Programme specification
Summary details
Programme title
Master of Music (MMus)
Master of Arts in Music (MA)
Duration and modes of study
MMus – two years full time or one year full time plus two years part time or four years part time (six terms)
MA – one year full time (four terms)
Awards by level
The MA comprises twelve different strands leading to the following named awards:
- Master of Arts (Accompaniment)
- Master of Arts (Chamber Music)
- Master of Arts (Composition)
- Master of Arts (Conducting)
- Master of Arts (Historically Informed Performance Practice)
- Master of Arts (Jazz)
- Master of Arts (Opera)
- Master of Arts (Performance)
- Master of Arts (Performance and Pedagogy)
- Master of Arts (Piano for Dance)
- Master of Arts (Repetiteurship)
- Master of Arts (Traditional Music)
The MMus has eleven different strands leading to the following named awards:
- Master of Music (Accompaniment)
- Master of Music (Chamber Music)
- Master of Music (Composition)
- Master of Music (Conducting)
- Master of Music (Jazz)
- Master of Music (Opera)
- Master of Music (Performance)
- Master of Music (Performance and Pedagogy)
- Master of Music (Piano for Dance)
- Master of Music (Repetiteurship)
- Master of Music (Traditional Music)
If you complete and pass Stage 1 of the programme (see 'Programme Structure' below) – through either the MMus or MA route – but decide not to complete Stage 2, then you will be eligible for the exit award of Postgraduate Diploma in Music.
If you fail to complete Stage 1 fully, but nevertheless pass both Principal Studies 1 and Practice Research, then you will be eligible for the exit award of Postgraduate Certificate in Music.
All awards are at SCQF Level 11.
All postgraduate degrees at the Royal Conservatoire, including the MMus/MA, are unclassified: there is no award of 'Distinction' or 'Merit' associated with the degree. However, where modules carry grades – in particular the Principal Study – these grades will appear on your transcript.
Credit framework
MMus – 240 credits with a minimum of 170 at level 11
MA – 180 credits with a minimum of 160 at level 11
PGDip – 120 credits with a minimum of 100 at level 11
Date of revalidation
June 2024
Start date
September 2024
Next review date
2025
Curriculum principles
The Conservatoire curriculum:
- Develops excellence alongside high levels of reflection in all of our disciplines.
- Fosters the creative attitudes and skills needed for collaborative learning in and through practice.
- Enables students to take responsibility for managing and evaluating their own learning.
- Provides students with insight into a diversity of artistic fields and experience of what is required to succeed in their individual arts practice.
- Develops the ability to use theoretical understanding to inform practice and practice to inform theory.
- Enables students to make a contribution in the world as artists, educators, advocates and active citizens.
The Conservatoire graduate:
Is an excellent and reflective arts practitioner and leads, creates, achieves and innovates. Conservatoire Graduates understand that the highest level of risk and daring offers the greatest potential for achievement and fulfilment.
Has the creative attitudes and skills needed for collaborative learning and has sophisticated skills in leading, building and working in teams. As adaptable and confident people, Conservatoire graduates are used to taking risks and working positively with ambiguity and unpredictability.
Takes responsibility for managing and evaluating their own learning and is resourceful, independent and effective in their approach to managing their life and work.
Has insight into a diversity of artistic fields and experience of what is required to succeed in their individual arts practice and can respond quickly to a fast changing and dynamic world. Conservatoire graduates have a professionally-orientated, entrepreneurial outlook and respond positively to new opportunities and challenges.
Uses theoretical understanding to inform practice and practice to inform theory and combines sophisticated aesthetic and emotional intelligence, integrity and insight with an ability to think analytically and critically.
Makes a contribution in the world, as an artist, educator, advocate and active citizen and uses highly developed skills to communicate a profound appreciation of how their artistic discipline connects with the real world.
