Learn how to use music to support the development and wellbeing of people with complex emotional, intellectual, physical or social needs.
You'll get a comprehensive grounding in music therapy. Study the theory and put it into practice in a clinical or social community setting. Then take what you've learned from your practical experience and apply that to your research project.
Studying at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM), you'll learn from dedicated staff with many years' experience as music therapists.
If you have a mature and compassionate attitude, curiosity and a knack for critical thinking, and a passion for practical, creative music-making then this programme is for you.
The programme was developed in association with Music Therapy New Zealand(MThNZ). You'll be encouraged to join this organisation during your training so you can start building links with other professionals and the supporting community.
Once you've completed your degree you'll be able to apply for accreditation as a Registered Music Therapist through the Music Therapy Registration Board of MThNZ.
Most students do the Master of Music Therapy by coursework and research, which is in two parts. In Part 1 you'll do coursework and in Part 2 you'll do casework and research.
If you're already a music therapist with an appropriate postgraduate qualification you can go straight to Part 2—the Master of Music Therapy by research.
Learn through practical musical and placement study, theory and research. You and your tutors will work closely together in small groups to problem-solve, reflect on theory and practice, and consider questions that can lead to practice-based research.
In Trimester One you'll do courses covering the principles and methods used in music therapy. In Trimester Two you'll do courses on the exploration of music from cultures other than your own, and learn how this applies to your practice, along with courses on approaches to music therapy research and a workplace practicum.
For Part 2, you'll do a range of music therapy casework, followed by a supervised practice-based research project linking to what you observe and experience on your placement. For the Master of Music Therapy by research, your study may be practice-based or more theoretical, depending on your interests and research questions. Both options are full-year courses.
You'll do placements both through your Part 1 practicum and your Part 2 casework. Your placement will be clinically supervised by lecturing staff in Part 1 and by external registered music therapists in Part 2. You'll also be supported by on-site liaison staff who may be music therapists, specialist teachers or other healthcare professionals.
Placement opportunities may include clinical practice in:
The Master of Music Therapy by coursework and research can be completed in two years of full-time study or in three to five years part time.
The Master of Music Therapy by research can be completed in one year full-time or in two to three years part-time.
If you are studying full-time you can expect a workload of 40–45 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students will need to do around 20–23 hours of work a week. This programme is demanding, so you need to be cautious about how much paid work you take on. Make sure you take this into account if you are working.
You can estimate your study workload by adding up the number of points you'll be doing. One point is roughly equal to 10–12 hours work.
You'll do Part 1 in Wellington. You may be able to do Part 2 in Auckland or Christchurch if suitable professional supervision is available. Talk to the programme administrator to learn more.
You'll be able to choose your practice-based research project based on what you observe and experience in your casework.
Become a qualified music therapist to facilitate people’s move towards well-being through specific therapeutic aims using a primarily non-verbal relationship in music. Music Therapy as practised in Great Britain is largely based on improvisation, the music being the shared, and the spontaneous creation of client and therapist.
The Music Therapy programme offers training for competent, practising musicians to become therapists, bringing together their skills, education and other life experiences. On completion of the training, graduates are eligible to apply to the HCPC for registration, with the ability and flexibility to practice within the NHS, Social Services, education or private sector.
Essential to music therapy is the relationship between client and therapist. At Roehampton we have chosen to base our Music Therapy training programme on the use of psychoanalytic ideas to inform our understanding of the therapy process and the ways the client works with the environment, the therapist and the music. Broader theories and ways of working are also studied in order to equip students to meet a range of clinical need. Other styles of music, including song writing, the use of technology and pre-composed music are also used as appropriate to the need of the individual.
The course emphasises your emotional development as a practitioner, together with clinical exploration through critical enquiry. In addition to this, students must be prepared to enter mandatory individual personal therapy for one year of the training.
Music Therapists work within a wide range of clinical settings, individual and group work. They work with people of all ages; from infants and young children through to elderly adults. Music therapy can benefit people with a wide range of difficulties or challenges, including mental health problems, learning disabilities and autism, dementia and neurology, as well as people experiencing serious illness such as cancer or those who have experienced trauma.
The programme aims to encourage a critical and evaluative approach to both theory and practice in music therapy. It is designed to prepare students for work with children and adults with a range of disabilities and illnesses, and placements usually include work with children and adults with learning disabilities, autism and Asperger’s syndrome and mental health problems.
