Music MA



We are a top 2 UK modern university for Music.
The Guardian University Guide 2023

Overview

This innovative new MA in Music puts your interests at the heart of your experience.

Building on the success of our undergraduate Music programmes, this exciting new MA Music aims to provide a supportive and encouraging environment in which to develop your practice.

We have flipped the traditional structure of a Masters, where taught modules are followed by a final project or dissertation, by enabling you to work on and develop your major project from the outset.

This programme is ideal for musicians, composers, producers and artists who want to develop their practice, and for scholars who wish to take an academic approach to their study. There is no requirement for undergraduate music study and we welcome practitioners and scholars from all disciplines.

Typical entry point to this course is in September. Please enquire for more information.

To ensure there is sufficient time to process your application, we encourage you to submit your application by 30th of June.

Due to extremely high demand for our programmes starting in September 2023, we are no longer accepting applications from international applicants for this programme. We’re sorry that you won’t be able to join us in September.

Student playing the piano in a music studio

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

1 year

Course details

We believe that exploration and experimentation are central to the postgraduate experience. You will develop practices and ways of working that are at the intersection of practice, reflection and the transmission of ideas, findings and creative outputs.

This exciting new MA in music has been designed to foster and encourage: 
  • Exploration and experimentation
  • Criticality and reflection
  • Engagement with knowledge and practice

This programme will facilitate an individualised experience in which you will develop your practice, knowledge and understanding of your place in the world through the development of critical reflection abilities. You will be encouraged and supported as you develop a deep understanding of the context of your work/practice and the work of others in a scholarly/artistic context.

Five interrelated compulsory modules are specifically designed to allow students to achieve our programme aims which are to:
  • Engage creatively with your chosen field(s), challenging yourself to explore and innovate within your chosen area(s) of practice.
  • Develop and demonstrate your ability for critical and reflective thought and judgement.
  • Develop understanding(s) of research/practical methodologies and the use and application of method(s).
  • Explore/create a range of modes of artistic/scholarly communication.
  • Interrogate and respond to the context(s) in which your practice is articulated.

This programme spans three trimesters (September to August). 
Trimesters 1 and 2 are delivered through fortnightly lectures, seminars and workshops. 

Trimester 3 is mainly supervised independent study, but with two intensive weeks of contact with staff and peers, including our exciting MA conference day which gives you the opportunity to share and showcase work with staff and peers, to receive feedback and to engage in critique sessions.

  • calendar

    How you’ll be taught

     This programme includes interactive lectures, workshops, tutorials, seminars and each module includes a great deal of independent study, supported by your supervisor(s).

    Our teaching staff have an enormous range of scholarly and professional experience, meaning that you will have a wide range of options available for project supervision.
  • note and pen

    Assessments

     Your assessments are mapped out across your programme and include formative activities to help develop your work. Assessments include a range of approaches such as essays, interactive poster/multimedia presentations, oral presentations and a PhD-style viva voce exam for the main project.
  • library

    Facilities

     This programme is supported by state-of-the-art facilities, with three high-quality recording studios and a fully networked lab, running Logic, ProTools, Sibelius, Ableton Live, Max.

    We have two Avid Certified Instructors and ProTools experts on the staff. Our well-equipped practice rooms (with 24/7 access), teaching rooms, library and recital areas ensure that all your needs are met on campus.
Dr Zack Moir

Zack Moir is programme lead for the MA Music, an Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Applied Music Research Centre. His primary research interests are in music education, popular music, composition/production, social justice, and networked performance.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above in any discipline.

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient professional work experience within the industry.

Suitable candidates will be required to attend an interview with the Programme Leader and a portfolio may also be requested prior to interview.

English language requirements

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test.  The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of 6.5 with no individual component score of less than 6.0. For guidance on the acceptability of other English Language tests please contact pgadmissions@napier.ac.uk

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BN Nursing/MSc Nursing (Pre-registration) (Adult, Mental Health, Child, Learning Disabilities)
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students From 2023/24 2024/25
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £6,930 tba
Overseas and EU £17,090 tba
Please note tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other Tuition Fee matters please see Frequently Asked Questions about Fees Click this link for Information of Bursaries and Scholarships
The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount.
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Please note:

The discount for Edinburgh Napier alumni can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount.

For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount.

Please read our full T&C here

Careers

This programme has been designed to develop practical, scholarly, and critical skills, preparing students for a wide range of career opportunities. This programme is also the ideal springboard for doctoral study.


Potential opportunities include:
  • Doctoral study (research or practice-based)
  • Performance
  • Composition/Songwriting
  • Production
  • Audio Engineering
  • Musicology
  • Music Education
  • Arts Administration
  • Sound Design
  • Music Management or Promotion
Students working on computers using Music software