Music Technology - MMus / PgCert / PgDip
- Level: Postgraduate Taught
- Starting: September 2021
- Study mode: MMus - Full Time, Part Time
PgCert - Part Time
PgDip - Full Time, Part Time - Location: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any arrangements put in place by the University for the 2021/22 academic year will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
Our postgraduate courses in Music Technology provide an opportunity for composers and composer-performers to experiment with and develop expertise in the creative application of established and new music technologies.
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is an internationally important centre for performance and composition with technology, especially live electronics. An example of its work is the highly acclaimed Integra Live project, an application that makes it easy to use interactive audio processing to create new music.
As you might expect, in this context, our postgraduate courses in Music Technology provide an exciting opportunity for composers and composer-performers to experiment with and develop expertise in the creative application of established and new music technologies.
You'll have full access to our superb £57 million facilities, including our Concert Hall, Recital Hall, seven recording studios, editing and mastering suites, and our black-box performance space known as The Lab. Alongside your focus on Music Technology, our courses provide opportunities for you to develop other skills relevant to a future career in the music profession.
What's covered in the course?
- Regular individual tuition in Music Technology from world-leading practitioners and researchers
- A chance to develop a distinctive creative voice within the context of a broad-based course, enhancing your employability.
- The opportunity to participate in a wide variety of creative projects, including interdisciplinary collaborations.
- Access to state-of-the-art hardware, software, recording studios and performance spaces including our experimental black-box performance space called The Lab.
- Regular forums, seminars and masterclasses with distinguished visiting composers and performers.
- A chance to network with leading professionals from around the world through our leading role in Integra Live.
- By studying Music Technology in the setting of a thriving conservatoire, you'll benefit from opportunities to work with professional ensembles and musicians, as well as student performers, including our contemporary music group, Thallein Ensemble.
- In PgDip and MMus, a core career development module designed to get you thinking about your future professional plans.
- In PgDip and MMus, the flexibility to choose from a broad menu of Professional Development modules designed to help you work towards achieving your personal career aspirations.
- In MMus, a core module designed to develop your skills as a researcher or informed practitioner.
- In PgCert, the ability to focus wholly on the principal study area.
- The possibility of transferring between PgCert, PgDip to and/or MMus (as appropriate) once you have begun your studies (but before completion of your original course).
Why Choose Us?
At Royal Birmingham Conservatoire we provide a friendly and supportive environment in which you can pursue your postgraduate studies. This is a time when you need to think particularly carefully and strategically about the direction of your developing career as a musician. We therefore encourage you to be ambitious in pursuing your aspirations, and endeavour to provide you with the flexibility to mould your course to your individual needs, both within your Principal Study area and – for PgDip and MMus students – in complementary modules.
This course is open to International students
Discover Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Visit our School site for more student work and extra information.
New £10,906 postgraduate loans
You may be able to take advantage of the government’s plans to make loans of up to £10,906 available for postgraduate study.
Entry Requirements
MMus/PgDip/PgCert
| Essential |
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UK students should normally hold an honours degree, ideally but not necessarily in Music. |
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Non-UK students should hold a Bachelor's degree or a similar degree-equivalent diploma, ideally but not necessarily in Music. |
Audition requirements
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You should be prepared to discuss a portfolio of recordings, productions, compositions or other material, which must be submitted on CD or DVD at least two weeks before the audition.*
Portfolios should be sent by Recorded Delivery to: Senior Administrator, Admissions, Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, Birmingham B4 7XR, UK |
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The panel will be interested to hear you talk about your artistic influences, your inspiration to be a musician and your career objectives. |
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This is an opportunity for you to ask the panel questions about the Music Technology Department and what life will be like as a musician in Birmingham. |
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The audition and interview together will last for about half an hour. |
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For full details, audition requirements and audition advice, please visit the Music Auditions section of the Conservatoire website. |
English language requirements
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You must have a minimum of IELTS 5.5 or equivalent in all four skills areas to secure a visa |
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PgDip, MMus: You must have IELTS 6; or alternatively must have studied and completed a Bachelor’s degree in the UK;*. |
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PgCert: You must have IELTS 5.5; or alternatively must have studied and completed a Bachelor’s degree in the UK. |
English language requirements
- IELTS overall score 6.0 (5.5 in all components) or equivalent is required.
