Irish Traditional Music

Course Outline

On this programme you will combine core studies with an impressively broad range of elective modules that can be tailored to suit your interests. In addition, you will have the opportunity to develop your creative practice through masterclasses with department staff and external visiting tutors, as well as undertake original scholarship informed by disciplines such as ethnomusicology, musicology, and artistic research.



Our Traditional Arts Internship module provides opportunities to gain professional experience working with relevant traditional arts organisations, while a Professional Development studies module equips you with the skillsets required to navigate sustainable careers as a music professional. Situated in a Music Department that has pioneered the study and practice of Irish Traditional Music for over a century, the programme also draws on departmental expertise in a uniquely wide range of music traditions and research areas.

The MA consists of 90 credits as follows:



Part I

Core Modules (45 credits)

MU6004 Performance Practice (15 credits)

MU6050 Performance Studies (10 credits)

MU6030 Research Skills (5 credits)

MU6051 Multidisciplinary Explorations of Irish Traditional Music (10 credits)

MU6052 Self-directed Irish Traditional Music Performance Practice (5 credits)



Elective Modules (15 credits)*

Choose 3 elective modules from the following options:

MU6054 Composing Irish Traditional Music (5 credits)

MU6055 The Harmonic Language of Irish Traditional Music (5 credits)

MU6056 Professional Development in the Traditional Arts Sector (5 credits)

MU6057 Traditional Arts Internship (5 credits)

MU6058 Collectors, Collections, and Fieldwork in Irish Traditional Music (5 credits)

MU2021 Foundations of Music Technology (5 credits)

MU2089 Studio Production Techniques (5 credits)

MU2112 Music Education (5 credits)

DR6052 Arts Project Management (5 credits)

MU2087 Loop, Repetition, and Variation in Music (5 credits)

MU6034 Multidisciplinary Debates in Musicology and Ethnomusicology (5 credits)

MU6104 Composing with Field Recordings (5 credits)

MU6047 Music Cognition and Perception in Culture (5 credits)

MU6031 Sound Studies and Musicology (5 credits)



Or 5 credits (to be approved by the programme coordinator and relevant module coordinator) in a relevant/related field selected from another UCC MA programme where the student meets the entrance requirements.



* Students may not take elective modules which they have previously passed at the undergraduate level.



Part II

MU6053 Research/Creative Practice Project in Irish Traditional Music (30 credits)



Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Traditional Music (NFQ Level 9, Major Award):

Students who pass at least 60 credits of taught modules may elect to exit the programme and be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Traditional Music.

Applicants must have a Second Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8), in music or a related subject (such as, but not exclusively, anthropology, folklore, or cultural studies).



Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may also be given to applicants who do not meet the above entry requirements but who have relevant professional experience, such as musicians of high standing or those with a relevant and demonstrable track record in the traditional arts sector.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

12 Months Full-time; 24 Months Part-time.



The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over two years. The course structure for part-time students is subject to agreement with the Department of Music.

Start Date: 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

Postgraduate students join a thriving research culture in our Department, in the diverse artistic and cultural hub that is Cork city. Focusing on a combination of academic, creative practice, and transferrable professional skills allows students to develop unique and distinctive profiles that can contribute meaningfully to multiple national and international communities of practice engaged in Irish Traditional Music.



Our MA in Irish Traditional Music graduates pursue a wide range of careers in the creative arts, academia, culture industries, and media. Many have applied successfully for PhDs in Ireland or overseas. Our graduates include professional performers, composers, academics, educators, arts managers, and music industry professionals.