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| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
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 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.
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
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 five semesters when studied part-time (typically two semesters in year one and three semesters in year two). 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
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.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Standard entry conditions
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
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 competence 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 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, composing, 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.
Explore Alumni Discounts
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).
The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.
For modules commenced in the academic year 2025/26, the following fees apply:
Fees Credit Points| NI/ROI/GB Cost| International Cost*
---|---|---
5 | £201.10| £494.70
10 | £402.20| £989.40
15 | £603.30| £1,484.10
20 | £804.40| £1,978.80
30 | £1,206.60| £2,968.20
60 | £2,413.20| £5,936.40
120 | £4,826.40| £11,872.80
180 | £7,239.60| £17,809.20
240| £9,652.80| £23,745.60
NB: A standard full-time PGCert is equivalent to 60 credit points per year. A standard full-time PGDip is equivalent to 120 credit points per year.
*International student access to courses is subject to meeting visa requirements. More information can be found in the Visas and Immigration section.
Annual Increase Disclaimer
Important Notice: Annual Fees Increase
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
See if you can access financial or other forms of support, including mentorship to excel in your studies.
Search our Scholarships (Opens in a new window)
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.
Contact
For more information visit
- Visit Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Visit School of Arts and Humanities
Terms and Conditions
- We prepare our prospectus and online information about our courses with care and every effort is made to ensure that the information is accurate. The printed version of the prospectus is, however, published at least a year before the courses begin. Information included in the prospectus may, therefore, change. This includes, but is not limited to changes to the terms, content, delivery, location, method of assessments or lengths of the courses described. Not all circumstances are foreseeable, but changes will normally be made for one of the following reasons:
- to meet external, professional, or accredited body requirements;
- to provide for exceptional circumstances due to reasons beyond our reasonable control;
- to improve or enhance your experience, or to adopt changes recommended in student feedback, with the aim of improving the student experience and/or student outcomes; and/or
- to ensure appropriate academic standards are met, for example in response to external examiners’ feedback.
- If there are insufficient enrolments to make a course viable, it may be necessary for the University to withdraw a course. If you have received an offer for a course that we subsequently have to close, we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss alternative courses. If you do not wish to study any alternative courses at the University, you may withdraw your application by informing us by email to .
- Please note that the University’s website is the most up-to-date source of information regarding courses, campuses and facilities and we strongly recommend that you always visit the website before making any commitments.
- We will include a durable PDF when we send you an offer letter which will highlight any changes made to our prospectus or online information about our courses. You should read this carefully and ensure you fully understand what you are agreeing to before accepting a place on one of our courses.
- The University will always try to deliver the course as described in the durable PDF you receive with your offer letter.
- At any point after an offer has been made, students will be notified of any course changes in writing (usually by email) as soon as reasonably practicable and we will take all reasonable steps to minimise their impact where possible. The University will, where possible and reasonably practicable, seek the express consent of the student in regard to any changes concerning material or pre-contract information.
- The University website will be updated to reflect the changed course information as soon as reasonably practicable.
- If, after due consideration, you decide that you no longer want to study your course or to study at the University because of the changes, you may withdraw your application or terminate your contract with the University. In order to do so, you should notify us in writing by emailing (and update UCAS if applicable). We will, on request, recommend alternative courses that you could study with us, or suggest a suitable course at an alternative higher education provider.
- If you do not agree that the changes are fair, you can seek redress under the Student Complaints Procedures (opens in new window).
- Providing the University has complied with the requirements of all applicable consumer protection laws, the University does not accept responsibility for the consequences of any modification, relocation or cancellation of any course, or part of a course, offered by the University. The University will give due and proper consideration to the effects thereof on individual students and take the steps necessary to minimise the impact of such effects on those affected.
- The University is not liable for disruption to its provision of educational or other services caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control providing it takes all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to such services.
- Further information can be found in our terms and conditions (opens in new window).
Student Terms and Conditions
The full Student Terms and Conditions 24/25 (opens in new window) is now available.
Testimonials
"Choosing the MMus at Ulster was one of the best decisions I ever made. As a traditional musician the level of tuition I received was world class - and opportunities my tutor created for me to perform and to enage with the traditional arts from an industry perspective was amazing. I wish I could do it every year!" Maggie Maguire, Co. Fermanagh (MMus, )
"The MMus is designed to allow flexibility to choose an academic course of study that meets the individuals needs of the student. I chose the performance modules which are focused on investigating both practical and intellectual skills.
I believe the course provides an opportunity for you to further grow and mature as a professional musician. The lecturers are a constant source of great advice and support throughout the course which is particularly important for international students studying in their second language like myself.
As a mature returning student, I highly recommend the course for people of all ages."
Sakito Oka, Japan (MMus ).
Sustainability at Ulster
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships : Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Sustainability at Ulster University (opens in new window)
