MSt in Music (Composition)

at University of Oxford

The Master of Studies in Music (Composition) introduces a broad range of current methodologies and approaches in music scholarship. The main MSt teaching and coursework is completed in the first two terms; the third is reserved for completion of assessed work.

Core seminars

In the Michaelmas term there are typically six topics:
 

• historical musicology
• current trends in music theory
• aesthetics
• the social and cultural study of music
• performance
• composition.

You may participate in as many of these seminars as you wish. Your first summative assessment will be a compositional exercise written in response to the composition core seminar.

Elective seminars

Each year a number of faculty members convene a series of ‘elective’ seminars based on their research interests, to help you prepare for your assessment essays. You are invited to attend as many of these seminars as you wish. Reading lists are sent out before the start of the courses and you are asked to prepare fully and contribute to the seminars. Most of the electives take place in Hilary term.

Recent seminar series included the following titles:
 

• Pitch, Amplitude, Timbre
• Brazilian Music
• Distributed Creativity in Composition and Performance
• Thirteenth-Century Motets
• Music and (Non) Religion
• Music and Race
• Gender and Sexuality in Popular Music Studies
• Music and Islamic Culture
• Beethoven between History and Myth.

Presentation seminars

Presentation seminars are held in Trinity term. Musicologists, performers and composers each prepare a presentation on their own research and are asked to respond to another student’s presentation in another; further feedback on presentation skills is received from the seminar convenor.

Proven and potential academic excellence

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
 

• an average mark of 67% or higher in an undergraduate degree with honours in music or related fields.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7.

Relevant professional experience may be considered as a substitute for academic attainment.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
 

• Publications are not expected.

English language proficiency

Minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level requirement

IELTS Academic

7.5 

TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition'

110

Home    
£14,410

Overseas    
£30,910

Typical graduate destinations include doctoral research in music, teaching, arts management, performance, and other music-related or broadly cultural professions