Music with Education MA

About This Course

The Music Education MA allows you to develop a deeper understanding of the theory and practice of teaching music to others. You will have a strong grasp of how music and education are interrelated, involving practical experience within a robust theoretical framework. You will also have advanced skills within music and education as separate disciplines. You will be knowledgeable and skilled as musicologists, composers, performers and/or teachers, and will have honed personal and professional skills valued in the education sector, including skills in planning, course design, and management. Musical knowledge may involve a range of styles of repertoires, a range of methodologies for studying music, and experience of the benevolent roles of music in educational, community and healthcare settings. You will develop a focus on critical enquiry and creative thinking around music education. You will become reflective practitioners, with excellent leadership skills. You will consider music education in the round, focussing not on styles of repertoire but on musical knowledge and the ability to communicate effectively about music. The programme is studied in a multi-disciplinary environment, involving interactions with musicologists, composers, performers, and professional educators. You will understand the mutual relationship between theory and practice, and may additionally have worked with scholars and practitioners in other fields, such as linguistics, journalists, and stage performers. The course provides you with an excellent preparation for further study as postgraduate researchers (including practice-led research), as well as honing your skills and extending your knowledge for a successful career in music education. The high-level key skills gained (including communication and critical thinking) are also eminently transferable to other professions.

A first degree in Music at 2.ii standard or higher (or equivalent) is required. Candidates with a 2.ii degree must however achieve a 2.i in a substantial project in their chosen area of study (e.g. a dissertation, a portfolio of compositions, or an extended recital). Musicologists may be asked to submit a piece of written work of 3,000- 5,000 words that can either be: 1) a discussion of a selected topic from music history; or 2) an analysis of a selected composition. The essay must be academic in style, and must include footnotes and a full bibliography. Composers may be asked to submit representative samples of their creative work (normally two or three pieces); these can be notated scores, or audio recordings, or both, and may be sent on paper, as a data DVD, or via a weblink such as Dropbox. Performers will be asked to audition or, where this is not feasible, to submit a recent unedited recorded video performance, featuring contrasting repertoire (25-30 minutes). A sample of academic work may also be requested from performers.