After visits to a variety of workplaces which offer music therapy, you will undertake individual and group work in two contrasting settings over six months, January to June (first placement) and September to February/March (second placement).These clinical placements will provide you with music therapy work experience alongside qualified Music Therapists. You will also participate in an experiential group, which gives you an opportunity to develop your own self-awareness and examine personal and group dynamics through verbal and musical processes. In addition, it is a requirement for you to find and fund personal individual therapy outside the course.
Key areas of study include human development and growth and the clinical context for music therapy, clinical improvisation, observational studies, music therapy theory, clinical case work and supervision, introduction to research and your dissertation. Personal development and reflection on this is central throughout the programme.
Modules
Here are examples of the modules:
Music Therapists work within a wide range of clinical settings. They work with people of all ages; from infants and young children through to elderly adults. Music Therapists work within statutory services (such as the NHS, education or social services), within charities and private organisations, and in private practice. To find out more, you can join the British Association for Music Therapy.
The Master of Music Therapy provides a course of study for those wishing to practice as music therapists in settings such as hospitals, special schools, aged care facilities, community health programs and private practice. The course is open to music graduates and graduates from courses related to health and wellbeing.
The two-year program provides advanced knowledge of the theory, practice and research of music therapy. You learn traditional and ground-breaking theoretical approaches to practice with people across the life span, from preschool aged children through to older adults, with Music Therapy Skills classes covering voice and guitar skills, improvisation, songs and performances with dyads and groups, as well as receptive music therapy. A major component of the course consists of four clinical training placements supervised by qualified music therapists in settings such as hospitals, schools, residential care and the community. You also undertake a minor thesis in which you conceive, plan and execute a small research study.
The course is approved and validated by the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA), leading to registration as Music Therapists upon completion.
The Master of Music Therapy is available in two modes:
On-Campus Mode
Taught in the traditional mode of lectures and tutorials for students who live in the Melbourne area. Theoretical and music therapy skills subjects are taught via weekly lectures and intensive teaching periods. You will also participate regularly in clinical placements, amounting to a minimum of 80 days across the two years.
Blended Learning Mode
The Blended Learning option is delivered online and through intensive learning periods for students living interstate and in rural areas, where approved clinical training arrangements are available. It covers all subjects offered in the traditional on-campus mode. Theoretical subjects are taught online weekly, music therapy skills subjects are via intensive mode twice each semester, your clinical training will be carried out in your home state where suitable supervision from a qualified Music Therapist is available, and tutorials are incorporated into the intensive learning periods. Music therapy skills subjects and tutorials are workshop based, and so attendance at the intensive learning days is essential.
Interview: You can apply between October to May. Places are offered on a first come, first served basis and applicants are advised to apply as early as possible. Interviews are usually held between January to June. The personal statement should include: reasons why the applicant feels drawn to the profession of music therapy; specific musical skills; and details of relevant experience within caring professions. Some applicants will be asked to attend for audition and interview. This will usually include group improvisation with other applicants and an individual audition in which the applicant will: play prepared pieces; improvise on a given theme; and sing a short song of their own choice, if voice is not main study. The interview will assess each applicant’s personal suitability for this profession, ability to reflect, and readiness for the demands that the course entails. For overseas applicants, auditions and interviews may be conducted by Skype.
Criminal Records Check: A satisfactory criminal records check will be required
The theoretical focus of this course encompasses psychodynamic, humanistic, developmental and music-centred approaches to music therapy. Some lectures in theoretical studies are shared with students from the MSc Art Psychotherapy. The training is designed to prepare students for work with vulnerable children, adolescents and adults with a wide range of needs, including learning disabilities and mental health needs.
Teaching includes practical and academic elements with an emphasis on experiential learning and teaching methods, including lectures, seminars and tutorials. Assessments are both practical and written. The following areas are covered:
Placements include work in a variety of settings and are organised by QMU. In Level One, practice placement is with a music therapist, one day per week from October to March. In Level Two, students attend practice placement two days per week in both semesters and work in a more autonomous way. Students are required to meet costs for travel to placement. Personal development is fundamental to therapeutic training and it is a course requirement (and requirement by the Health and Care Professions Council) that students attend regular personal therapy throughout the course, with a minimum of 40 hours attendance. This work is non-assessed and students are required to cover the cost.
