Music

Entry requirements

An upper second-class honours degree or international equivalent in Music.

Applicants for the Composition or Performance pathways are required to submit a portfolio of work. For further information on the required portfolio please see the Department of Music website. Non-traditional qualifications may also be considered.

For applicants who are currently completing a degree, we understand that their final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades they achieve during their studies.

We will consider applicants whose interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements. We may make these applicants an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so the applicant would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of their degree. Specific module requirements may still apply.

We will consider applicants whose grades are slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements, if they have at least one of the following:

• evidence of significant, relevant work experience such as work in industry, or as a composer;
• a relevant postgraduate qualification.

If this is the case, applicants should include their CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when they apply, showing details of their relevant work experience and/or qualifications.

Applicants for the Musicology Pathway will need to ensure that their personal statement addresses the following areas:

1. What do you hope to gain from the Music (MA) programme and from your time in Bristol?

2. Which two texts on Western music history and analysis that you have read in the last two years have you found to be the most influential, and why? Please explain in what context you have encountered these writers.

3. What topic are you considering for your dissertation?

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Months of entry

September

Course content

There are five pathways in this flexible MA programme:

• Performance
• Composition
• Musicology
• Medieval Music
• Russian Music

The units you take will vary according to your chosen pathway, but all include shared training units, such as Research Skills for Musicians, specialised units specific to the pathway, and a large menu of optional units tailored to your interests. These are followed by a major project: a dissertation or edition for musicologists (including those on the Russian Music and Medieval Music pathways), a recital for performers, or a portfolio of compositions for composers.

Information for international students

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Fees and funding

Funding and studentship opportunities are listed on the Faculty of Arts funding pages.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.