Programme aims
The Master of Music (MMus) programme is designed to:
- Nurture and develop advanced mastery of the student's principal study, so that it is revealed in a distinct and resourceful musical personality
- Promote artistic and professional autonomy in the emerging artist and provide a structure within which they will bring together and synthesize a distinctive set of skills, knowledge and understanding in their practice
- Nurture the skills and attitudes that will allow students to become independent artists, able to collaborate dynamically either within their areas of specialism or in a wider artistic context
- Promote a critical and reflective approach to the student's artistic practice
The Master of Arts in Music (MA) programme is designed to:
- Nurture and develop mastery of the student's principal study, so that it is evidenced in a confident musical personality
- Promote artistic and professional confidence in the emerging artist and develop complementary skills, knowledge and understanding
- Nurture the skills and attitudes that will allow students to become independent artists, able to collaborate dynamically within a range of professional contexts
- Promote a critical and reflective approach to the student's artistic practice
- Enhance the student's ability to act autonomously in the creation of an independent project
Programme learning outcomes
On completion of the Master of Music (MMus), you are expected to be able to:
- PLO1 Demonstrate advanced technical and expressive mastery in your principal study
- PLO2 Project a mature and individual musical personality in-and-through practice
- PLO3 Synthesise a range of theoretical, conceptual and experiential knowledge in-and-through practice
- PLO4 Demonstrate the ability to engage effectively and creatively with peers and non-specialists, whether as a leader or through team-working
- PLO5 Show creativity, curiosity and autonomy within self-determined areas of specialism
- PLO6 Critically evaluate current ideas, debates and issues within your chosen field
- PLO7 Demonstrate a range of skills associated with deepening your practice, including communication, research, reflection and scholarship
On completion of the Master of Arts in Music (MA), you are expected to be able to:
- PLO1 Demonstrate technical and expressive mastery in your principal study
- PLO2 Project a mature musical personality in-and-through practice
- PLO3 Draw together a range of theoretical, conceptual and experiential knowledge in-and-through practice
- PLO4 Demonstrate the ability to engage effectively with peers and non-specialists, whether as a leader or through team-working
- PLO5 Show creativity, curiosity and autonomy within self-determined areas of specialism
- PLO6 Critically evaluate current ideas, debates and issues within your chosen field
- PLO7 Demonstrate a range of skills associated with deepening your practice, including communication, research, reflection and scholarship
- PLO8 Initiate, develop and realise an independent project
On completion of the Master of Music (MMus) Performance and Pedagogy, you are expected to be able to:
- PLO1 Demonstrate technical and expressive mastery in your principal study
- PLO2 Project a mature musical personality in-and-through practice
- PLO3 Draw together a range of theoretical, conceptual and experiential knowledge in-and-through practice
- PLO4 Demonstrate the ability to engage effectively with peers and non-specialists, whether as a leader or through team-working
- PLO5 Show creativity, curiosity and autonomy within self-determined areas of specialism
- PLO6 Critically evaluate current ideas, debates and issues within your chosen field
- PLO7 Demonstrate a range of skills associated with deepening your practice, including communication, research, reflection and scholarship
- PLO8 Articulate and apply an informed and critical understanding of a wide range of professional issues relevant to instrumental and vocal music instruction
Admission criteria
Academic entry requirements
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.
Language of study
The language of study is English. Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. We accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Level 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component) is required of applicants to the School of Music.
Target numbers
The minimum and maximum numbers for the MMus/MA programme are given below. These targets represent the total cohort in any particular year, including the one-year MA students and the two-year MMus.
| Minimum cohort | Maximum cohort |
|---|---|
| 16 | 174 |
The low minimum reflects the fact that the MMus/MA is not delivered in isolation, but as part of a wider offering by the School of Music as a whole.
