Music and Wellbeing MA

Course overview

This distinctive course offers opportunities to develop the critical and analytical techniques needed to evaluate and evidence the relationship between musical engagement and wellbeing.

You’ll gain skills that are directly related to careers in areas including arts therapies, education, community music, music administration, policymaking, and research impact employment or to continue to PhD study.

Your understanding of the topic will be expanded and you’ll develop the skills needed to conduct independent research while learning to identify the methodological and ethical challenges of researching in real-world settings.

The core Applied Professional Practice module will provide you with opportunities to take a proactive and self-reflective role in your work, developing professional relationships with our partner organisations.

Your major project will be a dissertation on an aspect of music and wellbeing of your own choosing, and you can pursue an optional module in another area of music such as music psychology, musicology, performance, or arts management.

Our staff have substantial experience working in the area of music and wellbeing, and we also have a variety of excellent facilities to support your learning including rehearsal, performance and practice spaces, and studios for sound recording.

Additionally, we 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

Your degree is built around three core modules exploring Music, Wellbeing and its Evaluation, Applied Professional Practice, and Empirical Research Techniques. Through these modules you'll expand your understanding of the relationship between musical engagement and wellbeing, learn to identify the methodological and ethical challenges of researching in real-world settings, and develop the empirical skills you need to conduct independent research.

The Applied Professional Practice module will provide you with opportunities to take a proactive and self-reflective role in your work, developing professional relationships with our partner organisations e.g. North Yorkshire Music Therapy Centre. Your major submission will be a dissertation on an aspect of music and wellbeing of your own choosing, and you will also choose a further optional module to complete your degree.

This might be in an area of music such as music psychology, musicology, or performance, or in a related area such as arts fundraising or arts management. If you choose to study part-time, you will study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.

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

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Music and Wellbeing MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Music and Wellbeing MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

We use a variety of different teaching methods such as seminars, tutorials, workshops and lectures in some modules, as well as instrumental or vocal lessons with our expert tutors if you select performance modules. Independent study is also vital to this course, allowing you to develop your skills and pursue your interests at your own pace.

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

You'll be assessed using a range of methods, including presentations, essays and project work. Specialised music modules will use relevant assessment methods, such as recitals, critical editions and commentaries on musical sources.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in music, psychology, healthcare, arts therapies, sociology, or a related discipline.

We will consider other relevant professional experience if you can demonstrate a good level of musical understanding or practical experience when you apply.

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

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 programme 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 also include official translations in English if applicable.

• If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide evidence of your English language qualification.

• 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.

• A fully referenced essay or dissertation, in English, of a minimum of 2,000 words, on the topic of an aspect of music and wellbeing. Please include a bibliography.

• A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form.

• 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.

• Applicants are often invited for interview as part of the admissions process.

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

School of Music

Contact us

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Fees

UK: £10,750 (total)

International: £24,000 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

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

You'll gain a range of transferable skills in research, self-reflection and evaluation, interpretation and oral and written communication. All of these can be applied in musical as well as non-musical contexts.

Recent postgraduates from the School have gone on to launch careers within the fields of music education, music advertising, business development, marketing and administration, and artist management.

Others have also continued with their research 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.

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.

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