In this module, you'll study music in a wide range of historical and contemporary contexts.
Block 1 introduces the central questions of the module – ‘What does music mean?’ and ‘What does music do?’ – exploring how they relate to an array of musical repertories. The block also discusses musical performances and audiences and investigates how music functions in film. You'll look at the way music establishes genre, setting and characterisation in films and do a case study of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Block 2 focuses on how music has been transmitted, including through written and printed notation, critical editions of music, and audio and visual recording. Here, too, you'll look at a range of repertories and transmission styles. You'll explore how the music notation used by composers such as Bach, Handel and Dowland can be translated into contemporary notation. You'll also explore some of the creative ways music from inside and outside the western art tradition has been represented visually. You'll look at how recording technologies and practices have shaped our encounters with jazz, pop, and western classical music, among other traditions.
Block 3 continues the investigation of what music means and does, with particular attention to western art music from the seventeenth to twenty-first centuries. You'll look at several important composers and genres and undertake case studies of works, including Handel’s oratorio Saul, Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet, op. 44, and Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. The block also includes units on nineteenth-century Italian opera and contemporary Scottish music.
By studying this module, you'll:
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.
There will be two day schools during the module, led by our expert team of tutors that will focus on key concepts. Each day school is mirrored by online sessions that cover the same topics. You are strongly encouraged to attend these sessions either face-to-face or online to maximise your chances of success on this module. Where the day schools are held will depend on the numbers and distribution of students, where tutors are based, and what online alternatives are provided. We cannot guarantee that they will be hosted in specific locations, or locations that have been used previously.
Course work includes:
You'll be provided with books of scores and teaching units, audio CDs, a DVD, and have access to a module website, which includes:
Good quality (but not necessarily expensive) headphones so that you can distinguish important details in performances, interpretations and recording techniques.
Set books:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
A342 is a compulsory module in our:
A342 is an option module in our:
Central questions in the study of music starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026, when we expect it to start for the last time.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
This is an OU level 3 module. OU level 3 modules build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at OU levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably at the OU.
Understanding music (A234) is highly recommended as preparation as it develops a number of skills that you should possess before attempting this module, including reading, writing and understanding music notation and analysing music.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying A342 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
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There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your personal income is £25,000 or less, or you’re on certain benefits, you could qualify for a grant and OU top-up funding to cover 100% of your course fees. Apply online at the same time as you register on your module.
For more information on how to apply, visit our Part-Time Fee Grants for students in Scotland page.
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Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).
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Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
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We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