Programme structure
The programme is divided into two 'stages', with Stage 1 of the MMus and the MA being identical. For all strands except Performance and Pedagogy, the structure is as follows:
Stage 1 – MMus/MA (120 SCQF Credits) – Terms 1, 2 and 3
| Module | Level | Credits | Credits | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Study 1 | 11 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| Supporting Studies 1 | 11 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Practice Research (or Role Study) | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Options | 7-11 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Total | 120 | 120 | 120 |
Stage 2 – MA (180 SCQF Credits) – Term 4
| Module | Level | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| (From Stage 1, minimum 100 credits at level 11) | 7-11 | 120 |
| Negotiated Study (or HIPP Dissertation) | 11 | 60 |
| Total | 180 |
Stage 2 – MMus (240 SCQF Credits) – Terms 1, 2 and 3
| Module | Level | Credits | Credits | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (From Stage 1, minimum 100 credits at level 11) | 7-11 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Principal Study 2 | 11 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Supporting Studies 2 | 11 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Options | 7-11 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Total | 240 | 240 | 240 |
The Performance and Pedagogy strand is structured as follows:
Stage 1 – MMus Performance and Pedagogy (120 SCQF Credits) – Terms 1, 2 and 3
| Module | Level | Credits | Credits | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Study Performance and Pedagogy 1 | 11 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy 1 | 10 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Supporting Studies Performance 1 | 11 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Options | 7-11 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Total | 120 | 120 | 120 |
Stage 2 – MMus Performance and Pedagogy (240 SCQF Credits) – Terms 1, 2 and 3
| Module | Level | Credits | Credits | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (From Stage 1, minimum 90 credits at level 11) | 7-11 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Principal Study Performance and Pedagogy 2 | 11 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy 2 | 11 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Supporting Studies Performance 2 | 11 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Options | 7-11 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Total | 240 | 240 | 240 |
The MA in Performance and Pedagogy only is available to internally progressing Conservatoire students in the following categories:
- BMus graduates who have attained the Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy 1 during the course of their programme
- BEd graduates
- PGDE graduates
Under these circumstances, the structure of the programme is as follows:
Stage 1 – MA Performance and Pedagogy (120 SCQF Credits) – Terms 1, 2 and 3
| Module | Level | Credits | Credits | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Study Performance and Pedagogy 1 | 11 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy 2 | 11 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Supporting Studies 1 | 11 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Options | 7-11 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Total | 120 | 120 | 120 |
Stage 2 – MA Performance and Pedagogy (180 SCQF Credits) – Term 4
| Module | Level | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| (From Stage 1, minimum 100 credits at level 11) | 7-11 | 120 |
| Negotiated Study | 11 | 60 |
| Total | 180 |
Part-time study
The following strands of the programme can be taken part-time either across three or four years:
- MMus Chamber Music
- MMus Composition
- MMus Jazz
- MMus Performance
- MMus Piano Accompaniment
- MMus Traditional Music
The possible patterns are:
- Stage 1 full time, Stage 2 part time over two years (three years total)
- Stage 1 part time over two years, Stage 2 full time (three years total)
- Stage 1 part time over two years, Stage 2 part time over two years (four years total)
Part-time study on the following strands is highly exceptional, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis:
- MMus Performance and Pedagogy
- MMus Piano for Dance
- MMus Conducting
- MMus Repetiteurship
No MA programme may be taken part-time.
International students on Student visas are not permitted to undertake any of the part-time routes.
Your part-time programme will be negotiated individually, but will typically involve spreading your Principal Study tuition over two years, with B assessment/s in the first part-time year and the A assessment as the culmination of the second. Supporting Studies activities will be distributed across the two years, while any Options chosen will occupy a single part-time year.
Transferring between degrees
As Stage 1 of the MMus and MA degrees is the same, it is possible to transfer between them in either direction. However, in order for us to be able to plan effectively, strict deadlines are placed on when this choice must be made. Students wishing to transfer from the two-year MMus to the one-year MA must formally notify their decision by the end of term 2; students wishing to transfer in the other direction, from the one-year MA to the two-year MMus, have until the end of term 3 to decide. Transfers in either direction are subject to the approval of the relevant Head of Department, the Head of MMus/MA, and the Director of Music.
The progression route for those on a Student visa moving from the one-year MA to the two-year MMus programme is complicated by regulations imposed by UK Visas and Immigration. At the time of writing, it is necessary for students making this transfer to return to their home country to make a visa application. If you are an international student contemplating extending your stay, you should make contact with international@rcs.ac.uk at the earliest possible opportunity to get the latest guidance.
