Entry requirements
You must hold an honours degree to study for our MA in Music. Although your degree need not be in music, you must have the basic skills expected of a graduate in that area. The first module brings you up to date with the latest ideas and approaches in music but does not offer remedial undergraduate training if your qualifications and/or experience are inadequate.
The MA assumes that a candidate for a master’s degree already has the knowledge and skills usually acquired by pursuing the subject at undergraduate level. Any student beginning the qualification without an undergraduate Music degree or equivalent experience will do so at their own risk. If you would like further advice regarding this, please speak to an adviser. You should be aware that a degree of at least 2.1 or equivalent will greatly increase your chances of successfully completing the MA.
It is expected that your spoken and written English will also be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 7 under the International English Language testing system (IELTS). Please see their website for details.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Preparatory work
You should read:
T. Herbert (2012) Music in Words, ABRSM Publishing. This book, the set book for the module, is in two parts. The first contains advice about how to research music, how to store research data and other basic advice on how to write about music. The second part is a reference manual for writing about music. It will be helpful at this preparatory stage to read the section that introduces scholarly conventions and the sections that encourage you to think about setting up a personal research bibliography and database. It is available as an ebook and a physical copy – make sure you get the ABRSM version which is outlined below, and which is aimed at UK readers (rather than the OUP version, which is aimed at the US).
You might also like to look at the following websites in preparation for your work, bearing in mind that you will get guidance on how to use these resources during your studies:
Harvard College Library - a rich and extensive basis for beginning electronic research on a wide variety of topics in music
The Proms Archive - the history of the Proms, searchable by composer and works, year or artist.
Another useful resource is the MHRA Style Guide, which deals with referencing systems.