BA and MA in Music Journalism

The focus of both the BA and the MA programmes in Music Journalism is expertise in music and creating media products. The main aim is to educate students for the mediation of ‘demanding music’ in the genres of classic, film, jazz or pop. This is achieved by interlocking theory and practice and the close cooperation of the Institute for Music and Musicology and the Institute of Journalism at TU Dortmund University. The programmes enable students to scientifically research and critique media related to music culture, and to produce it themselves. Therefore, students learn how media work and how they present music. This is achieved not only theoretically, but also practically by a combination of panel discussions, writing texts for programme booklets and producing journalistic articles like critiques. Applied music journalism takes place in the multimedia newsrooms of the Institute’s “terzwerk”, which include a radio and a tv station, an internet site and print products, all with a focus on classical music.

The opening semesters of the BA programme in Music Journalism offer introductory elements, thus giving students the opportunity to orient themselves with the wide range of topics. From the first semester onwards, students participate in instrumental classes. Courses in voice and speech training are also offered, preparing students for recorded and live broadcasts within the field of journalism. In both the journalism and musical courses, artistic and cultural practice are historically analysed and compared to the present time. There is a high level of autonomous study to encourage independent learning schedules. In the training newsroom, students become familiar with newsroom methods and workflows during their study. There, students can transfer their acquired knowledge to their own journalistic product. At the end of the study period, students write a BA thesis.

The MA programme allows students to deepen and expand the knowledge and skills acquired in the BA programme. A major element of this study stream is the practical component, in which acquired skills are applied to real-life situations. The practical section will primarily take part in institutions and companies which already work closely with the University’s Journalism and Music Institutes. For example, close cooperation exists with culture radio station WDR3 (Westdeutscher Rundfunk). Seminars during the programme enable students to discuss and reflect from a scientific perspective knowledge gained from the practical component. 

Possible occupational fields for graduates are:

• music journalism in a variety of media
• moderation in media or events
• press and public relations in concert and opera houses
• marketing in artist agencies
• dramaturgy in concert halls and opera houses or at festivals
• work at artistic offices or labels