Program Overview

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Creative Musicianship - MMus

Overview

A flexible, practice-based course for musicians wishing to develop or refresh their professional expertise for work in the creative industries.

Summary

The MMus in Creative Musicianship at Ulster University is a series of linked postgraduate awards offered both full-time (1 year) and part-time (2 years). With a particular emphasis on a practice-based study, the programme has been designed to appeal to musicians from a variety of backgrounds and genres, interesting in pursuing one of three named pathways:

• Performance Studies (classical, Irish traditional, jazz, rock or popular styles)
• Composition and Creative Audio (including the combination of acoustic and electronic sources, film music, interactive and mixed media)
• Music and Communities (including disability arts and traditional music communities)

Taught by a dedicated course team of leading professional musical practitioners and researchers and with further guidance from industry experts, the programme will enable you to refine your skills as a musician, while giving you the confidence to apply critical and practical approaches to the creation and performance of music across a range of creative environments.

About this course

About

The MMus in Creative Musicianship is a flexible postgraduate programme which aims to produce informed, skilled and insightful musical practitioners across a wide range of musical genres working in three practice-based fields: Performance, Composition & Creative Audio or Music and Communities. Whether opting to spend a short, focused period of study honing your musicianship skills as part of a PGCert or expanding your studies into a PGDip or Masters, this is the ideal programme for those who wish to develop, refine or refresh their professional expertise for work in the creative industries while also providing the perfect springboard for further postgraduate and/or PhD study.

Over the first two semesters, two complementary Specialism modules (20 credits each) familiarise students with the most important recent developments in their specialist pathway, training them in essential technical, research and communication skills while providing them with opportunities to put their expertise to practical use. The Practice module is devoted entirely to developing the individual's creative practice in their chosen field affording opportunities for one on one tuition. Meanwhile, the Seminar module provides a platform for contextual, aesthetic and theoretical study in their chosen discipline via group tutorial work and practice-based workshops.

In addition, modules in Music Technology and Society and Research Project provide opportunities for students to compliment their chosen pathway through project work both in and outside the university.

For those continuing their study to MMus level, the third semester Final Project (60 credits) allows the student to undertake a sustained period of self-directed, practice-based work related to their chosen specialism.

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

• All modules optional with the exception of Major Project (compulsory)
• SEMESTER 1
  • Composition Seminar 1
  • Composition and Creative Audio Practice 1
  • Music and Communities Seminar 1
  • Music and Communities in Practice 1
  • Performance in Practice 1
  • Performance Seminar 1
  • Research Project 1
  • Music, Technology and Society
• SEMESTER 2
  • Music and Communities in Practice 2
  • Composition and Creative Audio Practice 2
  • Music and Communities Seminar 2
  • Composition Seminar 2
  • Performance in Practice 2
  • Performance Seminar 2
  • Research Project 2
• SEMESTER 3
  • Major Project

Attendance

Full-time: three semesters (one calendar year in total) for MMus or two semesters for PGDip and PGCert

Currently timetabled as one contact day per week full-time, plus any relevant instrumental/vocal tuition and work in the library.

Part-time: six semesters (two calendar years in total).

Currently timetabled as one contact day per week, plus any relevant instrumental/vocal tuition and work in the library.

Start dates

• September 2025

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

• Teaching, Learning and Assessment Each module on the MMus in Creative Musicianship is assessed by 100% coursework. Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, research paper, presentation, performance, lecture recital, workshop activity, practical/design work and portfolio submission. Individual study, research and creative work is given progressive feedback, ensuring that students have the opportunity to reflect on and refine projects in light of tutor guidance.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one sessions with individual tutors and project supervisors; visiting creative industry professionals, including the department’s musician-in-residence, give talks and deliver workshops. Individual study, research and creative work is given progressive feedback, ensuring that students have the opportunity to reflect on and refine projects in light of tutor guidance.

The MMus comprises 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.

Normally, each module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment.

• Educational Aims In broad terms, the educational aims of the MMus in Creative Musicianship are designed to inculcate those qualities identified under the 'Descriptor for a qualification at Masters level' in The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Quality Assurance Agency, 2008), and the Master's Degree Characteristics (QAA, 2010) document with particular reference to the Specialised/Advanced Study Master's rubric:
  • a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice;
  • a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;
  • originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;
  • conceptual understanding that enables the student:
    • to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and,
    • to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them, where appropriate, to propose new hypothesis.

