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Music, Mind and Brain at Goldsmiths, University of London - 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

Open days

7Dec
Goldsmiths, University of London - Postgraduate Open Day
Postgraduate

Course summary

This unique programme combines music psychology with neuroscience, focusing on both the biological and cognitive aspects of musical behaviour.

  • The MSc in Music, Mind and Brain (MMB) is highly interdisciplinary and draws on expertise from leading figures in the field, in areas ranging from music cognition, cognitive neuroscience, computational modelling, music education and music therapy.
  • As a student on the MSc, you will learn about topics in music psychology (from perception to cognition) and the cognitive neuroscience of music, and will acquire all the necessary skills to pursue your own high-quality research.
  • The programme benefits from good links with institutions such as the Institute of Education, the Royal College of Music, and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Teaching staff The MSc in Music, Mind and Brain was founded by Professor Lauren Stewart.
  • Current programme directors Dr Daniel Müllensiefen and Dr Diana Omigie are joined by an expert teaching faculty, all of whom have international profiles within the fields of music psychology and/or the neuroscience of music.
  • Our Eminent Invited Speaker Series brings world-leading researchers to Goldsmiths to present their latest research to our students.
What kind of project can I do? We offer a range of research projects, drawing on a variety of approaches: behavioural, computational, neuroscientific. Students are also invited to propose a project of their own choice, providing appropriate supervision can be offered. If a student has a contact with an external supervisor, it may be possible to arrange for project supervision outside Goldsmiths with the involvement of a faculty member as co-supervisor. Examples of previous projects include:
  • Exploring Absolute Pitch in Children and Young People with Visual Impairment
  • An fMRI Study Investigating how Music Impacts on the Perception of Emotion
  • The Influence of Native Language on Rhythmic Grouping
- Neural Correlates of Melodic Expectancy

Modules

Compulsory courses Music Perception 30 credits Cognitive Neuroscience of Music 30 credits Foundations of Neuroscience 15 credits Statistics and Experimental Design 15 credits Research Design and Analysis 15 credits Research Skills 15 credits Research Project 60 Credits *Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Assessment method

Written examinations; written coursework (essays); oral presentations; research dissertation.

Entry requirements

The MSc in Music, Mind and Brain is a truly interdisciplinary programme that attracts students from diverse backgrounds who want to complement their knowledge on music research, neuroscience or cognitive psychology. As a general rule, you should have a good background in at least one of these areas and preferably have already carried out a piece of empirical research. You should either have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in Psychology OR a background in music plus demonstrable knowledge and/or experience of empirical research. Pre-sessional courses will be offered to those who lack the necessary background or need a refresher in Statistics. You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level. If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme.

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

Unless otherwise stated the annual fee for part-time programmes is half the full-time fee quoted.
Music, Mind and Brain at Goldsmiths, University of London - UCAS