12 monthsProgramme duration
18 Aug, 2027Application Deadline
SepStarting Month
Programme overview
Main Subject
Music
Degree
MMusic
Study Level
Master's
Study Mode
On Campus
Course summary
What do you want your music to say? How can new techniques, technologies and ideas reshape the way you compose? And where could a year of focused creative practice take your work next?
If you want to develop your individual voice as a composer, MMus Music (Composition) gives you the opportunity to focus intensively on your creative practice while exploring the ideas shaping music today.
At Southampton, you’ll engage with current trends in composition and developments across 20th and 21st century music. You’ll examine the aesthetic, technical and critical questions behind contemporary compositional practice, while analysing the genres, materials, techniques and forms that matter most to your own work.
You’ll learn from established composers and internationally noted performers working across contemporary art music, electronic music, music for film, television and video games, and jazz. Intensive one-to-one tuition gives you space to test ideas, refine techniques and develop your own creative direction.
The programme is flexible too. Composition is one of 4 specialist MMus pathways, alongside Performance, Musicology and Music Education. You can combine composition study with topics from other pathways, allowing you to broaden your skills and shape the degree around your interests.
Everything builds towards your final composition portfolio: a substantial body of original work that brings together the artistic and technical development you’ve made throughout the year.
Find your place in a creative community where experimentation, reflection and practice come together, and give yourself the time and support to discover what kind of composer you want to become.
Key features of this course
**Develop your own compositional voice.** Explore contemporary techniques, genres, materials and forms while creating original work that reflects your artistic interests.
**Learn through individual creative guidance.** Work closely with established composers and performers through intensive one-to-one tuition, giving you opportunities to challenge and refine your practice.
**Explore composition in different contexts.** Engage with approaches spanning contemporary art music, electronic music, media composition and jazz.
**Shape the programme around you.** Mix composition modules with topics from the Performance, Musicology and Music Education pathways to develop a broader range of creative and professional skills.
**Put specialist facilities to work.** Access recording studios, specialist music software, rehearsal and practice spaces, and Turner Sims concert hall facilities for recitals.
**Build towards a substantial creative portfolio.** Spend the final part of the programme working independently on an original body of music that demonstrates your development as a composer.
Your future career
A career in music calls for more than creative ideas. You need the confidence to develop those ideas, communicate your artistic choices and keep adapting your practice.
Throughout the MMus, you’ll develop your compositional expertise alongside professional writing, presentation, independent working and critical thinking skills.
The course can prepare you to work as a freelance musician or composer, pursue opportunities within the music industry or wider cultural sector, or move into teaching.
It can also provide a foundation for further academic research, including doctoral study.
Workshops and masterclasses can give you further opportunities to engage with professional practice and learn from people working across the music sector.
Further information
Your final portfolio can take one of 2 forms:
* 35 minutes of original music with a 3,000-word commentary * 40 minutes of original music with a 1,000-word commentary
The commentary allows you to reflect on and explain the artistic, technical and critical thinking behind your work.
The broader MMus includes 4 specialist pathways:
* Composition * Performance * Musicology * Music Education
You can combine composition modules with relevant topics from other pathways to personalise your studies and develop a wider skill set.
What do you want your music to say? How can new techniques, technologies and ideas reshape the way you compose? And where could a year of focused creative practice take your work next?
If you want to develop your individual voice as a composer, MMus Music (Composition) gives you the opportunity to focus intensively on your creative practice while exploring the ideas shaping music today.
At Southampton, you’ll engage with current trends in composition and developments across 20th and 21st century music. You’ll examine the aesthetic, technical and critical questions behind contemporary compositional practice, while analysing the genres, materials, techniques and forms that matter most to your own work.
You’ll learn from established composers and internationally noted performers working across contemporary art music, electronic music, music for film, television and video games, and jazz. Intensive one-to-one tuition gives you space to test ideas, refine techniques and develop your own creative direction.
The programme is flexible too. Composition is one of 4 specialist MMus pathways, alongside Performance, Musicology and Music Education. You can combine composition study with topics from other pathways, allowing you to broaden your skills and shape the degree around your interests.
Everything builds towards your final composition portfolio: a substantial body of original work that brings together the artistic and technical development you’ve made throughout the year.
