Overview

The Music (Composition) MMus course offered by the University of Southampton gives you the opportunity to specialise in various elements of musical composition. On this course, you’ll learn:

current trends in composition

20th and 21st century musical developments

aesthetic, technical and critical issues in modern compositional practice

in-depth analysis of your chosen compositional genres, materials, techniques and forms

Our academic staff are internationally noted performers with active solo and ensemble careers, and established composers of contemporary art music, electronic music, media music (for example, in film, TV and videogames), and jazz. These world-leading experts can offer you intensive one-to-one tuition in music history, culture and performance.

We offer a broad-based MMus programme with 4 specialist pathways:

Composition

Performance

Musicology

Music Education

On the Composition pathway, you’ll work towards the final goal of a composition portfolio. We’ll work with you to create a portfolio that’s relevant to your career aspirations. On completion of the course, you’ll be ready to:

continue your research at a doctoral level

work in the music industry or wider cultural sector

become a teacher

work as a freelance musician

You can mix your composition modules with topics from other MMus pathways to develop a wider range of skills and personalise the course to your interests.

Career Opportunities

The employability and enterprise skills you'll gain from this course are reflected in the Southampton skills model. When you join us you'll be able to use our skills model to track, plan, and benefit your career development and progress.

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Programme Structure

Courses include:

Artists and Repertoires

Composition Portfolio

Critical Practice in Musicology

Final Recital

Musicology Dissertation

Preparation for Final Project

Professional Writing and Presentation Skills

Recital

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Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-22 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-19 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-09-02 00:00:00 , National

More details

We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

92

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PTE Academic

67

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IELTS

6.5

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4.9/5 student rating

Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Southampton, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Music Music Composition View 48 other Masters in Music Composition in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Lower Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

92

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

67

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

You’ll need a 2:2 degree in music or a related subject.
For the composition pathway, you’ll need to submit a portfolio of 2 to 4 compositions. These should total 15 to 20 minutes of music, showing your range and compositional techniques. If appropriate, please include scores of your music to the medium you are working within.

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

28700 GBP / year

≈ 28700 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

10400 GBP / year

≈ 10400 GBP / year

Living costs

Southampton

United Kingdom

697 - 1093 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Music (Composition).

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Career Opportunities

Get more details

Programme Structure

Check out the full curriculum

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

Explore more key information

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Make sure you meet all requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

Southampton

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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