MA in Music and Sonic Media
How does this degree work if I am a composer or creative practitioner?
Practice students will accomplish a series of creative projects in order to meet the assessment requirements of each module. A creative project comprises a substantial practice component, but is critically contextualised by a written commentary with bibliographical references. The student’s development of each creative project will be reviewed and tested at an early stage through consultation with the module tutor and often through initial peer presentation in seminars. In doing so, the student will have to consider relevant past and current artistic practice; theories which speak to the proposal; and how the proposed project will be positioned in relation to such practices and theories. Further, the student may have to develop methods and approaches informed by earlier and current practices, and may also have to evaluate the relevance of new technologies including music and sound applications to the student’s own creative project. Thus, the practice student will engage critically with music and sonic art, critically evaluate historical and current musical and sonic practices, and, through practice and commentary, acquire critical and creative skills relevant to success in employment contexts.
How does this degree work if I am primarily interested in writing?
Theory students will write essays leading to a dissertation in order to meet the assessment requirements of each module. An essay at Masters level is distinctive because it requires an advanced knowledge of theories and methods in the field, and the ability to draw on a range of scholarly sources, and to refer to them from within a coherently argued conceptual framework. The student’s development of each essay will be reviewed and tested at an early stage through consultation with the module tutor and often through initial peer presentation in seminars. In doing so, the student will have to consider relevant past and current artistic practice in the field; theories which are relevant to the proposed topic; and how the proposed topic will itself illuminate such practices and theories. Further, the student may have to develop analyses of earlier and current practices, and may also have to evaluate the relevance of new technologies, including music and sound applications, in semesters of how they have impacted on developments in the student’s chosen area. Thus, the theory student will engage critically with music and sonic art, critically evaluate historical and current musical and sonic practices, and, through processes of evaluation and original writing, acquire critical and creative skills relevant to success in employment contexts.
How does this degree work if I would like to mix creative work and writing?
Students who engage with both practice and theory will accumulate the correct number of credits because at all times assessments will be equally weighted. Thus, a student who completes a creative project in one module will then go on to acquire the same number of credits on completing an essay in another module.