Find your place in a creative community where experimentation, reflection and practice come together, and give yourself the time and support to discover what kind of composer you want to become.
Key features of this course
**Develop your own compositional voice.** Explore contemporary techniques, genres, materials and forms while creating original work that reflects your artistic interests.
**Learn through individual creative guidance.** Work closely with established composers and performers through intensive one-to-one tuition, giving you opportunities to challenge and refine your practice.
**Explore composition in different contexts.** Engage with approaches spanning contemporary art music, electronic music, media composition and jazz.
**Shape the programme around you.** Mix composition modules with topics from the Performance, Musicology and Music Education pathways to develop a broader range of creative and professional skills.
**Put specialist facilities to work.** Access recording studios, specialist music software, rehearsal and practice spaces, and Turner Sims concert hall facilities for recitals.
**Build towards a substantial creative portfolio.** Spend the final part of the programme working independently on an original body of music that demonstrates your development as a composer.
Your future career
A career in music calls for more than creative ideas. You need the confidence to develop those ideas, communicate your artistic choices and keep adapting your practice.
Throughout the MMus, you’ll develop your compositional expertise alongside professional writing, presentation, independent working and critical thinking skills.
The course can prepare you to work as a freelance musician or composer, pursue opportunities within the music industry or wider cultural sector, or move into teaching.
It can also provide a foundation for further academic research, including doctoral study.
Workshops and masterclasses can give you further opportunities to engage with professional practice and learn from people working across the music sector.
Further information
Your final portfolio can take one of 2 forms:
* 35 minutes of original music with a 3,000-word commentary * 40 minutes of original music with a 1,000-word commentary
The commentary allows you to reflect on and explain the artistic, technical and critical thinking behind your work.
The broader MMus includes 4 specialist pathways:
* Composition * Performance * Musicology * Music Education
You can combine composition modules with relevant topics from other pathways to personalise your studies and develop a wider skill set.
Programme overview
Main Subject
Music
Degree
MMusic
Study Level
Master's
Study Mode
On Campus
Course summary
What do you want your music to say? How can new techniques, technologies and ideas reshape the way you compose? And where could a year of focused creative practice take your work next?
If you want to develop your individual voice as a composer, MMus Music (Composition) gives you the opportunity to focus intensively on your creative practice while exploring the ideas shaping music today.
At Southampton, you’ll engage with current trends in composition and developments across 20th and 21st century music. You’ll examine the aesthetic, technical and critical questions behind contemporary compositional practice, while analysing the genres, materials, techniques and forms that matter most to your own work.
You’ll learn from established composers and internationally noted performers working across contemporary art music, electronic music, music for film, television and video games, and jazz. Intensive one-to-one tuition gives you space to test ideas, refine techniques and develop your own creative direction.
The programme is flexible too. Composition is one of 4 specialist MMus pathways, alongside Performance, Musicology and Music Education. You can combine composition study with topics from other pathways, allowing you to broaden your skills and shape the degree around your interests.
Everything builds towards your final composition portfolio: a substantial body of original work that brings together the artistic and technical development you’ve made throughout the year.
Find your place in a creative community where experimentation, reflection and practice come together, and give yourself the time and support to discover what kind of composer you want to become.
Key features of this course
**Develop your own compositional voice.** Explore contemporary techniques, genres, materials and forms while creating original work that reflects your artistic interests.
**Learn through individual creative guidance.** Work closely with established composers and performers through intensive one-to-one tuition, giving you opportunities to challenge and refine your practice.
**Explore composition in different contexts.** Engage with approaches spanning contemporary art music, electronic music, media composition and jazz.
**Shape the programme around you.** Mix composition modules with topics from the Performance, Musicology and Music Education pathways to develop a broader range of creative and professional skills.
**Put specialist facilities to work.** Access recording studios, specialist music software, rehearsal and practice spaces, and Turner Sims concert hall facilities for recitals.
**Build towards a substantial creative portfolio.** Spend the final part of the programme working independently on an original body of music that demonstrates your development as a composer.
Your future career
A career in music calls for more than creative ideas. You need the confidence to develop those ideas, communicate your artistic choices and keep adapting your practice.
Throughout the MMus, you’ll develop your compositional expertise alongside professional writing, presentation, independent working and critical thinking skills.
