MA Music: Composition

Our internationally-renowned composition staff work across a range of styles and media and our students are similarly diverse. Solo or orchestral music, electronic or acoustic, notated, improvised or devised – all of these are valued at York. You'll encounter a wide variety of approaches, but no prescriptions.

You'll join a lively community of postgraduate composers and the rich creative environment of the School of Arts and Creative Technologies, receiving one-to-one tuition and studying the established and emerging techniques in this exciting and constantly developing field.

Contemporary music has been a cornerstone of the Department since its foundation. From early visits from Cage, Feldman and Shostakovich and the creation of pioneering electroacoustic works by Trevor Wishart and Dennis Smalley to the Proms commissions, Glastonbury appearances and international tours of recent alumni such as Anna Meredith, Kerry Andrew and Christian Mason, York has a long history of nurturing extraordinary talent.

Undergraduate degree 2:2 or equivalent in Music or another relevant subject.

Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

IELTS (Academic and Indicator) 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component

Cambridge CEFR B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component

Oxford ELLT 7, minimum of 6 in each component

Duolingo 120, minimum 105 in all other components

LanguageCert SELT B2 with 33/50 in each component

LanguageCert Academic 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component

Kaplan Test of English Language 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components

Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component

PTE Academic 61, minimum 55 in each component

TOEFL 87, minimum of 21 in each component

Trinity ISE III Merit in all requirements

IELTS (Academic and Indicator) 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component

Cambridge CEFR B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component

Oxford ELLT 7, minimum of 6 in each component

Duolingo 120, minimum 105 in all other components

LanguageCert SELT B2 with 33/50 in each component

LanguageCert Academic 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component

Kaplan Test of English Language 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components

Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component

PTE Academic 61, minimum 55 in each component

TOEFL 87, minimum of 21 in each component

Trinity ISE III Merit in all requirements