Content and structure

Pop is an extensive design art in a wide range of styles that develops the musical framework with myriad ideas and an eye to the future. The current musical environment requires highly qualified musicians with individualized artistic ideas who can work stylistically flexible and at the same time are able to operate economically. The Major in “Pop” rises to this challenge and offers up-and-coming talent the opportunity to become consummate professionals.

Course content.

The degree programme gives you considerable creative freedom. You work largely independently and are involved in numerous bands, seminars and projects both within and outside ZHdK. Teaching includes one or more Major and Minor subjects of your choice as well as instrumental/vocal didactics as the core of the pedagogical training. You organize your weekly schedule yourself – electives, seminars, workshops, project weeks and internships in the music industry make up the content framework. You can also undertake interdisciplinary work with artists from different areas of study and explore new paths at ZHdK. The degree programme is rounded off with regular concert work, studio sessions and master classes.

Course structure.

The course is made up of four module areas:

Performance 
The focus is largely on the practical individualization and artistic professionalization of your instrumental, vocal and/or electroacoustic performance as well as the creation/production of your own music. A wide range of mentored study paths and courses is the rule here. The comprehensive self-study element offers you plenty of creative freedom, and is combined with individual tuition that can be spread over different Major and Minor instruments, songwriting, producing, etc., as well as internal/external lecturers of your choice. 

Teaching 
Students learn in a range of subject groups how to plan and give individual instrumental/vocal lessons and lessons with band ensembles. The genre-specific features of pop music didactics are identified and placed in relation to other subject areas. To this end, students individually plan, organize and document teaching units and reflect on them with the lecturers and in the subject group. They can also select specializations from a range of specialist areas of music education. 
The fourth semester ends with the Master’s graduation exam in Music Pedagogy.

Educational science/subject-specific practice/research 
In this module, application-oriented basic knowledge of educational and developmental psychology and general didactics are taught and further developed. Specific insights into current education research practice broaden students’ perspective on current academic issues. Students gather practical experience during independent individual tuition and in supervised, genre-specific internships at music and secondary schools.

Graduation exam/project 
In the Master’s project, students devise, organize and produce an audio and/or video production, design a digital press kit, develop a live presentation and present it in public. 
In the pedagogical Master’s examination, students demonstrate their professional music education skills from a specialist, didactic and methodological perspective.
During their presentation of the individual profile, students formulate and present their individual identity as a musician and educator in a creative, reflective and personal manner.

Module plan:

Skills acquired in the programme.

  • Ability to develop and hone your own performance 
  • Ability to plan your own artistic projects, including the creation, production, performance and marketing of your own music 
  • Ability to plan, implement and reflect on various music education formats in individual instrumental/vocal tuition and in a band context

Admissions requirements.

You hold a Bachelor’s degree in pop or are a lateral entrant with a Bachelor’s degree in another area and have proven pop-artistic and professional expertise.

Further requirements:

  • Advanced technical and artistically unique expression with the voice, an instrument or electronic devices
  • Relevant, varied experience in music performance (instrumental/vocal or electronic), in the creation and/or production of music and in the common creative techniques of different types of pop music
  • An understanding of music that includes exploring your own relationship with the world, internationality, diversity, society and art
  • A broad interest in music education issues and people with different musical needs

Benefits of studying at ZHdK.

  • In the Master’s in Music Pedagogy, you can look forward to a lively degree programme with approx. 100 musicians.
  • You will enjoy an inspirational environment with colleagues and partners from around the world for discussion and collaboration. 
  • You will benefit from outstanding infrastructure, live electronics and multimedia, audio productions with in-house sound engineers and an excellent library.
  • You will study at the Toni Campus – a public, cultural and university campus for all artistic disciplines that is unparalleled in its dimensions anywhere in Europe and offers ideal opportunities to use media, practise and rehearse.
  • You will meet students from other artistic disciplines on a daily basis, make contacts and enjoy stimulating collaboration. 
  • You will gain extensive practical experience and have many opportunities to perform thanks to the diverse relationships with the regional cultural scene and its event organizations.