Music

Entry requirements

You will be expected to have at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree, or international equivalent, in Music. We are open to considering candidates from other backgrounds, however, we would encourage you to get in touch with us to discuss how you can provide evidence of your suitability for this course in your application.

Applicants for all pathways will need to submit a 500-word personal statement which should include the following:

• Why have you chosen the MA Music at Durham University?
• Your chosen pathway. More details of these can be found here Taught Masters - Durham University
• Specific modules or areas of study that you are interested in
• What skills and knowledge you would bring to the course
• What skills and knowledge you would hope to acquire
• An indication of your planned area of research

Applicants wishing to take the Composition pathway should be aware of the requirement to satisfy the following prerequisite:

Upload a portfolio of two or three contrasting works of 10 to 15 minutes (total duration) of a standard at least equivalent to a strong 2:1 degree final-year composition portfolio*. Please upload a copy of your music scores for each composition piece.

Applicants wishing to take the Performance pathway should be aware of the requirement to satisfy the following prerequisite:

Upload a video recording of between 10 and 12 minutes in length of a standard at least equivalent to a strong 2:1 degree final-year performance recital*. Please note that videos that are shorter or longer than this will be dismissed.

Your video should demonstrate good technical and musical proficiency in a variety of music. You should perform Western Classical repertoire (roughly from the 14th to the 21st centuries) and include contrasting pieces, for example in different languages (for singers), as well as different genres demonstrating various skills (for example faster movements vs slower movements with sustained legato lines, etc).

*If your file is too large to upload to your Applicant Portal, please submit a link to a folder or similar. Please note: uploads via third party sites must not use commercial advertising. We suggest using YouTube as a third party site if required.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The MA in Music embraces your passion for music, providing the guidance, opportunities, and tools you’ll need to flourish in your chosen field. Our course encourages you to draw critically from others’ work and develop your own specialisms, be they in performance, composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, music psychology or a combination of these. As a Masters student, you’ll enjoy studying within a close-knit community, encountering a wide range of interests relating to diverse musical forms from across the globe.

Every Masters student takes a specialist core module, selected from a list of five options: musicology, ethnomusicology, composition, performance, and music psychology. This core module explores the various issues currently at the heart of the discipline while providing the skills and knowledge needed to carry out independent research at Masters level.

Relating to your chosen specialism, you’ll also work closely with one of the Department’s experts to produce a major project in the form of a dissertation, portfolio of compositions, or performance. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to delve deeply into specific musical practices that you find particularly fascinating. Additionally, our Masters programme includes a Research Methods and Resources module (compulsory for all but the Performance specialists) while offering a wide range of elective modules to choose from.

We pride ourselves on being one of the leading music departments in the UK, offering innovative courses and producing cutting-edge music research. As a postgraduate, you will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including recording studios, practice and rehearsal rooms, our concert room, and an instrument collection. In addition, the University library contains a wide collection of books, scores, and CDs, and offers a rich range of online resources.

All the MA programmes offered by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities consist of three components:

• a Major Research Project to the value of at least 60 credits
• Core Modules to the value of 0-90 credits, depending on the programme
• Elective Modules, making up the total number of credits to 180; some of these modules will be defined as Recommended Electives for particular programmes.

The MA in Music offers five specialisms each year as follows:

• Performance
• Musicology
• Ethnomusicology
• Composition
• Music Psychology

For MA Music Students, the 60-credit Major Research Project is linked to your chosen specialism and will be one of the following:

• Dissertation in Music. To be taken if you are specialising in musicology, ethnomusicology, analysis or music psychology.
• Portfolio of Compositions. To be produced if you are specialising in composition.
• Performance Project. To be selected if you are specialising in music performance.

Course structure

Year 1 modules

Core modules:

Additionally, you will be required to study a 60-credit core module which, again, corresponds to your chosen specialism:

• Music Performance
• Contemporary Musicology
• Ethnomusicology in Practice and Theory
• Topics in Contemporary Compositional Techniques
• Advanced Topics in Music Psychology

With the exception of those specialising in Performance, all MA Music students are additionally required to take this 30-credit module:

Research Methods and Resources: an introduction to conducting music research. This module will encourage critical thinking around music research within a framework of the existing professional standards and conventions.

Optional modules:

Remaining credits are taken from the following indicative list of 30-credit modules:

• Recorded Performance Project
• Audiovisual Media Creation for Research
• Special Topic in Music
• Contemporary Musicology
• Special Topic in Performance
• Advanced Projects in Stylistic Composition and Arranging
• Ethnomusicology in Practice and Theory
• Research Experience in Music

Information for international students

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Fees and funding

For further information see the course listing.