The Department of Music offers courses designed to meet the needs of students reading for a degree with either a specialist or non-specialist emphasis on music. Our courses have been designed with the following aims in mind:

• To deepen students' understanding of the functions, concepts, structures, and values of music and its role in society;
  
  
• To broaden students' knowledge of the diverse musical cultures of the world and their histories, styles, and ideas;
  
  
• To train students to think critically about music and equip them with the verbal skills which will enable them to articulate their thinking;
  
  
• To promote creative activity in the composition and performance of music as a mode of discourse that uniquely complements other modes of discourse in the humanities;
  
  
• To provide a comprehensive education that integrates the activities of scholarship, composition, and performance, connecting them to the larger world of learning in the humanities, the sciences, and commerce.
  

The courses cover a wide range of topics and approaches, and cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary interests are particularly encouraged. Some courses do not require previous training in music, and students may be admitted to any course with the approval of the Undergraduate Coordinator. Students majoring in music must take the Theory Placement Test before beginning their course of study.

Admission into the Department of Music is administered by the Faculty of Arts. The Department also admits students under the Music Specialist Scheme. Students choosing this option must major in music. Students may get more information about the admission process from the HKU admissions website at http://www.hku.hk/admission/admissions.htm