Course information

Department

Music

Length

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Scholarship information

Funding available

Course overview

This Masters develops your technical and interpretive abilities as a performer, informed by an understanding of style, genre, context and interpretation, as well as historical and theoretical issues relevant to your specialist repertoire.

  • You have the opportunity to engage with a range of different musical styles, and to develop those practical and intellectual skills that can make you a better informed and more accomplished performer.
  • You receive significant amounts of one-to-one instrumental or vocal tuition from expert performers, and participate in yearly masterclasses with distinguished international performers and teachers.
  • You develop your individual specialist skills to a high technical and artistic standard, while also developing intellectual and team-working skills, and you have the opportunity to perform with a variety of departmental ensembles, including Goldsmiths’ Sinfonia.
  • The programme offers an extensive list of elective modules that encompass historical study and the latest performance-based technologies.
  • The pathway is particularly suitable for those hoping to develop a career as a professional solo or chamber musician, or to develop performance skills before entering teaching, or as preparation for PhD research in performance practice.
  • It appeals to and can accommodate many different types of performer, whether your interests are in Classical or Romantic repertoire, or contemporary music.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Pete Furniss.

What you'll study

Compulsory modules

You take the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Strategies for Performance 30 credits
Contemporary Music: Practice and Discourse 30 credits
or
Research through Musical Performance 30 credits

Option modules

You choose 60 credits of option modules. Available modules change on an annual basis, and recent examples include:

Module title Credits
Advanced Music Studies 30 credits
Contemporary Music: Practice and Discourse 30 credits
Critical Musicology and Popular Music 30 credits
Interactive and Generative Music 30 credits
Performance as Research (Ethnomusicology) 30 credits
Research through Musical Performance 30 credits
Philosophies of Music 30 credits

Recital

Module title Credits
MMus Recital 60 credits

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in Music or a relevant/related subject. Your qualification should comprise a substantial practical/creative element relevant to the selected MMus pathway and option choices. A detailed transcript of your degree is preferred. 

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

Students who have completed up to 90 credits (not including final 60-credit projects or dissertations) of a comparable degree at another university can apply for recognition of prior learning status as part of their application for a place on the programme, where such credits are carried forward into your study at Goldsmiths.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

  • Home - full-time: £12520
  • Home - part-time: £6260
  • International - full-time: £22640

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

Scholarships

Prospective postgraduate students may be eligible for funding through our departmental awards.

How to apply

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:

  • Details of your academic qualifications
  • The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
  • Copies of your educational transcripts or certificates
  • personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement
  • A portfolio of recent performances (in video and/or audio format), including 2-3 contrasting pieces or songs (maximum 4), with at least 1 being from the last 100 years. Work should be provided as links to online content (on English Language sites) up to 15 minutes in length.

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

When to apply

We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September. 

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification. 

Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.

If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an earlier application deadline

Selection process

For Performance and Related Studies, if you are invited for interview you will be required to perform two contrasting works (not more than 15 minutes in total). Please bring your own accompanist if possible.

International students may submit an audio or video recording of a performance, accompanied by a signed statement from an authority such as a teacher that the performance is the applicant’s own.

Find out more about applying.

Staff

Careers

Skills

The programme is designed to develop your practical skills as a musical performer to a high level.

Careers

The programme provides you with a secure technical and intellectual base on which you can build a career as a professional musician, or enhance your understanding and enjoyment of musical performance.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.

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