Overview

Through this Music - Composition MA course from the University of York you'll join a lively community of postgraduate composers and the rich creative environment of the Department of Music, receiving one-to-one tuition and studying the established and emerging techniques in this exciting and constantly developing field.

Our internationally-renowned composition staff work across a range of styles and media and our students are similarly diverse. Solo or orchestral music, electronic or acoustic, notated, improvised or devised – all of these are valued at York. You'll encounter a wide variety of approaches, but no prescriptions.

Career opportunities:

By the end of the Music - Composition course at the University of York, you'll have a firm understanding and facility across a range of approaches to contemporary composition. You will be able to use this to develop independent creative outputs, whether these are led by your own artistic voice or are responses to specific briefs from collaborators.

You'll also be able to reflect critically on your creative decisions, and communicate your ideas about composition in writing and speech, skills that are highly valued in any sector. MA Music graduates go on to a diverse range of careers as creative artists and teachers, as well as administrative work and further study at both universities and conservatoires.

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Programme Structure

Courses include:

Creative and Critical Practice

The Contemporary Composer's Kitchen

Research Skills for Musicians

Advanced Timbre

Case Studies in Music History

Music and Human Flourishing

The Piano Today

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Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months
Part-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-21 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-28 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-09-04 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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TOEFL^® IBT

87

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

61

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

York, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Musicology Music Composition View 50 other Masters in Musicology in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

87

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

61

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

2:2 or equivalent in Music or another relevant subject.

You will need to attach scores or a link to a portfolio of 2-3 recent compositions for different forces which demonstrate your ability as a composer. Scores in PDF format, and recordings of these if available. If the music is solely electronic then no score is required. Please see our guidance on submitting creative work.

Academic transcripts

Some courses have specific requirements, these could include:

Samples of written work

Personal statement

CV

Evidence of financial support

Academic reference

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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

27250 GBP / year

≈ 27250 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

12000 GBP / year

≈ 12000 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time (2 years) National: £6,000
Part-time (2 years) International: £13,625

Living costs

York

United Kingdom

646 - 1124 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

Additional Details

Living costs

York

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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