MSc Music Technology (by research)
Year of entry: 2024/25
Start dates
January
April
July
September
(semester dates)
Meet us
Meet us online or on campus and find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Find out moreOur research degrees provide the opportunity to combine academia with a creative flair. Study with us and deliver key research on a leading area of expertise, from signal processing for acoustics to audio for virtual reality.
Your research
The focus of your work will be an independent research project. We provide training which will equip you with skills in a wide range of research methods to support your growing expertise. Your research will culminate in a thesis, which is usually around 15,000 to 20,000 words long.
You are encouraged to take advanced taught courses to help fill any gaps in background knowledge required for your research project. The choice of courses taken will be made together with your supervisor at the beginning of the programme.
Funding
Supervision
We encourage you to find out about our academics and get to know how their work and expertise fit your interests before applying. You will be supervised on a one-to-one basis by a member of academic staff and your progress will be continually guided by a supervisor and a thesis advisory panel. Our academic staff are happy to answer any questions on their research interests or discuss a project you might have in mind.
Most of our academics accept applications for self-funded MSc study all year round.
Transfer to PhD
You may be able to transfer to the PhD programme, if your project is of a sufficiently high standard and has the potential to be explored in greater depth.
Course location
You will be based on Campus West. Most of your training and supervision meetings will take place here, though your research may take you further afield.
All full-time students are allocated a desk space in the School for the duration of their programme. Dependent on your project, you might also use other facilities, including well-equipped music and media technology suites and anechoic chambers.
Entry requirements
You should have, or be about to complete, a 2:2 or above honours degree (or equivalent) in:
- Electronics
- Electrical Engineering
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Music Technology
or a closely related subject.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must provide evidence of your ability.
Applying
Advertised research projects
If you are applying for an advertised research project, please include the project name in your application. You should contact the project leader in advance, who may also ask you to submit a full research proposal. Advertised research projects may be funded or self-funded, as indicated in the advert.
Research proposals
If you are not applying for a particular research project, you should contact the member of the academic staff you wish to work with, who may provide you with a research/project outline.
The research proposal needs to describe the nature of your proposed study and give some indication of how you will conduct your research. The purpose of this exercise is to ensure that you and your potential supervisor(s) have matching research interests. The proposal should be 250 to 350 words in length. It must be in English, and be your own words.
Careers and skills
The MSc Music Technology by research course will help to extend your knowledge of the music technology and electronic engineering fields. You will be able to explore and research new and forefront ideas in music technology systems and engineering to improve current technologies and address real-world problems in the industry. You will develop your critical thinking, technical analysis and problem solving skills, opening the door to a wide range of career opportunities.
Our dedicated careers team offer specific support including a programme of professional researcher development and careers workshops and 1:1 career support sessions. They will help you to build up your employability portfolio and to engage in activities that will build up your skills and experience within and outside of your research work.
Career opportunities
- Design engineer
- Digital consultant
- Software or systems developer
- Academic researcher
- Further academic study, eg PhD
- Project manager
- Product development engineer
- Teaching