International Students
Don't meet our entry requirements? You could apply for courses at our International College.
- UK students
- International students
Award: MMus
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 2 years
- £11,000 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Full Time
- 30 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £12,100 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Part Time
- 3 years
- £7,400 per year
- Apply via UCAS
Award: PgCert
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- 1 year
- £5,500 per year
- Apply via UCAS
Award: PgDip
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £11,000 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Part Time
- 2 years
- £5,500 per year
- Apply via UCAS
Award: MMus
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 2 years
- £23,600 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Full Time
- 30 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £23,100 per year
- Apply via UCAS
Award: PgDip
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £23,600 per year
- Apply via UCAS
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
*Professional Placement option
The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.
This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.
Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
For any candidates who demonstrate an exceptional level of achievement in their audition/interview, a panel may identify them as a potential contender for our 12-month MMus, with credit for advanced standing. If the candidate expresses interest in pursuing this option, this will trigger a follow-up interview to explore their suitability further. However, it is not possible to apply for direct entry to this 12-month programme.
Completing your application
Further information on writing your personal statement can be found on the UCAS Conservatoires website.
Additional costs
Our courses include activities such as performance, exhibitions, field trips and production of works or artefacts which may require you to purchase specific equipment, instruments, books, materials, hire of venues and accommodation, or other items.
Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £50 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Accommodation and living costs
The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible postgraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Did you know that you can apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,222 for some courses and options?
PG Cert
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete one of the following CORE modules (totalling 60 credits):
PG Dip
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 60 credits):
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 20 credits):
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules.
MMus
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete THREE CORE modules (totalling 140 credits):
In order to complete this course, a student must successfully complete at least 100 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:
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THREE Professional Development modules (20 credits each), and
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ONE MMus optional module (40 credits)
Course structure
Whichever course you choose, work in the Principal Study area lies at its heart. For Music Technologists, the Principal Study modules each culminate in a portfolio of original creative music technology work. Preparation of this is supported by individual specialist tuition, as well as by departmental activities.
If you are a MMus or PgDip student you will take a Career Development module, which will require you, near the beginning of your course, to reflect ambitiously yet realistically on your professional aspirations, and to formulate a plan that helps you stand the best chance of achieving your goals. You will also choose, in addition, some Professional Development Options from a varied list. The following gives an indication the kind of optional modules which may be offered in a given year, including some offered by Birmingham City University’s Schools of Art and Media (note, not all will run every year).
MMus students will additionally choose a 40-credit option from one of two categories: ‘The Emerging Researcher’ or ‘The Reflective Practitioner’.
Part-time options
There is some room for negotiation in how the course unfolds for a part-time MMus student over three years, or in the case of part-time PgDip students, over two years.
Student stories – Luke Aziz
I made the decision to return to education to study a Masters in Music Technology in order to strengthen my portfolio and gain more experience in the area. The Conservatoire has some of the most talented musicians in the country working there as well as excellent facilities, so I felt it would be a brilliant place to help me move forward in the field and hopefully make some contacts for the future!
I'm studying a one-year intensive course, so I get a lot of one-to-one sessions with the tutors which is really helpful. All the lecturers have such a huge enthusiasm for the subject, it makes it really interesting and really brings Music Technology to life. It’s obvious that the staff really love their subject and are very knowledgeable in the area, so it's great for me to be able to learn from them. There are also opportunities with external lecturers who are currently working in the Music Industry, which means I actually learn straight from the people that are directly involved in the field I want to end up working in.
Meet our Head of Music Technology
Dr Simon Hall is Head of the Music Technology Department at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Take a look at how he came to his current role and what he thinks prospective students can look forward to when they join.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has a growing community of international students from across the world.
We appreciate the challenges of moving to a new country to live and study and aim to be as supportive as possible.
