The Musicology specialisation, offered within the suite of Music research degrees (MPhil), is designed for graduates in music, particularly those with interests in historical musicology, aesthetics, theory, and analysis. The programme aims to develop advanced knowledge and research expertise suited to careers in higher education, academic research, and music writing. Students benefit from a wide range of academic expertise, with particular strengths in critical musicology, ethnomusicology, and historical musicology, alongside interdisciplinary perspectives that incorporate areas such as music and politics, performance practice, historiography, and analytical approaches.

Research spans diverse topics, including modern aesthetics and philosophy of music, global ethnomusicological traditions, and key historical periods such as 18th-century Europe and 19th-century Britain and France. Students are supported in producing substantial research theses, typically up to 80,000 words for a MPhil. The programme also offers distinctive features such as financial support for conference attendance and research activities, access to dedicated postgraduate facilities, and opportunities for study abroad at affiliated European music institutions, depending on individual research needs and language proficiency.