Each module requires you to attend classes at QMU and to study independently. Attendance requirements at QMU will depend on the module. In Level One students attend QMU on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In Level Two, classes are on a Thursday. Practice placement days are additional.
Part of our strength comes from our location. Being based in Edinburgh means that the course has been developed over time in cooperation with key national cultural agencies and other bodies with a strategic interest in the development of arts organisations and festivals. Our location in the ‘festival city’ also allows for strong practical links between the course and the many arts, festival and cultural organisations based in and around Edinburgh, across Scotland and the UK. The course is validated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Level 1: Practice Placement 1/ Interdisciplinary Studies 1/ Therapeutic Skills and Interpersonal Learning/ Research Methods (all 30 credits)
Level 2: Practice Placement 2/ Interdisciplinary Studies 2 and Interpersonal Learning (both 30 credits), plus Professional project (60 credits)
On graduation you will be eligible for registration with HCPC, and will be qualified to apply for work in organisations such as the NHS, education, charitable bodies, social services, or in the private sector. Music therapists are employed throughout the health, education and community sectors. Registered music therapists are eligible for full membership of the British Association for Music Therapy.
Most of our graduates have found employment within care homes, schools, the NHS, and charities including Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland. Many others have become successful freelance practitioners.
This unique programme combines music psychology with neuroscience, focusing on both the biological and cognitive aspects of musical behaviour.
The MSc in Music, Mind and Brain (MMB) is highly interdisciplinary and draws on expertise from leading figures in the field, in areas ranging from music cognition, cognitive neuroscience, computational modelling, music education and music therapy.
As a student on the MSc, you will learn about topics in music psychology (from perception to cognition) and the cognitive neuroscience of music, and will acquire all the necessary skills to pursue your own high-quality research.
The programme benefits from good links with institutions such as the Institute of Education, the Royal College of Music, and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
The Msc in Music, Mind and Brain was founded by Professor Lauren Stewart.
Current programme directors Dr Daniel Müllensiefen and Dr Maria Herrojo-Ruiz are joined by an expert teaching faculty, all of whom have international profiles within the fields of music psychology and/or the neuroscience of music.
Our Eminent Invited Speaker Series brings world-leading researchers to Goldsmiths to present their latest research to our students.
We offer a range of research projects, drawing on a variety of approaches: behavioural, computational, neuroscientific. Students are also invited to propose a project of their own choice, providing appropriate supervision can be offered.
If a student has a contact with an external supervisor, it may be possible to arrange for project supervision outside Goldsmiths with the involvement of a faculty member as co-supervisor. Examples of previous projects include:
Written examinations; written coursework (essays); oral presentations; research dissertation.
The programme will appeal to you if you are interested in pursuing doctoral research in this area or if you are already a music professional wishing to approach music scientifically.
Graduates from the Music, Mind and Brain programme have gone on to work in one of the following areas:
Other careers that would be informed by this programme include music therapy, neuro-rehabilitation, music consultancy and music and adverstising.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
Part-time, distance learning
Drawing students from all over the world, these courses focus on the application of psychological research to musical experiences and professions and attract graduate musicians who work in the fields of music therapy, performance, or teaching.
We provide you with training in the research methods used by psychologists, together with the conceptual framework within which these methods can help to inform and explore musical expertise and understanding.
You will also benefit from newly-written online materials, and from the department´s extensive resources of books and journals in music education.
Music at Sheffield attracts world-leading academics and musicians working in a wide range of specialist fields. This is reflected in the diversity of the MA programmes we offer, both on campus and by distance learning. Our courses are taught by experts and backed by world-class research. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) 84 per cent of our work was rated internationally excellent or world-leading.
We are influential in composition, ethnomusicology, musicology, performance, music technology, music management and psychology of music. Our MA programmes allow students to take advantage of the department’s distinctive interdisciplinary research environment and to be part of a strong postgraduate community by taking modules from other specialist areas. Our three research centres, Music, Mind, Machine; Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre, and Music and Wellbeing provide a hub for research collaborations in music psychology and audience research.
Performance is an important part of our work. You will have the chance to participate in orchestras, music theatre, contemporary music, folk and world traditions. We have strong links with the community, giving you the chance to volunteer with local arts organisations.
