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Music and Sonic Media at University of Sussex - UCAS

Course options

2023 - 20242024 - 2025
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

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Course summary

Develop your creative abilities in composition and sound through practical and theoretical work. Explore theory and practice in the field of music production. You’ll focus on historical contexts and the development of advanced technical skills. Our MA reflects current developments in and beyond the concert hall, including music for film, media and interactive arts. You will:

  • compose
  • make sound art
  • devise music theatre
  • use music technologies
  • create film music
  • evaluate music and sonic art.
The course is for composers, musicians, sound artists, sound and music practitioners from related fields including theatre, and theorists with interests in music and sound. The Department of Music is a major international centre for the study of contemporary music, contemporary musical thinking and music theatre. You’ll have access to specialist facilities including:
  • the Music Department’s recordings and scores collections
  • the Music Mac Lab
  • three professionally equipped recording studios
  • recital room and practice rooms.
We offer a unique range of inter-related research disciplines. We have expertise in areas from opera and music theatre to composition. This allows you to develop an integrated portfolio of work corresponding to your strengths and interests. Core modules Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most. Composition (Practice) Sonic Media Practice Options Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. Careers You will have built up a substantial portfolio of compositions and creative projects during the course. Our course emphasises and encourages skills in technology, communication, IT, evaluation, analysis, collaboration and organisation, and enables you to go on to compose, arrange, perform, produce, record and engage in sound design. With these skills and experiences, our graduates are prepared to work in an amazing range of careers, such as: freelance professional musicians and composers work in the arts sector in publishing arts administration producing events radio broadcasting writing and lecturing. You also gain the skills to go on to do research, teaching in schools, music journalism, writing music for video games and running your own music production company. Entry requirements You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above.

Modules

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2023/24. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to COVID-19, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let our applicants know of material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity. Core modules Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

  • Composition (Practice)
  • Sonic Media Practice
Options Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research. While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
  • Creative Project
  • Dissertation (Music MA)
  • Activist Media Practice
  • Music and the Media of Performance (Practice)
  • Music Production in Context
Facilities You have access to facilities including:
  • the Music Department’s recordings and scores collections
  • the Music Mac Lab
  • three professionally equipped recording studios
  • recital room
- practice rooms.

Entry requirements

Degree requirements: You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above. Subject-specific requirements: Your qualification should be in music, theatre, sonic arts or audio-visual media. You’ll also be considered for this course if you have relevant professional experience. Since much of the practical work on different modules involves your own creative and/or compositional engagement with the topics covered, you should include a short composition portfolio with your application. This is composition interpreted broadly (i.e. it does not have to be 'traditional' notated composition): it could be songs, tracks you have produced, movie soundtracks, performances of your own compositions, a score. etc. The portfolio should demonstrate your ability to create music, audio or other sonic media. You can submit in a variety of formats: links to tracks on Soundcloud, Youtube, MP3s, scores, etc. For more information about our entry requirements and English language requirements, please visit our website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Additional fee information

More information on our tuition fees, funding options and scholarships for UK and international students is available on our website. Find out more here: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-funding

Sponsorship information

More information on our tuition fees, funding options and scholarships for both UK and international students is available on our website. Please click on the course URL to see up-to-date information.

Music and Sonic Media at University of Sussex - UCAS