Master of Arts
In order to adapt to the ever-changing world of careers in the music industry, the Haute école de musique de Genève offers numerous training programmes that lead to the title of Master of Arts.
The HEM’s Master’s courses give students a route into their future professional life. These programmes are therefore oriented towards making the students autonomous, gradually leading them to take charge of their own artistic project. That being said, the students are not isolated in their artistic work and their thinking: throughout their studies, they form an integral part of an artistic community and a research community, taking part in a host of artistic productions and research projects run by the school. The HEM’s Master’s programmes are spread among five courses.
Overview of the Master’s courses
Structure of the Master’s courses
All of the Master of Arts courses are organised in the same way, with modules, except for the Master’s in ethnomusicology. Each study plan comprises three modules in the first and second years, for a total of 120 ECTS credits:
- Primary education module: This module accounts for half of the total ECTS amount, because it takes into account the hours of individual practice required in order to acquire advanced competence in the main subject (instrument, singing, directing, composition, etc.).
- Special education module: The content of this module varies depending on the specific needs of the area or option chosen by the student.
- Additional and optional course module: In this module, several teaching units offer the students a free choice, enabling them to steer their acquisition of knowledge and skills with a view to doing the Master’s project. Moreover, the preparation for professional trades offers them a gateway to their future professional career path. Again, the form that this preparation will take is left up to the student (course, work placement or personal project).
The Master’s studies culminate in a presentation of the Master’s project. The presentation summarizes the competencies acquired in all the course modules. It takes the form of an artistic project (one or more recitals for performers, creation of works for composers, etc.), accompanied by a theoretical work.
Part-time study
As with dancing or sport, it is only through constant practice that musicians can make progress in their mastery of an instrument. The HEM’s Master’s programme is therefore primarily intended to be a full-time activity. In exceptional cases, however, the HEM may arrange for part-time studies to be undertaken.