Our graduates are employed by universities, colleges, concert agencies and music promoters. Many work in education; others are performers in various genres, in the UK and abroad. Some work in recording studios.
A number of graduates from our Masters programmes develop their research interests further and continue on to PhD study. Visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/music/prospective-pg/research-degrees
We have a postgraduate research suite and several studios for advanced compositional work, software development, sound recording, laboratory and field experimentation, transcription, music notation and other research applications. You will have access to scores, books, periodicals, recordings and online resources.
Through a series of graduate study days you will be able to use the tools for digital recording, video and film. We also have excellent practice facilities and collections of historical and world music instruments.
Our team of professional musicians bring performance expertise to the department – including clarinettist Sarah Watts, pianist Inja Davidovic, jazz guitarist Ronan McCullagh and North Indian tabla and santoor performer John Ball.
The University offers a range of scholarships and funding for the brightest students and the Department of Music offers a number of studentships for the strongest candidates. Small grants are also available to support postgraduate research project.
For more information about funding opportunities including application deadlines visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/music/prospective-pg/funding
Find information about scholarships and funding for international students at: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/international/enquiry/money/scholarships
Our tutors Nikki Dibben, Stephanie Pitts, Vicki Rowe, Renee Timmers and Victoria Williamson are renown for their expertise in the field and have been published widely in music psychology and education.
See http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/music/prospective-pg/taught
Much of the course is taught online in online discussions and tutorial groups, email and telephone tutorials.
You’ll also attend lectures and seminars at annual residentials and optional study days. Assessments take a variety of forms such as reports and essays. They are usually individual assessments, even if they concern the processes and outcomes of group work.
Become the musician you want to be with a flexible taught-Masters degree at Hull.
The MMus programme is sector-leading in allowing specialisation and mixing of interests in a wide variety of areas including performance, composition (acoustic, electroacoustic, sonic arts), conducting, music technology (recording, production, pedagogy), film music, aesthetics, philosophy, semiotics, historical and critical musicology, jazz studies, popular music studies, music psychology, theory and analysis.
This course is aimed at those who have a particular interest in pursuing their study of music to a higher level and equips students with a wide range of transferable skills. Obtaining the MMus opens up career possibilities in music and in many other fields where skills in critical enquiry and a demonstration of advanced aptitude are essential.
This programme provides you with a host of opportunities, such as internships, through our professional partnerships and a range of international visiting speakers including composers, performers, and academics to expose you to key individuals in the field.
You’ll develop skills in your chosen specialism within one or more of the four broad areas of study - musicology, composition, performance and music technology - as well as acquiring a wide range of other transferable skills in critical reasoning and intellectual enquiry.
Modules include:
Music Studies 1 and 2
The central aim of these modules is to explore options within a range of musical manifestations and to demonstrate an understanding through reflective and critically engaged work.
Technical Skills 1 and 2
These modules focus on the technical and structural aspects of music, and equip you with the technical skills required to complement your specialist musical study.
Contexts of Music
Designed to introduce you to both the range of critical and theoretical approaches to music and how these have been framed in academic terms.
Research Methods
You’ll look at the techniques for undertaking postgraduate music research, including the use of IT, principles of descriptive bibliography, the acquisition of bibliographical control, and the methods of source-critical research.
Special Study
The Special Study is the culmination of the MMus programme in music, giving you the opportunity to engage in an extended project within your specialist area.
* All modules are subject to availability.
The aim of studies on the MMus is to link your abilities directly to industry-led areas of music and employment. As such, preparation for employment is both vocationally-orientated as well as intellectually broadening.
You’ll be able to get involved with a range of music opportunities such as participating in ensembles, running collaborative projects, organising your own projects and preparing performances. These opportunities will develop transferable skills beneficial in a wide range of careers as well as music.
You’ll have the opportunity to get involved with career-based schemes, such as the School’s Students for Hire scheme, giving you the chance to fulfil external engagements. The School has developed a range of internships in partnership with professional organisations, including Hull Truck Theatre and Opera North.
The School runs engagement activities where you’ll get the chance to work with members of the public in different organisational contexts, including local schools, the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull Truck Theatre, Hull City Council Libraries, the Stroke Association (for music therapy), and community groups.
