Become a leader in collaborative and inclusive music making
Year of entry: 2023 (September)
Wednesday 7 June 2023
Join us to uncover what postgraduate life at York is all about.
Community music is a growing career option, as more and more musicians opt to work outside formal settings like the concert hall and many orchestras and arts organisations seek to extend their audience base into the community.
Community music covers work in schools, prisons or hospitals, the development of music in under-resourced areas and with disadvantaged people and the development of creative partnerships between people of different skills and cultures. The vast majority of music programmes focus on musicology and instrumental/vocal excellence - this course will challenge you to build on these skills and think critically about the practical applications of music beyond the concert hall.
You'll leave with the well-honed skills needed to facilitate access to music for a diverse range of people. The course also covers project management and arts administration, management and consultancy, and combines scholarship with professional and charitable outcomes, experience that will be invaluable in any career you may wish to pursue.
The best course that I've ever had was the MA Community Music - it has prepared me very well for my current arts administration career. It allowed me to explore music in many different ways such as education, special needs, music for the elderly and also gave me a great opportunity to carry out a placement.Kitty, MA Community Music
York has long been a leader in the study of community music and this course was the first of its kind, meaning you'll have access to years of specialist experience.
You'll be encouraged to put your learning into practice through a placement or other forms of practical work.
From choral to orchestral, jazz and folk to improvised electronica, gospel to gamelan, almost every kind of music is performed by the School’s many ensembles.
The MA Community Music is based on a series of modules, seminars and a supervised independent study module.
You'll cover a range of topics relating to professional issues in community music.
In addition to the modules, we strongly encourage you to participate in musical ensembles and attend weekly research seminars, performance classes and composition seminars relevant to your studies.
Modules cover music in education and therapy, groupwork and project management, cross cultural art forms and arts administration, as well as the fundamentals of community arts practice.
You will also study one option module. In previous years, options have covered topics such as:
The options available to you will be confirmed later in the year. For further information, please get in touch.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
You'll begin work on the Independent Study Module with sufficient time to plan your fieldwork. You'll have the freedom to take on a project relevant to your own interests.
Recent Independent Study Modules have carried out research and analysis on community music activities at:
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £9,990 | £22,250 |
| Part-time (2 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£4,995 | £11,125 |
| Part-time (3 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£3,330 | £7,417 |
Students on a Student Visa (formerly Tier 4 Visa) are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2023/24 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
The MA Community Music is based on a series of modules, seminars and a supervised independent study module.
We have a range of outstanding facilities, including the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall and dozens of teaching rooms and practice facilities. All spaces are designed to be flexible and are used for projects, seminars, ensemble rehearsals and recordings. Discover our facilities.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
You'll also produce a substantial independent study module submission, eg a dissertation or practice-based project with extended critical commentary.
I now discover York music graduates wherever I go - it's a great network to be part of. It's also a place where the unexpected becomes normality, and that means that I barely bat an eyelid when an interesting request appears on my desk!Rachel, MA Community Music
Graduates of this course are highly placed in many of the UK arts institutions, with many employed at UK and overseas institutions. Others have taken advantage of the diverse portfolio of arts management and administration gained from this course, or gone on to qualify further as music therapists. You'll also be perfectly equipped to continue your studies to PhD level.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:1 or equivalent in Music or a related discipline |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.0, minimum 5.5 in each component |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 169, minimum 162 in each component |
| Duolingo | 105, minimum 95 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert International ESOL | B2 Communicator: Pass with 25/50 in each component |
| PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online | 55, minimum 51 in each component |
| TOEFL | 79, minimum 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing |
| Trinity ISE III | Pass in all components |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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