, administration of music education institutions, radio, print media, etc.).
Awarding of the degree “Masters of Arts in Music Education”
The academic degree "Master of Arts in Music Education" is awarded after completion of the Masters's examination and all prescribed lectures before the annual graduation ceremony of JAM MUSIC LAB University, which concludes the summer semester. The corresponding document can be produced in either German or English.
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