Primary instrument/specialism
- Musical Direction and Coaching
Course summary
The MA programme is designed for practitioners who are looking to refine and develop their skills and experience within the area of Musical Directing. Opportunities will be given for each student to explore and challenge their values and passions within theatre, supported with mentorship and guidance from experienced practitioners. We want to work with aspiring musical directors on this exciting MA in Musical Direction at Scotland’s national conservatoire. By allowing each student to choose their individual path, focus is placed on tailoring learning through each Project and Production process. Opportunities will be given for each student to explore and challenge their values and passions within theatre, supported with mentorship and guidance from experienced practitioners. The programme is designed to offer elevated levels of guidance through the initial projects with both industry and pastoral mentorship. As the projects shift in scale and creative scope, each student will have the opportunity to grow into a fully autonomous and creative practitioner. One-to-one classes focussing on Keyboard, Conducting, Scoring & Arranging, Voice, Sound Work and Artist in Development are designed to give you space and guidance to build your knowledge and skill as a musician. Focus will be placed on the consolidation of previous skills and the opportunity to progress into new areas with a fresh and renewed insight. Project work is designed to offer a safe, explorative space for each Musical Director to synthesis their skills. Through these projects, each student will be mentored in building a process which reflects their values and passions as a practitioner. Please note, the international application deadline is the 31st March 2026, all UK applicants are the 14th January 2026. Curriculum Review We are currently in the review cycle for our postgraduate programmes starting in 2026, these courses are currently designated 'subject to validation'. This is standard practice during curriculum review periods. The outcome of this process, may mean there are some changes to how your programme is delivered.
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Main specialism
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Modules
Please visit our webpage for more information about the course.
Assessment method
Please visit our webpage for more information about the course.
How to apply
This course is not open to application until the 10th July 2025.
*If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
14Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 702F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 55 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire. To find out more please visit: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/
Entry requirements
Applicants are normally expected to hold an appropriate undergraduate degree, or its overseas equivalent, in a subject area relevant to the demands of the programme
Additional entry requirements
Audition
The audition is split into three section. Details of what each section contains can be found under the 'how to apply' section on our webpage: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ma-musical-theatre-musical-directing/
Interview
An interview will form part of the audition process. Details of what is required for this can be found under the 'how to apply' section of our webpage: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ma-musical-theatre-musical-directing/
Portfolio
Folio Submission You are required to submit a folio of work as part of the audition process, that you feel would support your application on Acceptd – this applies to both in-person and online candidates. This should include a CV, any relevant documentation of scoring or arranging work and could include videos or audio recordings of your work. You are also requirted to arrange set extracts (listed on our website) and upload your scoring of the set arrangement to Acceptd. This may be discussed further at your audition.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7.5 | 7.5 with a minimum score of 7.5 in speaking and no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 102 | Overall score of 102, with minimum scores of: Reading -18, Listening -17, Speaking -27, Writing -17 |
| PTE Academic | 76 | Overall score of 76 with a minimum of 76 in speaking and 59 in all other components (reading, listening, writing) |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 191 with a minimum of 191 in speaking and no component below 162 | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 191 with a minimum of 191 in speaking and no component below 162 |
More information about our language requirements can be found at the weblink.
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| RCS | £55 | £55 |
| Recording | £55 | £55 |
| United States - East Coast | £55 | £55 |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| RCS | Not available at this location | |
| Recording | Not available at this location | |
| United States - East Coast | Not available at this location | |
Additional information
All applicants are required to create an Acceptd profile and application (https://app.getacceptd.com/rcs) at the point of submitting their UCAS application, regardless of which audition location you have selected.We will continue to offer recording submissions to international applicants and those who are unable to attend in-person due to exceptional circumstances. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants to attend in person. For more information on what to prepare for audition, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ma-musical-theatre-musical-directing/.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Channel Islands | £20085* | Whole course |
| England | £20085* | Whole course |
| Northern Ireland | £20085* | Whole course |
| Scotland | £20085* | Whole course |
| Wales | £20085* | Whole course |
| Republic of Ireland | £20085* | Whole course |
| EU | £28991* | Whole course |
| International | £28991* | Whole course |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
All new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
For more information on fees, funding and Scholarship, please see our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/
Please note all tuition fees per year are subject to an annual review.
Sponsorship information
A full fee waiver applies to this course.
Provider information
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB