Master MUSIC IN SOCIETY
The scientific and artistic master MUSIC IN SOCIETY at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna offers students the opportunity to acquire comprehensive musical knowledge and competencies from sociological, cultural, economic and gender-specific perspectives in four semesters. It combines theories and approaches from the sociology of music, art and culture, as well as the fields of cultural studies, cultural institutions studies and gender studies, culminating with a qualification for independent empirical research and a deepening of practical musical skills in one of the following areas: Popular Music; Music Making in Social Contexts; Music in Global Contexts / Traditional Musics. The particular focus is on scientific and artistic practices in music and performing arts, taking into account categories of social difference and inequalities as well as approaches to counteracting social inequalities in music-cultural worlds. The master provides the necessary qualification for embarking on doctoral studies, especially in the sociology of music and art, cultural institutions studies, gender studies and cultural studies.
Master MUSIC IN SOCIETY
from October 2026
Registration for the entrance exam
2 March to 20 May 2026
Remind me: Register for a one-time reminder (by email) that will be sent at the beginning of the registration period?
Please email to › musicinsociety@mdw.ac.at
Entrance exam
1 to 3 July 2026
Facts and figures
| Scope / Duration | 120 ECTS credits / 4 semesters |
| Language of instruction | German and English |
| Admission prerequisites | Completed bachelor's degree, successful entrance examination, documentation of German and/or English language skills |
| Completion requirements | Master's thesis, final scientific and artistic examinations |
| Degree | Master of Arts |
Questions about the study program?
Please email to › musicinsociety@mdw.ac.at
Coordination and organisation of the master MUSIC IN SOCIETY
Rainer Prokop and Rosa Reitsamer
Go to Curriculum | Admission | Master's exam and graduation | Frequently Asked Questions | Events
