Discover how 21st century music composition brings together performers, different cultures and styles, and the latest technology. Combine theory with practice and enhance your own compositions.
On our MA Music: Composition pathway, you'll access practical opportunities to develop your compositional skills - such as writing works for the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and taking part in visiting performer workshops.
Past guests have included percussionist Joby Burgess, who can be heard leading the percussion sections on the soundtracks of the Ant-Man and Black Panther franchises.
You'll be able to create new works using the latest electroacoustic computer technology or traditional instruments and voices, or a combination of both.
The course runs over 12 months full-time. You can also study this programme on a part-time basis.
September - December (11 weeks)
Full-time students normally take three compulsory modules in this term, and one optional module in either the autumn or spring term.
There are two hours of seminar time per module per week, with an emphasis on guided independent learning.
One-third of your degree is your composition portfolio. You begin planning your portfolio during term one.
January - April (12 weeks)
Full-time students normally take three compulsory modules in this term, and one optional module in either the autumn or spring term.
There are two hours of seminar time per module per week, with an emphasis on guided independent learning.
During term two you are assigned a supervisor for your composition portfolio.
May – August
There are no more taught modules during term three. You’ll continue working on your composition portfolio, ready to submit this at the end of August.
Sign up to our mailing list to stay up to date with our latest events, scholarships and subject news.
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
You should have, or expect to get, a 2:1 Honours degree in Music. We can consider an Honours degree in another subject if you have significant professional musical experience and relevant qualifications.
In your personal statement, please include the MA Music pathway you're applying for in the first paragraph.
All applicants for the composition pathway must submit a portfolio of 3–4 compositions, showcasing your range of styles and compositional technique.
You'll need to submit the compositions as either scores (PDF files) or recordings. Audio and/or video files should be uploaded to SoundCloud/MixCloud or YouTube/Vimeo/Youku or Dropbox/WeTransfer/YouSendIt with the URL pasted into a text document and uploaded to the Additional Information section under the Sample of Work upload option in the application portal.
The videos should be submitted at the same time as your application.
English language requirements If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification or a Presessional English course.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
If you have a conditional offer for Birmingham where English is a requirement, you can take a Presessional English course as an alternative to retaking IELTS or a similar qualification. We offer on-campus courses all year round starting from September including additional online courses in the summer term. Teaching takes place in small classes with no more than 18 students to maximise class participation.