Critical and Applied Musicology MA
Year of entry 2023
- Start date
- September 2023
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 12 months full time
- 24 months part time
- Entry requirements
- A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in music.
Full entry requirements - English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component
- UK fees
- £10,750 (total)
- International fees
- £24,000 (total)
- Contact
- pgtmusic@leeds.ac.uk
Course overview
This course offers a foundation in musicological thought and practice, opportunities to develop specialised applied, editorial, archival, critical and theoretical skills, and the chance to produce a significant piece of work in a musicological area of your choice, regardless of your musical tastes and preferences.
Through core modules you’ll explore issues in musicology that affect our understanding, reception and interpretation of music in critical and applied contexts. You’ll also have the chance to gain knowledge and skills through the study of aesthetic theory or applied research methods in musicology, enabling you to balance critical and applied forms of musicology to suit your interests.
Your major project will take the form of a dissertation with a specific musicological focus, or a piece of applied or practice-led work such as an editing or transcription project, or an archival or fieldwork study, defining your topic in consultation with one of our expert staff.
You’ll also have the opportunity to study optional modules in other areas of music such as performance, composition, electronic and computer music or music psychology.
The course provides a logical progression from undergraduate music courses and will equip you with a range of skills desired by employers and of value in further research at MPhil/PhD level.
We have a variety of excellent facilities to support your learning, including rehearsal, performance and practice spaces, a lab for studying the psychology of music and studios for sound recording, software development and computer music composition.
Take a tour of our School
Join School rep, Georgie, on a tour of our building and its specialist facilities to get a feel for life as a student in the School.
The Special Collections housed in our beautiful Brotherton Library contain significant collections of music manuscripts, rare printed music and letters from composers and critics to help inform your work.
We also have good working relationships with a range of prestigious arts organisations: we host BBC Radio 3 concerts, Leeds Lieder and the Leeds International Piano Competition, as well as enjoying a close partnership with Opera North and many others in a city with a thriving music and cultural scene.
Course details
You’ll study core modules that develop your understanding of both critical and applied forms of musicology.
In Issues in Musicology you will engage in debates that cross and affect a broad range of musical genres and interests, and offer different ways of considering how we might engage with, understand and interpret music, musical activity and writings on music. Depending on whether you wish to specialise in critical or applied musicology you’ll take either Aesthetic Theory or Applied Research Methodologies, or you can choose both offering both depth and breadth of musicological study.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Issues in Musicology | 30 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Individual Project | 30 |
| Applied Research Methodologies | 30 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
| Composition Studies | 30 |
| Instrumental or Vocal Recital | 30 |
| Electronic & Computer Music Contexts | 30 |
| Case Studies in the Applied Psychology of Music | 30 |
Learning and teaching
We use a range of teaching and learning methods including seminars and tutorials, as well as vocal/instrumental lessons with our expert tutors. We also use online learning techniques. However, private study is also integral to this course, allowing you to pursue your interests more closely and develop research and critical skills.
On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
To help you build diverse skills, we also assess you using different methods depending on the modules you choose. These could include presentations, essays, literature reviews, recitals and performances or project work; however, optional modules may also use alternative methods such as recitals and composition portfolios.
Applying
Entry requirements
A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in music.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).
We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.
You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.
How to apply
Application deadline
We will consider applications from 1 October – 1 September.
However, we recommend you apply as early as possible, especially if you are planning to apply for external funding.
You will usually be expected to have an offer of a place on a course before you apply for funding. You may also need to leave time to make arrangements such as visa applications or relocating to Leeds.
The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Documents and information you need
Your degree certificate and transcript, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying. Please provide official translations if applicable.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide evidence of your English language qualification.
A fully referenced essay or dissertation, in English, of around 2,000 words on a musical topic. You may be asked to provide a second example of your writing, to provide a fuller assessment of your potential.
A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form.
If you are an international applicant and have previously studied in the UK on a Student Visa, please provide a copy of your Visa (and Residence Permit if applicable) to cover all the dates of your time in the UK, a copy of your CAS summary, and a copy of your completion/award certificate if applicable.
Please note that there are some optional modules available as part of our courses for which new students may be required to provide an example of their work, audition, or liaise with the relevant Module Leader first in order to assess suitability for entry on to the optional module. Assessment for optional modules with pre-requisites is not part of the admissions process. Offer holders are normally contacted by the School regarding optional modules in advance of their studies.
References may be requested.
The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024
This course is taught by
Contact us
Postgraduate Admissions
Email: pgtmusic@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:
Fees
UK: £10,750 (total)
International: £24,000 (total)
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.
Additional cost information
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.
Find out more about scholarships and funding opportunities available in the School of Music.
Career opportunities
This course will give you in-depth subject knowledge, as well as specialist knowledge and skills in a different aspect of music studies to broaden your understanding. It will also allow you to gain key research, critical and communication skills that are in demand in a wide range of industries and sectors.
Graduates from the course move on to a variety of careers such as arts management, librarianship, recruitment, and freelance teaching and performance. Many graduates also go on to further study at PhD level.
We also offer additional support as you develop your career plans, the School of Music boasts an Alumni Mentoring Network, where students can be supported by past students as they start to plan their next steps.
Reach your potential
Hear more about the School and Faculty support you can access from our employability lead, Professor Karen Burland.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.