Our MA in Music (by research) is ideal for those individuals who would prefer to study independently through a research project, with guided supervision from an expert within their chosen field of research.

Your research

This course is aimed at both high-level creators interested in composition, production and musical analysis, and those wishing to develop tools for other content, including composers, performers and analysts.

Guided by your supervisor, you'll work through a series of structured elements, with your final submission being either:

a dissertation between 30,000 and 40,000 words on your registered topic, alongside a comprehensive resource list (including scores, analyses, articles, books and concert ephemera, internet and audio-visual resources). Candidates in musicology, ethnomusicology or analysis will normally follow this route, but it is not exclusively limited to these subjects; or

a portfolio of compositions for any instrument, voice, ensemble, audio media or multimedia, with an accompanying critical commentary. The commentary will draw out the research embedded in the practice, discussing aspects of the compositional processes and situating the work in a research context; or

a portfolio of performance projects, fully documented through video/audio recordings, and submitted alongside a critical commentary. The commentary will draw out the research embedded in the practice, discussing aspects of the performance processes and situating the work in a research context.

Performance Practice research area

This area is suitable for those wishing to research and express their understanding of specific areas of performance practice either by thesis or by performance with commentary.

You may submit a dissertation of between 30,000 and 40,000 words investigating the agreed topic; this should present a fresh understanding of an acknowledged area of performance practice based on primary sources. Submission by performance involves a portfolio of recorded performances supported by a critical commentary. The commentary will draw out the research embedded in the practice, discussing aspects of the compositional processes and situating the work in a research context. It may be appropriate to submit critical or performance editions of the music to be discussed or performed.