Primary instrument/specialism
- Clarinet (Jazz)
- Double Bass (Jazz)
- Drumkit (Jazz)
- Electric bass (jazz)
- Flute (Jazz)
- Guitar (Jazz)
The MA degree is designed for students who wish to achieve a Masters level qualification in one year, with 180 SCQF credits at level 11 (90 ECTS credits). The programme runs full-time for four terms, with the last term being dedicated to a largely independent project. Designed for students interested in furthering their development in jazz at postgraduate level, this specialist pathway is led by internationally renowned jazz saxophonist and composer (and Head of the Jazz BMus pathway) Professor Tommy Smith and offers bespoke tuition from some of the best jazz musicians and educators in Scotland. As well as weekly lessons on your principal study instrument, we offer second study modules should you have an interest in developing a second instrument. Our MMus/MA Jazz pathway is designed to accommodate both jazz performers and jazz writer/arrangers. The course is highly bespoke and you will have a large amount of control in the way that your studies are structured. This programme is tailored to fit individual needs and requirements, allowing the student to focus on preferred areas of interest and specialism. The jazz scene in Glasgow and Scotland is thriving and there are many performance opportunities both within the Conservatoire and without – our students have negotiated many external performance opportunities in surrounding venues which means there’s live music happening almost every night of the week. On campus, our Blue Mondays concerts showcase the talents of our students and tutors. We also have larger jazz performances which often include special guests. Our past guests have included Makoto Ozone, Courtney Pine, Jacqui Dankworth, Branford Marsalis, David Liebman, Peter Erskine, Paolo Fresu, Bill Evans, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker and Arild Andersen. Students have seen these great musicians up close, working with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and through masterclass settings. Please note, the international deadline for this programme is the 1st December 2023, but we would encourage applicants to apply by the 2nd October 2023 to be guaranteed consideration for the first round of scholarship.
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:
Only one instrument is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument formatively, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
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.
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/postgraduate/jazz/
*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.
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.
The following entry points are available for this course:
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 60 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire.
Candidates for both the MMus and MA are normally expected to hold a good honours (at least 2:2) degree, or its overseas equivalent, in a subject area relevant to the demands of the programme.
Audition
Please refer to our Guide for Applicants for what to prepare for audition - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/how-to-apply/music/
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 6 | Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.5 in each component (with no component below 5.5) is required. |
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.
Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
---|---|---|
Recording | £65 | £65 |
RCS | £65 | £65 |
Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
---|---|---|
Recording | Not available at this location | |
RCS | Not available at this location |
We will continue to offer online auditions 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/postgraduate/masters-music-mmus/jazz/.
Channel Islands | £17875* | Whole course |
England | £17875* | Whole course |
Northern Ireland | £17875* | Whole course |
Scotland | £17875* | Whole course |
Wales | £17875* | Whole course |
Republic of Ireland | £17875* | Whole course |
EU | £35090* | Whole course |
International | £35090* | Whole course |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
The Royal Conservatoire is able to offer a number of entrance scholarships which are awarded as part of the audition/selection process on the basis of merit and financial need. Please see our website for more information - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/scholarships/
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
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