The course can prepare you to work as a freelance musician or composer, pursue opportunities within the music industry or wider cultural sector, or move into teaching.
It can also provide a foundation for further academic research, including doctoral study.
Workshops and masterclasses can give you further opportunities to engage with professional practice and learn from people working across the music sector.
Further information
Your final portfolio can take one of 2 forms:
* 35 minutes of original music with a 3,000-word commentary * 40 minutes of original music with a 1,000-word commentary
The commentary allows you to reflect on and explain the artistic, technical and critical thinking behind your work.
The broader MMus includes 4 specialist pathways:
* Composition * Performance * Musicology * Music Education
You can combine composition modules with relevant topics from other pathways to personalise your studies and develop a wider skill set.
What do you want your music to say? How can new techniques, technologies and ideas reshape the way you compose? And where could a year of focused creative practice take your work next?
If you want to develop your individual voice as a composer, MMus Music (Composition) gives you the opportunity to focus intensively on your creative practice while exploring the ideas shaping music today.
At Southampton, you’ll engage with current trends in composition and developments across 20th and 21st century music. You’ll examine the aesthetic, technical and critical questions behind contemporary compositional practice, while analysing the genres, materials, techniques and forms that matter most to your own work.
You’ll learn from established composers and internationally noted performers working across contemporary art music, electronic music, music for film, television and video games, and jazz. Intensive one-to-one tuition gives you space to test ideas, refine techniques and develop your own creative direction.
The programme is flexible too. Composition is one of 4 specialist MMus pathways, alongside Performance, Musicology and Music Education. You can combine composition study with topics from other pathways, allowing you to broaden your skills and shape the degree around your interests.
Everything builds towards your final composition portfolio: a substantial body of original work that brings together the artistic and technical development you’ve made throughout the year.
Find your place in a creative community where experimentation, reflection and practice come together, and give yourself the time and support to discover what kind of composer you want to become.
Key features of this course
**Develop your own compositional voice.** Explore contemporary techniques, genres, materials and forms while creating original work that reflects your artistic interests.
**Learn through individual creative guidance.** Work closely with established composers and performers through intensive one-to-one tuition, giving you opportunities to challenge and refine your practice.
**Explore composition in different contexts.** Engage with approaches spanning contemporary art music, electronic music, media composition and jazz.
**Shape the programme around you.** Mix composition modules with topics from the Performance, Musicology and Music Education pathways to develop a broader range of creative and professional skills.
**Put specialist facilities to work.** Access recording studios, specialist music software, rehearsal and practice spaces, and Turner Sims concert hall facilities for recitals.
**Build towards a substantial creative portfolio.** Spend the final part of the programme working independently on an original body of music that demonstrates your development as a composer.
Your future career
A career in music calls for more than creative ideas. You need the confidence to develop those ideas, communicate your artistic choices and keep adapting your practice.
Throughout the MMus, you’ll develop your compositional expertise alongside professional writing, presentation, independent working and critical thinking skills.
The course can prepare you to work as a freelance musician or composer, pursue opportunities within the music industry or wider cultural sector, or move into teaching.
It can also provide a foundation for further academic research, including doctoral study.
Workshops and masterclasses can give you further opportunities to engage with professional practice and learn from people working across the music sector.
Further information
Your final portfolio can take one of 2 forms:
* 35 minutes of original music with a 3,000-word commentary * 40 minutes of original music with a 1,000-word commentary
The commentary allows you to reflect on and explain the artistic, technical and critical thinking behind your work.
The broader MMus includes 4 specialist pathways:
* Composition * Performance * Musicology * Music Education
You can combine composition modules with relevant topics from other pathways to personalise your studies and develop a wider skill set.
Admission Requirements
120+
176+
6.5+
92+
3.2+
67+
You’ll need a 2:2 degree in music or a related subject.
For the Composition pathway, you’ll need to submit a portfolio of 2 to 4 compositions. These should total 15 to 20 minutes of music, showing your range and compositional techniques.
For the Composition pathway, you’ll need to submit a portfolio of 2 to 4 compositions. These should total 15 to 20 minutes of music, showing your range and compositional techniques.
18 Aug 2027
1 Year
Sep
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