If you have a background in music or psychology, this programme will allow you to study existing research and theories in the psychology of music while continuing to follow your own musical interests.
You’ll develop your knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods, building your own research skills while learning to critically evaluate studies in the field of music psychology. Using real-world case studies you’ll explore areas such as music education, therapy, advertising, science and technology – but you’ll also be able to take optional modules in composition, performance, musicology, aesthetics, editing, electronic and computer music or other aspects of music.
Taught by experts in world-class facilities, you’ll gain an insight into the importance and role of research in music psychology to prepare you for further research or a wider range of careers.
We have a variety of excellent facilities to support your learning, including rehearsal, performance and practice spaces, a lab for studying the psychology of music and studios for sound recording, software development and computer music composition.
We also have good working relationships with a range of prestigious arts organisations: we host BBC Radio 3 concerts, Leeds Lieder and the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition, as well as enjoying a close partnership with Opera North and many others in a city with a thriving music and cultural scene.
Take a virtual tour of the School of Music.
Core modules that run throughout the year will develop your knowledge of music psychology, as well as your understanding of research methods. You’ll focus on case studies in different areas of the subject, gaining a sense of the key issues, debates and theories and becoming confident evaluating and using quantitative and qualitative techniques to collect data.
At the same time, you’ll select from optional modules that allow you to pursue your interests in different areas of music such as aesthetics, musicology, audience engagement, composition, performance, editing and archival studies, electronic and computer music or musicology. For some of these modules, we may need to see evidence of your ability before you begin – see ‘How to apply’ for more information.
By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained when you submit your dissertation – an independent piece of research, with an empirical component, on a topic of your choice within music psychology.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.
These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You’ll then choose one from the optional modules below.
You’ll benefit from a range of teaching and learning methods. These will include seminars, tutorials and lectures in some modules, as well as instrumental or vocal lessons with our expert tutors if you select performance modules. However, independent study is crucial to this degree, allowing you to develop your skills and pursue your interests at your own pace.
You’ll also be assessed using a range of methods, including presentations, bibliographic exercises, essays and group project work. Specialised music modules will also use relevant methods of assessment, such as compositions, recitals, critical editions and commentaries on musical sources.
This programme will allow you to gain a range of transferable skills in research, analysis, interpretation and oral and written communication. All of these can be applied in musical as well as non-musical contexts.
Recent graduates have gone on to launch careers within the fields of music education, music advertising, business development, marketing and administration, and artist management. Others have also continued with their research at PhD level.
We also offer additional support as you develop your career plans: the School of Music boasts a unique Alumni Mentoring Network, where students can be supported by past students as they start to plan their next steps.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
This flexible pathway provides a solid masters-level foundation in ethnomusicology. With a strong focus on theory, methodology and current debates in the discipline, together with appropriate research techniques and presentational styles, it offers excellent preparation for doctoral study and also for applied work. The programme of study consists of four taught course units (each 30 credits) plus a dissertation (60 credits). The combination of core and optional course units allows each student to plot a path that best matches his or her special interests and aspirations. Together, the taught units encompass a wide range of topics and approaches - from gender and ethnicity, music and conflict, music revivals and performance culture, to postcolonial theory and the politics of ethnography. Seminars allow for close collaboration between lecturers and students, with ample opportunity for students to present their own work and receive individual feedback. Discussion and debate forms an important part of most course units.
All students on the MusM Music programme take Advanced Music Studies: Skills and Methodologies as their core unit. Students on the Ethnomusicology pathway also take Studying World Music Cultures: Themes and Debates and, usually, Ethno/Musicology in Action: Fieldwork and Ethnography . Other optional course units normally include Case Studies in Musicology: Texts and Histories ; and Historical or Contemporary Performance (subject to audition). A maximum of 30 credits may be chosen from another MA programme in the arts or social sciences (subject to availability and approval by the course tutor): possible options include Gender, Sexuality and the Body ; Filming History: Making Documentary Films for Research; and Documentary and Sensory Media . Students may also undertake a Work Placement with a local arts organisation or institution (by prior arrangement and subject to availability).
SALC Placement offers students the opportunity to spend a minimum of 20 days over a period of up to 12 weeks with an arts and cultural organisation, business or service provider. Placements will be established in Semester 1 to take place early in semester 2; they will be supervised by a work-based mentor and overseen by an academic staff member. The placement may take the form of an investigation of a specific business idea, development strategy or management proposition to resolve a problem or particular issue, and will result in a placement report, proposal or essay.
