Music - PgCert

The principal aim of our course is to provide you with knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in your chosen branch(es) of the music profession, giving you a head-start in addressing the challenges involved in becoming a professional musician.

The course is suitable for both recent graduates and suitably qualified mature students, with a range of support to ensure that you leave Royal Birmingham Conservatoire ready to pursue a musical career.

A distinctive feature of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s postgraduate provision is that it will give you the opportunity to make choices within your course directly relevant to your future career aspirations, both within your Principal Study area and in your supporting studies.

You will have the opportunity to study in one of several Principal Study areas, most of which are also offered at PgDip or PgCert level.

We also offer the opportunity to study for an MMus via our 12-month route. To be eligible for this route, applicants must be able to show evidence of an extremely high level of achievement in the Principal Study area and a strong academic record at undergraduate level (or equivalent).

Note that the 12-month route applies to Instrumental Performance, Vocal Performance, Jazz, Composition, Music Technology and Experimental Performance only. It is not possible to study Conducting or Orchestral Performance via the 12-month route.

Employability

At Royal Birmingham Conservatoire we provide a friendly and supportive environment in which you can pursue your postgraduate studies. This is a time when you need to think particularly carefully and strategically about the direction of your developing career as a musician. We therefore encourage you to be ambitious in pursuing your aspirations, and endeavour to provide you with the flexibility to mould your course to your individual needs, both within your Principal Study area and in complementary modules.

UK students should normally hold an honours degree, ideally but not necessarily in Music.

Applicants for most Principal Study areas will be auditioned live, but some will require you to submit a portfolio in addition to or instead of a live audition/interview.