MUSA 2442 Music and Ecstasy

This course examines the many different contexts where music is used to attain an altered state of consciousness. Throughout the world, music is actively used to drastically alter the emotions, perceptions and actions of listeners in order to transport them into another state of being. This class deals with music's relationship with specific practices of mysticism, shamanism, and magic; it also explores the specific musical structures associated with altered states of consciousness and analyzes general questions of music versus other factors in achieving an altered state of consciousness. MUSA2442 was previously numbered MUSA3342.

Course overview

Department: Music Academic
School: MCAS
Credits: 3
Level: Undergraduate
Offered: Every Fall

Requirements fulfilled

Music (Before Fall 2026): One of the following non-Western tradition courses (Before Fall 2026 (page heading "Major Requirements Before Fall 2026"; elsewhere the page calls these "contracts before fall 2026"))

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

No source-backed aggregate rating is available yet.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Ann E Riordan
Fall 2026

Sections

Section 01
Fall 2026 · Ann E Riordan · Lyons Hall 409 MW 03:00PM-04:15PM · Offered