Key facts
UNE unit code: MUSI539
*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.
- Not offered in 2026
- Yes
- No
- No
- 6
Unit information
Studying global music history provides insight into the cultural, social and political development of music worldwide, and awareness of current issues in the practice and preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
When studying this unit you will focus on new trends in post-Eurocentric music history. Through a series of case studies from antiquity to the present day, you will explore new approaches and methods for engaging with the diverse histories of the world’s music.
You will learn about early encounters between musical cultures and processes of musical synthesis and syncretism in Central Asia, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, the Americas and other contexts through engagement with a diverse array of musical, archaeological, and documentary evidence and secondary literature.
Intensive schools
There are no intensive schools required for this unit.
Enrolment rules
Notes
Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.
Unit coordinator(s)
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- select, demonstrate and evaluate current approaches and methods in global music history;
- demonstrate a detailed understanding of the cultural, technological and epistemological agents in the global history of music;
- discuss and critically evaluate the role of travel, colonialism, post-colonialism, nationalism and globalisation in the global history of music; and
- apply advanced research skills relevant to the practice of global music history.
Assessment information
Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
| Title | Must Complete | Weight | Offerings | Assessment Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1: Approaches | Yes | 35% | All offerings | Essay 1: Approaches No. Words: 2500 |
| Essay 2: Research Paper | Yes | 55% | All offerings | Research Paper No. Words: 4000 |
| Research Proposal | No | 10% | All offerings | No. Words: 500 |
Learning resources
Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Studies on a Global History of Music: A Balzan Musicology Project
ISBN: 9781138058835
Strohm, R., Routledge 1st ed. 2018
Text refers to:
Note: Recommended material may be held in the University Library — purchase is optional.
The Cambridge History of World Music
ISBN: 9781108406475
Bohlman, P.V. (ed.), Cambridge University Press 2013
Text refers to:
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