Applied Psychology of Music MA

Course overview

This course offers opportunities to study existing research and theories in the applied psychology of music, develop a range of relevant research methods and techniques, and produce a significant piece of empirical work in an area of music psychology of your choosing.

You’ll explore topics on the social, developmental and cognitive psychology of music, considering what research from these traditions reveals about a range of musical behaviours, including performance and listening. Multidisciplinary in nature, this course draws influences from psychology, musicology, sociology and cultural studies, combining both theoretical and empirical approaches.

The course enables you to develop your knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods. You’ll also build your research skills while learning to critically evaluate studies in the applied psychology of music in areas such as music education, therapy, science and technology.

You’ll complete a Dissertation as your major project and have the opportunity to select optional modules in other areas of music, such as musicology, music and wellbeing, or performance (depending on your prior experience), undertake an international research project, or explore audience engagement and impact. You’ll gain an insight into the importance and role of research in music psychology to prepare you for a wide range of careers or further research.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in music, psychology or related discipline. We will consider other relevant experience if you can demonstrate a good level of musical understanding or practical experience when you apply.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

Career opportunities

A postgraduate degree in Music from the University of Leeds equips you with valuable subject knowledge, cultural and social awareness, and a strong balance of musical and transferrable skills. Skills such as communication, leadership, time and resource management, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively are particularly attractive to employers, and you’ll also be able to demonstrate the flexibility, resilience and confidence needed to adapt to new situations and environments.

Your subject-specific knowledge will bring your critical, creative, research and problem-solving abilities to the fore, and you’ll be able to articulate how the experience gained through your postgraduate study has prepared you for whatever comes next, be that work or doctoral research.

Our postgraduate courses equip our graduates to work in a wide range of areas within the music industry, including:

• music therapy

• arts research

• teaching, lecturing and coaching

• performing

• composing

• arts, artist, project and event management

• PR

• music publishing and copyright

• marketing and digital marketing

• creative production

• theatrical stage direction and musical direction

• music supervision

Graduates from our postgraduate courses also often go on to undertake Doctoral research here at Leeds and elsewhere.