Economic & Social History/Music

Economic and Social History combined with Music is a degree that pairs the systematic historical analysis of economic and social change with the study of one of humanity's most universal and deeply human practices. Economic and Social History examines how economies have developed over the long run, how living standards, work, and social structures have changed, and how historical forces have produced the unequal and interconnected world we inhabit today. Music encompasses the technical, cultural, historical, and philosophical questions that musical study opens up, from how works are composed and analysed to how music functions in society and how it has changed across periods and traditions.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year, full-time degree is designed for students with a keen interest in the technical, cultural, historical, and philosophical questions music raises, ideally alongside practical musical experience. In each year you have a range of options in both music and economic and social history, allowing you to design a degree pathway that caters to your particular interests and strengths. The degree includes the option of a year abroad, extending your academic experience internationally.

The two subjects illuminate each other in fascinating ways: music's place in the economies and social structures of different periods is a rich subject in itself, and the historical habits of mind developed by economic and social history deepen musical understanding.

Graduates of this combination develop strong skills in research, analysis, written argument, and critical thinking across both disciplines. Careers in music, education, cultural heritage, museum and archive work, economic research, journalism, arts administration, and broadcasting are all natural directions. Postgraduate study in history, economic history, music, or cultural studies is a natural progression for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or pursue academic research.