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Music (Electroacoustic Composition) at University of Manchester - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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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

Course summary

Our PhD Music (Electroacoustic Composition) programme will see you produce a portfolio of electroacoustic works and a written commentary, allowing you to develop your original creative voice under the supervision of our specialist academic staff. Your supervised research will normally relate to the research interests of a member of staff. These currently include (but are not limited to):

  • Fixed media/acousmatic electroacoustic composition
  • Multi-channel spatial formats
  • Data sonification and audification
  • Interactive music systems
  • Audio-visual music
  • Game-audio and VR-based electroacoustic music
  • Arts-science and interdisciplinary electroacoustic music
Our research across the department involves particular focus on seven core research areas , built around research questions, themes and approaches that are shared by a number of members of staff. Explored thematically during our Thursday research afternoons, the core research areas allow us to interrogate key issues in music research from multiple angles, fostering imaginative and multi-layered responses that are both intellectual and creative. They comprise:
  • Creative and performing practices
  • Sound, space and interactive art
  • Politics, protest and power
  • Nationalism, mobility and identity
  • Historically and culturally informed analysis
  • Critical reception studies
  • Intercultural musicking
Electroacoustic postgraduate students are based in the NOVARS research centre and the associated electroacoustic music studios. Workshops and performances of postgraduate compositions are arranged through the department. These will primarily be supported by student involvement with MANTIS (Manchester Theatre in Sound) and may also involve the Quatuor Danel, our quartet-in-residence, among other professional and student performers. As a research student in the department, you will be assigned a research panel, consisting of your supervisor, a co-supervisor and an independent reviewer who will meet with you on a regular basis to discuss your progress and offer expert advice on the development of your project. Postgraduate students are an important part of the academic community of the department and the University, and we encourage all our PhD students to participate in research seminars and to present their research at regular intervals to help them develop their research experience and profile.

Entry requirements

Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent).

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

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

For fees for entry in 2025, please view the course listing on our website.

Sponsorship information

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below. To apply for University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures studentships is 13 January 2025. All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.  You will need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor for a number of our scholarships. Therefore, we highly recommend you discuss these funding opportunities with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and ensure you meet nomination deadlines. For more funding information, visit our funding page or use our funding database to search for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

Music (Electroacoustic Composition) at University of Manchester - UCAS