Exit Awards
If you complete Stage 1 of the programme – through either the MMus or MA route – but decide not to complete Stage 2, then you will be eligible for the exit award of Postgraduate Diploma in Music.
If you fail to complete Stage 1 fully, but nevertheless pass both Principal Study 1 and Practice Research, then you will be eligible for the exit award of Postgraduate Certificate in Music.
Learning outcomes by module
Master of Music (MMus)
| Module | PLO1 | PLO2 | PLO3 | PLO4 | PLO5 | PLO6 | PLO7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Study 1 | • | • | • | ||||
| Supporting Studies 1 | • | • | • | • | • | ||
| Practice Research or Role Study | • | • | • | ||||
| Principal Study 2 | • | • | • | ||||
| Supporting Studies 2 | • | • | • | • | • | ||
| Options | • | • |
Master of Arts in Music (MA)
| Module | PLO1 | PLO2 | PLO3 | PLO4 | PLO5 | PLO6 | PLO7 | PLO8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Study 1 | • | • | • | |||||
| Supporting Studies 1 | • | • | • | • | • | |||
| Practice Research or Role Study | • | • | • | |||||
| Negotiated Study or HIPP Dissertation | • | • | • | • | • | |||
| Options | • | • |
Master of Music (MMus) Performance and Pedagogy
| Module | PLO1 | PLO2 | PLO3 | PLO4 | PLO5 | PLO6 | PLO7 | PL08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Study Performance and Pedagogy 1 | • | • | • | |||||
| Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy 1 | • | • | • | • | ||||
| Supporting Studies 1 | • | • | • | • | • | |||
| Practice Research or Role Study | • | • | • | |||||
| Principal Study Performance and Pedagogy 2 | • | • | • | |||||
| Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy 2 | • | • | • | • | ||||
| Supporting Studies 2 | • | • | • | • | • | |||
| Options | • | • |
Benchmarks
The learning outcomes of your programme are aligned with a number of local, national and international standards. The UK Quality Code for Higher Education (UKQCHQ, QAA 2018) lays out a series of formal 'expectations', including that 'the academic standards of courses meet the requirements of the relevant national qualifications framework'. In Scotland, these comprise the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF 2019) and The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland (FQHEIS, QAA 2018).
In accordance with the SCQF/FQHEIS, both the MMus and the MA meet the requirement that a Masters degree in Scotland allocate a minimum of 180 credit points, of which at least 150 are at SCQF Level 11. The programme and module learning outcomes have been benchmarked against the SCQF Level Descriptors (SCQF 2015), while the programme as a whole meets the requirements of the UKQCHQ Descriptor for a higher education qualification at level 7 on the FHEQ and SCQF level 11 on the FQHEIS: master's degree (QAA 2018).
Unlike undergraduate degrees which progress through SCQF Levels 7-10 each year, postgraduate degrees sit within level 11 whatever their duration. It follows that there are no distinct 'Level Learning Outcomes' for the two years of the MMus. The programme design does however include a progression between the learning outcomes of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 modules, that are reflected in the heightened demands of the Assessment Specifications of the Principal Study 2 modules.
In addition to these fundamental standards, the programme aims and learning outcomes also take account of:
- the relevant sections of the Conservatoire's Postgraduate Academic Framework, that are themselves based upon FQHEIS
- the Characteristics Statement: Master's Degree (QAA 2015)
- the Dublin for descriptors second cycle awards (EHAA 2005)
- the 'Polifonia'/Dublin Descriptors for second cycle awards in higher music education (AEC 2007)
- the AEC Learning Outcomes 2017 (AEC 2017)
The Conservatoire – then the RSAMD – became in 1993/4 the first UK institution of its kind to be granted degree-awarding powers. We take pride in the care and rigour with which we design our degrees: you can be fully confident in the academic standing of both the MMus and the MA.