Young male kneeling down and looking at his music sheets on the chair

Interdisciplinary Music Studies Overview

Let your creativity, curiosity, and imagination run wild in Interdisciplinary Music Studies! Develop solid musical skills and knowledge with the freedom to explore a vast range of electives, joined by supportive peers and faculty mentors with you every step of the way.

Discover Your Niche

Explore

Exploration, autonomy, and innovation are the heart of the IMS experience. Required courses in the first two years provide a foundation in music history, theory and performance alongside courses in creative identity and expression. In upper years, students take leadership of their studies by choosing from an exceptional range of electives offered by the Faculty of Music and the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Choose

Focus on honing top-level performance skills, performing in a wide range of ensembles, completing self-directed projects, and working toward a minor or major in another discipline. Students may choose non-music Arts and Science electives for up to 8 of their 20 degree credits.

Get Certified

IMS students can take courses outside of core music programming that lead to formally acknowledged certificates granted in conjunction with their degree. Currently, certificates are awarded in subjects including Health Applications in Music, Music Technology, Popular Music Studies, Ethnomusicology, and Piano Pedagogy.

Prepare

IMS prepares students for a wide range of careers, professional programs, and options for graduate studies. Students learn about diverse careers including performance, scholarly research, composition, education, arts administration and management, music journalism, entertainment law, music and health, and technology.

Programs

Enter a Broader Sphere

A world-class credential

Respected around the world, the University of Toronto and its Music Faculty are the largest university and largest music faculty in Canada. Interdisciplinary Music Studies at the University of Toronto provides students with learning opportunities that cannot be matched for choice and flexibility.

Humanly Scaled

Complementing its large-university offering, Interdisciplinary Music Studies offers a small-university feel. Studying in small classes, collaborating with peers, and engaging with receptive, responsive faculty are central to this program. Upper-year students have options for entering into mentorship relationships with faculty members who share their interests.

Women performing indigenous music, each with a handheld frame drum

Experience a Rich and Diverse Culture

The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music is located in the flourishing centre of one of the world’s greatest multicultural cities. Students in Interdisciplinary Music Studies become part of Toronto's rich and diverse cultural tapestry, offering unmatched opportunities to experience music and arts of all styles, genres, and traditions.

Have a question?

Contact our Registrar's Office for more information about our Interdisciplinary Music Studies area and programs.