For further information about the content of individual course units, see Course Unit Details below.
This programme aims to:
Most taught course units are delivered via weekly seminars and/or tutorials. Full-time students take two 30-credit course units per semester; part-time students take one. The dissertation is supported by one-to-one supervision and is submitted at the beginning of September. (Part-time students may submit in either September or December following their second year of study.)
Seminars feature a range of presentation formats and activities, including presentations by course tutors, student presentations, discussion and debate based on prepared reading or coursework tasks, and workshop-style activities. Members of the academic staff are also available for individual consultations during designated office hours.
Alongside their taught units, students have access to a range of non-assessed seminars, workshops and training sessions offered by the Graduate School of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. All postgraduate students are expected to undertake their own programme of self-directed learning and skills acquisition. This may also involve wider reading, language work, computer training and attendance at research seminars in other parts of the university.
There are no formal examinations. Taught course units are assessed by coursework essays or other tasks, normally submitted at the end of each semester (January and May). The precise nature of the assessment varies according to what is appropriate to the course unit in question. In most cases, a choice of questions or topics is offered. All taught units must be satisfactorily completed. The dissertation (12,000-15,000 words) is based on independent research into a topic agreed in consultation with the supervisor. A Research Outline needs to be presented and approved (usually in February) before students proceed with their dissertation. All coursework is double-marked internally and moderated by the External Examiner. Recitals are heard by at least two internal examiners.
Graduates of this programme have pursued successful careers in musical and non-musical fields. Some continue to further study via a PhD before securing an academic position. Some go on to teach in schools or further education, both in the UK and overseas. Other areas of work for which advanced musical training has been directly relevant include arts management and the culture industries, music publishing, music journalism, librarianship, music therapy and performance. Careers outside of music have included accountancy, law, social work and human resources.
Part-time, distance learning
Drawing students from all over the world, these courses focus on the application of psychological research to musical experiences and professions and attract graduate musicians who work in the fields of music therapy, performance, or teaching.
We provide you with training in the research methods used by psychologists, together with the conceptual framework within which these methods can help to inform and explore musical expertise and understanding.
You will also benefit from newly-written online materials, and from the department´s extensive resources of books and journals in music education.
Music at Sheffield attracts world-leading academics and musicians working in a wide range of specialist fields. This is reflected in the diversity of the MA programmes we offer, both on campus and by distance learning. Our courses are taught by experts and backed by world-class research. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) 84 per cent of our work was rated internationally excellent or world-leading.
We are influential in composition, ethnomusicology, musicology, performance, music technology, music management and psychology of music. Our MA programmes allow students to take advantage of the department’s distinctive interdisciplinary research environment and to be part of a strong postgraduate community by taking modules from other specialist areas. Our three research centres, Music, Mind, Machine; Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre, and Music and Wellbeing provide a hub for research collaborations in music psychology and audience research.
Performance is an important part of our work. You will have the chance to participate in orchestras, music theatre, contemporary music, folk and world traditions. We have strong links with the community, giving you the chance to volunteer with local arts organisations.
Our graduates are employed by universities, colleges, concert agencies and music promoters. Many work in education; others are performers in various genres, in the UK and abroad. Some work in recording studios.
We have a postgraduate research suite and several studios for advanced compositional work, software development, sound recording, laboratory and field experimentation, transcription, music notation and other research applications. You will have access to scores, books, periodicals, recordings and online resources.
Through a series of graduate study days you will be able to use the tools for digital recording, video and film. We also have excellent practice facilities and collections of historical and world music instruments.
Our team of professional musicians bring performance expertise to the department – including clarinettist Sarah Watts, pianist Inja Davidovic, jazz guitarist Ronan McCullagh and North Indian tabla and santoor performer John Ball.
The University offers a range of scholarships and funding for the brightest students and the Department of Music offers a number of studentships for the strongest candidates. Small grants are also available to support postgraduate research project.
For more information about funding opportunities including application deadlines visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/music/prospective-pg/funding
Find information about scholarships and funding for international students at: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/international/enquiry/money/scholarships
See http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/music/prospective-pg/taught
You’ll learn through seminars, laboratory-based demonstrations and individual tutorials. The taught programme is continuously assessed through a variety of forms such as reports and essays.
