Full time
21 months
13-OCT-24
MPhil - Master of Philosophy
Music Composition
Research
About the course
The MPhil is designed for students wishing to attain a thorough grounding in composition at an advanced level, either as a preparation for doctoral research or an autonomous qualification. In the first year you will follow the MSt in Music (Composition), proceeding in the second year to individual supervision leading to the completion of a portfolio of compositions and written work.
The Master of Philosophy in Music (Composition) introduces a broad range of current methodologies and approaches in music scholarship.
Assessment
As the first year is identical to the MSt in Music (Composition), assessment will be through a musical composition in response to techniques presented in core composition seminars at the end of Michaelmas term. This will be followed by an essay submitted at the end of Hilary term. The final assessment of the first year includes a further essay in musicology or a further musical composition produced in response to techniques presented in composition seminars; and a larger musical composition or portfolio of compositions, at the end of Trinity term.
In order to proceed to the second year of the MPhil, you will normally need to obtain an average of 65% for your first year work overall, and a mark of over 70 in your composition portfolio.
The second year is spent producing coursework, comprising a project of 8,000 to 12,000 words (which could be a short dissertation, analysis portfolio, portfolio of essays of ethnomusicological work, or critical edition) and a portfolio of at least two well-contrasted compositions totalling between 35 and 45 minutes in duration.
Graduate destinations
Typical graduate destinations include doctoral research in music and other music-related or broadly cultural professions.
For this course (per year)
£15,240
For this course (per year)
£32,780
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: an average mark of 67% or higher in an undergraduate degree with honours in music or related fields. However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7.