Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, candidates will:

  • Be familiar with and able to delve into literature on selected themes and issues in popular music studies at an advanced theoretical level
  • Be capable of adequately applying research literature on popular music genres in their dissertation projects
  • Be able to confront or combine different theories and reflect on questions related to ethics and cultural understanding in this context
  • Be able to exercise critical thinking and creative participation in current discourses within the field of popular music studies

Contents

The course addresses the breadth of the international field of popular music studies. It acknowledges the high level of dynamism, shifting approaches and emphases, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of the research field. A central aim of the course is to capture current developments within popular music studies and to provide an updated discourse on issues considered important for the Ph.D. candidate’s project and relevant to the research field. This means that the content may vary from one offering to another, depending on the available teaching staff and the ongoing research being conducted in popular music studies. Through the syllabus, presentations, and teaching, the course will provide an up-to-date overview of selected themes and issues within popular music studies.

Examples of topics covered:

  • Popular music and gender
  • Ecology, sustainability, and inclusion
  • Migration and multiculturalism
  • The music industry and management
  • Digital transformations in the music industry
  • Studies of live music and festivals
  • Social media and popular music
  • Virtuality, space, and place
  • Jazz and improvisation studies
  • Ethnomusicology and world music research

Teaching and learning methods

There are four sessions, each lasting two days. The sessions will consist of lectures, seminar discussions, and the presentation and discussion of papers from the participants.

Examination requirements

Candidates must prepare an assignment that establishes connections between relevant practical knowledge in the field, relevant literature, and the candidate’s own dissertation project. The assignment must be a maximum of 10 pages. It should be made available before the session and presented during it.
The candidate must also provide a prepared commentary on another candidate’s assignment.

Examinations

Individual paper in which the candidate’s own thesis work is included to whichever extent this is relevant. The scope is a maximum of 10 pages with spacing, not including references and bibliography. The submitted paper will be assessed by the individual with course responsibility and an external examiner. If the paper is assessed as a fail, a reason for this will be provided, as well as advice with regard to making improvements, and a new submission deadline given.

Assessed with the grade: pass/fail

Student evaluation

The person responsible for the course, in consultation with the student representative, decides the method of evaluation and whether the courses will have a midterm- or end of term evaluation, see also the Quality System, section 4.1. Information about evaluation method for the course will be posted on Canvas.

Offered as a free-standing course

Yes
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 2:30:02 PM