They are usually individual assessments, even if they concern the processes and outcomes of group work.
This flexible pathway provides a solid masters-level foundation in musicology. With a strong focus on theory, methodology and current debates in the discipline, together with appropriate research techniques and presentational styles, it offers excellent preparation for doctoral study and also for applied work. The programme of study consists of four taught course units (each 30 credits) plus a dissertation or critical edition (60 credits). The combination of core and optional course units allows each student to plot a path that best matches his or her special interests and aspirations. Together, the taught units encompass a wide range of topics and approaches - from musicology as cultural history, through musicology and the body, source studies and performance practice, to postcolonial theory and postmodernism. Seminars allow for close collaboration between lecturers and students, with ample opportunity for students to present their own work and receive individual feedback. Discussion and debate forms an important part of most course units.
All students on the MusM Music programme take Advanced Music Studies: Skills and Methodologies as their core unit. Students on the Musicology pathway also take Case Studies in Musicology: Texts and Histories . Optional course units normally include Contemporary Music Studies ; Historical and Editorial Skills ; Studying World Music Cultures: Themes and Debates : Historical or Contemporary Performance(subject to audition); Advanced Orchestration ; and Ethno/Musicology in Action: Fieldwork and Ethnography . A maximum of 30 credits may be chosen from another MA programme in the arts or social sciences (subject to availability and approval by the course tutor): possible options include From Papyrus to Print: The History of the Book; Perspectives on Medieval and Renaissance Studies ; andGender, Sexuality and the Bod y.
SALC Placement offers students the opportunity to spend a minimum of 20 days over a period of up to 12 weeks with an arts and cultural organisation, business or service provider. Placements will be established in Semester 1 to take place early in semester 2; they will be supervised by a work-based mentor and overseen by an academic staff member. The placement may take the form of an investigation of a specific business idea, development strategy or management proposition to resolve a problem or particular issue, and will result in a placement report, proposal or essay.
This programme aims to:
Most taught course units are delivered via weekly seminars and/or tutorials. Full-time students take two 30-credit course units per semester; part-time students take one. The dissertation or critical edition is supported by one-to-one supervision and is submitted at the beginning of September. (Part-time students may submit in either September or December following their second year of study.)
Seminars feature a range of presentation formats and activities, including presentations by course tutors, student presentations, discussion and debate based on prepared reading or coursework tasks, and workshop-style activities. Members of the academic staff are also available for individual consultations during designated office hours.
Alongside their taught units, students have access to a range of non-assessed seminars, workshops and training sessions offered by the Graduate School of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. All postgraduate students are expected to undertake their own programme of self-directed learning and skills acquisition. This may also involve wider reading, language work, computer training and attendance at research seminars in other parts of the university.
There are no formal examinations. Taught course units are assessed by coursework essays or other tasks, normally submitted at the end of each semester (January and May). The precise nature of the assessment varies according to what is appropriate to the course unit in question. In most cases, a choice of questions or topics is offered. All taught units must be satisfactorily completed. The dissertation or critical edition (12,000-15,000 words or equivalent) is based on independent research into a topic agreed in consultation with the supervisor. A Research Outline needs to be presented and approved (usually in February) before students proceed with their dissertation. All coursework is double-marked internally and moderated by the External Examiner. Recitals are heard by at least two internal examiners.
Graduates of this programme have pursued successful careers in musical and non-musical fields. Some continue to further study via a PhD before securing an academic position. Some go on to teach in schools or further education, both in the UK and overseas. Other areas of work for which advanced musical training has been directly relevant include arts management and the culture industries, music publishing, music journalism, librarianship, music therapy and performance. Careers outside of music have included accountancy, law, social work and human resources. One of our graduates writes of how the skills she honed at Manchester helped prepare her for her first job as an Editorial Assistant at Oxford University Press: `I use my written/essay skills in text editing (prefaces, composer notes, biographies etc.) and in preparing sales copy; analytical skills are continually employed during the editing process; the discipline of editing and proofing your own work is as important in my job as it was in my studies; the research skills that I developed during my time at Manchester have been useful in source research and in checking the factual accuracy of texts; and general skills such as planning and time management have been helpful preparation for the world of work.'
