MPhil/PhD Music

Course information

3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time

Course overview

Goldsmiths’ Department of Music has a lively and varied research base, large postgraduate community, active performing tradition, and offers proximity to London’s resources.

Staff research interests are correspondingly diverse and wide-ranging, and we offer research supervision in many different areas, from composition to performance, sonic arts to popular music.

Our MPhil/PhD programmes

MPhil/PhD in Music: Written thesis of up to 100,000 words (MPhil: 60,000 words). We offer supervision in many areas of music studies.

Practice-Based Research in Music: Examined by portfolio of practice, and a 30,000-60,000 word written element. Portfolios may include recordings of composition; documentation of performance; ethnographic film; web-based and digital humanities projects; documentation of installation; other practice-based research.

Research supervision

You are assigned members of staff qualified to supervise your research throughout your period of registration. Supervision involves regular meetings throughout the period of study and involves the development of an intensive intellectual relationship between you and your supervisor.

You can get in touch with potential supervisors via the contact on the relevant staff page below. It is recommended you do this as a first step towards securing your place.

Facilities

You have access to Goldsmiths Graduate School, containing an open-access computer room, a student common room and seminar room for use by postgraduate research students.

Find out more about research degrees at Goldsmiths.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Keith Negus.

Structure

Overview

You can study full-time or part-time. The programme normally begins in September, but applications for entry in January and April may be considered.

Supervision is available in any of the areas of specialism outlined above or covered by staff research interests.

Research students are strongly encouraged to contribute to the Department’s research culture. You will have regular opportunities to present papers at seminars and conferences.

Composers can have pieces performed or recorded by Goldsmiths ensembles, including the Sinfonia, or by the Ensembles-in-Residence.

Performers are encouraged to take part in departmental concerts, and may audition for concerto appearances.

Registration and study

Initially, you register for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme to train you in the research methods you will need to complete a PhD. You can apply to transfer to PhD registration when you have satisfactorily completed an agreed part of the research and training programme; this usually happens after approximately 18 months if you are studying full-time, or before 36 months if part-time.

You should aim to complete and submit your PhD thesis within an agreed period, usually three to four years for full-time students, and four to six years for part-time.

If you decide not to upgrade to PhD registration, you can submit your thesis for an MPhil after two years if you are studying full-time, or after three years if part-time. With the agreement of your supervisor, you can change your registration from full to part-time or vice versa.

North American applicants especially should note that the British system does not include preparatory taught classes or examinations as part of the MPhil/PhD programme, except for an initial course in research methods.

Between 2020 and 2022 we needed to make some changes to how programmes were delivered due to Covid-19 restrictions. For more information about past programme changes please visit our programme changes information page.

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a high pass in a taught Masters degree. In exceptional circumstances we will also consider applicants with an undergraduate degree and professional experience equivalent to a Masters degree.

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 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 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 2023/2024 academic year.

Home - full-time: £TBC
Home - part-time: £TBC
International - full-time: £TBC

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.

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.

How to apply

Apply now

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Normally, you should begin by contacting either the programme contact listed above, or a staff member active in the relevant field in order to discuss their research project. Staff biographies and specialisms can be seen on our staff pages.

Once you have discussed and shaped your project, and the staff member concerned has provisionally agreed to supervise you, you should draft a formal research proposal and personal statement. The former should be about 1,500 words long, and should outline your project, describing your research questions, methods, and context – this part comprising a literature review, and a statement as to how your work will seek to make an original contribution to knowledge. The personal statement should outline the reasons you want to carry out the project, your longer-term plans as a researcher, and the ways that you see your work as fitting into and being supported by our Department.

Before submitting your application you'll need to have:

Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
Contact details of a second referee
A 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

If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
Details of your research proposal

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 conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.

If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified.

Selection process

Admission to many programmes is by interview.

Find out more about applying.

Staff

Please visit our Staff pages to find out more about who teaches in the Department.

Research

Find out more about the MPhil/PhD projects that are currently taking place within the department.

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