Aside from being friendly and welcoming, we have various support mechanisms in place to help you settle in as an international student, including:
- An international students' 'orientation week', including a special Conservatoire welcome event
- A dedicated international student admissions administrator
- A full-time staff member employed as International Student Support Programme Director (who speaks Mandarin)
- A mentoring system in which you, as a new postgraduate international student, are mentored by continuing postgraduate international students who will be supporting you both pastorally and academically though weekly workshops
- Additional supporting classes for international students that are particularly designed to help you further develop your English reading, speaking and comprehension skills
- Additional academic skills support provided by expert tutors from the BCU's Centre for Academic Success
Further information for prospective international students is available on the University's international pages.
Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC)
International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.
BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.
Popular home countries
Our students come from around the world but our music technology course is most popular with international students from:
China
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s £57 million music building opened in September 2017, and is located on Birmingham City University’s City Centre Campus in the Eastside ‘learning quarter’ of the city.
This brand new music facility include five public performance venues – a 500 seat Concert Hall, 150 seat Recital Hall, Organ Studio, Eastside Jazz Club and the experimental black box performance venue known as The Lab. As well as these stunning performance venues, we have nearly 100 practice spaces; including 70 small practice rooms and larger ensemble rooms and workshops.
Our new home is the first conservatoire built in the digital age, and as such it has been vital to ensure that the technical infrastructure installed is on par with any advanced commercial facility. We have seven recording studios, a mastering suite, a distance learning hub, and all of our performance venues feature high specification audio-visual equipment that enables interconnectivity and advanced functionality throughout the building.
These impressive modern facilities guarantee that we are excel in our unique dual purpose of providing the highest standard of music education deserved by our students, as well as meeting our role as a concert and performance venue for the people of Birmingham; taking our place in the vibrant cultural landscape of the UK’s second city.
Simon Hall
Head of Music Technology
Simon's musical interests are wide-ranging, which is reflected in his variety of work. He is an active composer, producer, recording engineer and bass trombone player as well as educator.
He has worked across a range of genres in a range of capacities, with artists as diverse as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez, Louis Andriessen and Heiner Goebbels to Johnny Mathis, Barry Manilow and Jamelia; and organisations ranging from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the BBC Big Band, to the Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre.
Ben Markland
Ben is widely known and much admired, not only for his playing, but for his writing and arranging. He gained an MA in Composition from Birmingham University before embarking on a freelance career. Ben is also active in education, regularly running composition and improvisation workshops. He lectures in music technology, though his fine bass playing has brought him most prominence.
Luan Shaw
Interim Vice Principal, Music (Learning and Teaching) and Director of Postgraduate Studies
Luan is Director of Postgraduate Studies at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she has taught since 2011. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and was made an Honorary Member of RBC in 2001. In her former role as RBC’s first Head of Pedagogy (2011-2018), she significantly expanded provision for instrumental teacher education across the RBC curriculum. Luan is passionate about helping students to build their portfolio careers and her doctoral research focuses on facilitating the transition from student to professional through instrumental teacher education in conservatoires.
Lamberto Coccioli
Professor of Music and Technology, Associate Principal, Director of the Integra Lab
Coccioli is originally from Italy, where he studied composition with Edgar Alandia and then Azio Corghi at Conservatorio G. Verdi in Milan. Of lasting formative influence were also his journeys to remote areas of Colombia to record music and sounds of indigenous and mestizo communities.
In a career spanning over 30 years Coccioli has lectured and performed all over the world in his different roles as composer, researcher and electronic performer. From 1995 to 1999 he was Luciano Berio’s assistant and in 1998 his opera Magma was premiered to wide critical acclaim.
In 2000 Coccioli became Head of Music Technology at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) where he directed the €3.1m EU-funded Integra – Fusing Music and Technology project to support and promote composition and performance of music with live electronics (2005-2012), including the development of the Integra Live software. As a spin-off of the project in 2009 Coccioli co-founded with Jamie Bullock Integra Lab, the music interaction design research centre based at RBC.
In 2012 he became Professor of Music and Technology and two years later Associate Principal, playing a key role in the development of RBC’s international strategy and the design and construction of the new Conservatoire building with its innovative digital infrastructure.
Coccioli is currently the PI on the £485,000 AHRC-funded project Augmented Vocality: Recomposing the Sounds of Early Irish and Old Norse. His most recent journal article, “From nature to culture and back. A personal journey through the soundscapes of Colombia”, has been published by the Journal of Sonic Studies.