Specifically, the postgraduate provision in Creative Musicianship is offered with the intention of:

• enabling students to focus on a particular practice-based aspect of a broader subject area in which they have prior knowledge or experience through previous study or employment
• enabling students to focus on a particular practice-based subject area or field of study in greater depth than they encountered during the course of previous study or experience.
• enabling students to learn how to conduct research linked to a particular discipline or field of study;
• enabling students to undertake a research project (including practice as research) on a topic within the area of interest that makes up the majority of the overall assessment;
• enabling students to specialise or to become more highly specialised in an area of employment or practice related to a particular profession; generally, to prepare students for the next stage in their careers, whether that is further academic or professional study, or entering employment of different kinds.

Academic profile

The teaching staff on the MMus are recognised nationally and internationally as practitioners and researchers in the fields of composition, performance, broadcasting, contemporary music, sound design studies, film music, creative technologies and disability arts practice. Collectively, the Music lecturers at Ulster have consistently produced 4* (world-leading) and 3* (internationally excellent) research. Their contribution to REF2014 resulted in Music at Ulster placing joint 2nd in the UK for Research Impact.

• Dr Brian Bridges
• Dr Rob Casey
• Professor Frank Lyons
• Dr Linley Hamilton
• Mr John Harding
• Professor Brian Irvine
• Dr Adam Melvin
• Dr Shaun Ryan
• Dr Hyojung Sun

Staff have served as External Examiners at the Universities of Cork, Limerick, Glasgow, Birmingham City, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Waterford Institute of Technology and Dublin Institute of Technology, Technological University, Dublin, the Royal Academy of Music, London and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Most staff are recognised as Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. Two staff members have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships, while two others have received MBEs for services to Music.

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

Standard entry conditions

Entry Requirements

Applicants must meet the University's minimum entrance requirements and, in addition, a) hold a second-class honours degree or better in music or another relevant discipline from a recognised institution, or b) an equivalent qualification or c) be able to provide other evidence of ability and experience appropriate to the course. International applicants whose first language is not English must attain either of the following English competency standards:

A written proposal outlining the intended area of individual study (i.e. the Specialism and, ideally, an idea of what the third-semester project might involve) should support the application; all applicants will be interviewed and/or auditioned.

The University will consider applications on the basis of experiential learning for those who do not hold the normal entry qualifications. The onus is on the applicant to evidence that they have relevant experience equating to degree study at the honours level.

English Language Requirements

• English language requirements for international applicants
  The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

• English language requirements
• Your country

Exemptions and transferability

Studies pursued and examinations passed in respect of other qualifications awarded by the University or by another university or other educational institution, or evidence from the accreditation of prior experiential learning, may be accepted as exempting candidates from part of the programme provided that

(a) they shall register as students of the University for modules amounting to at least the final third of the credit value of the award at the highest level.

(b) the Final Project module is not exempted for those wishing to complete the MMus award

Careers & opportunities

Career options

• Professional work in the creative industries (performance, composition, creative technologies)
• Further academic or practical study
• Community-based education and/or creative work
• Technical positions in the music industry
• Teaching work

Work placement / study abroad

Work placements are available as an option within Research Project.

Fees and funding

10% Alumni Discount

Are you a graduate of Ulster University? Did you know you could be eligible for a 10% fees discount.

Tuition Fee Loans Available

Students domiciled in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and UK students can apply to Student Finance NI for a Tuition Fee loan of up to £6,500 (subject to eligibility).

Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and EU Settlement Status Fees

£7,240.00

International Fees

£17,810.00

Annual Increase Disclaimer

Important Notice: Annual Fees Increase

Annual Fees Increase Disclaimer

Fees illustrated are based on academic year 25/26 entry and are subject to an annual increase.

If your study continues into future academic years your fees are subject to an annual increase. Please take this into consideration when you estimate your total fees for a degree.

Additional mandatory costs are highlighted where they are known in advance. There are other costs associated with university study.

Visit our Fees pages for full details of fees.

Correct at the time of publishing. Terms and conditions apply.

Scholarships, awards and prizes

None.

View Available Scholarships

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Additional mandatory costs

None.

It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.

There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.

See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.