Masters Music & Sound
At the Academy of Music and Sound, we offer a comprehensive, online, music master’s degree program that will help you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the music industry. Our program is designed to be flexible and accessible, allowing you to balance your education with your other commitments.
Developed and validated in 2022, our new M.Mus programme Music & Sound offers you the flexibility to specialise in either Music Performance or Music Production. What are you waiting for? Apply now for either a September 2023 start or apply for February 2024.
In partnership with the London College of Music and University of West London, the qualification is developed to address the needs of contemporary musicians/producers on a practical, academic and professional basis. Our tutors are practising creative industry experts in their respective fields.
Mmus Music & Sound
As part of our music master’s degree program, you’ll receive rigorous training in music theory, music composition, performance, and music history. As well as these, you’ll also have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of music that you’re passionate about, such as jazz, classical, or popular music.
This program is led by experienced music instructors who are experts in their respective fields. Throughout the course, they’ll provide you with personalized guidance and feedback, helping you to hone your music craft, and ultimately achieve your goals.
Expand and develop your competitive edge in the music industry by working alongside our experienced tutors who practice their trade in the creative sector, not only will they provide guidance. Through 1:1 tuition and our superb VLE (virtual learning environment) they will provide and share their expertise tailored for you.
Our Partners
Performance Pathway Core Modules
This is a student-led, individually negotiated project. The module allows students an opportunity to devise and execute an ambitious and personal, self-managed project that expands and enhances the knowledge and many of the skills acquired during their course. It allows students to explore and research some of these ideas and techniques in a more focused and detailed way. The exact brief is up to the individual, but a named project supervisor will guide students.
This module is designed to help you develop an understanding of key critical, analytical and reflective approaches to the study of popular music through examination of key literature and the application of those approaches.
Through analysis, critical thinking, the study of creative and reflective practice, and reading and discussion of a number of enlightening texts, you will learn to develop your status as an informed practitioner, greatly expanding your awareness of your own work and the social, political, and musical contexts that which it inhabits.
The Music Direction Skills module focuses on the skills needed as an ensemble director and performer. Musical direction is a key focus, other areas considered include musician and repertoire selection, rehearsal preparation, planning and event management.
In this module, you will source an ensemble and rehearse repertoire with them as the musical director. Your job is to construct a repertoire and rehearse your ensemble in preparation for a performance.
This module aims to enhance technical, creative and innovative performance skills, as well as consolidating and heightening your evaluation of stylistic and technical issues. You will be expected to achieve and maintain a high level of advanced performance skills in order to fulfil your potential and develop practical skills to a professional level.
You are encouraged to challenge yourself through tackling musical styles and creative techniques which are not your home territory. Use your relationship with your specialist supervisor as an opportunity to explore new ground and broaden your instrumental skills.
The purpose of this module is to train you in research methods and critical methodology as preparation for undertaking research and is designed to support and advance the project work produced during the rest of your study through a developed investigation of research methods. You will define, articulate and critically reflect upon the research concerns of your own practice during this unit, thereby underpinning and enhancing your knowledge and understanding of the chosen field of study, as well as developing your ability to communicate this in a variety of ways.
This module will build on skills gained in the Music Direction Skills and Performance Portfolio-1 modules. The module aims to enhance technical, creative and innovative performance skills, as well as consolidating and heightening your evaluation of stylistic and technical issues. The focus of this module is to select a commercially viable repertoire.
In addition to your development as a performer, there will be a practical element aimed at developing your skills at organising and promoting yourself as an artist. The aim is to provide you with a real-world experience of putting on and promoting a performance.
Performance Pathway Optional Modules
The Songwriting module gives you the opportunity to engage in the development, management and execution of a high-quality song portfolio. Applying a myriad of songwriting techniques and conventions, you will create a song portfolio realised via basic recordings and lead sheets.
This module provides an excellent opportunity for students to test their potential as music educators. It is intended that the module gives students a flavour of working in education and also equips them with valuable skills that are transferable to their careers.
This module is about you ‘finding your voice’ as a recording artist, focusing on your principal instrument and/or voice in the context of a recording which features at least two other instruments. This means that you need to develop a method of recording your instrument and/or voice such that its individual timbre is captured, and show that your technical, sonic, performance and arrangement choices on your instrument/vocally are clearly represented.
Production Pathway Core Modules
This is a student-led, individually negotiated project. The module allows students an opportunity to devise and execute an ambitious and personal, self-managed project that expands and enhances the knowledge and many of the skills acquired during their course. It allows students to explore and research some of these ideas and techniques in a more focused and detailed way. The exact brief is up to the individual, but a named project supervisor will guide students.
This module is designed to help you develop an understanding of key critical, analytical and reflective approaches to the study of popular music through examination of key literature and the application of those approaches.
Through analysis, critical thinking, the study of creative and reflective practice, and reading and discussion of a number of enlightening texts, you will learn to develop your status as an informed practitioner, greatly expanding your awareness of your own work and the social, political, and musical contexts that which it inhabits.
This module takes as its starting point the idea that musical performance for a recorded output is very different from concert performance. The Record Producer and the Performer not only have to be aware of what those differences are but also of what is required in the studio and how to achieve it.
Alongside the technical issues of recording sound are all the psychological and interpersonal issues of creating the right atmosphere for the communal activity of creating recorded music to happen. How do these participants engage with one another? How are the critical evaluations arrived at? What kinds of methodologies and theoretical frameworks are available for studying these phenomena?
This module aims to enhance technical, creative and innovative production skills, as well as consolidating and heightening your evaluation of stylistic and technical issues. You will be expected to achieve and maintain a high level of advanced production skills in order to fulfil your potential and develop practical skills to a professional level.
You are encouraged to challenge yourself through tackling musical styles and creative techniques which are not your home territory. Use your relationship with your specialist supervisor as an opportunity to explore new ground and broaden your production skills.
The purpose of this module is to train you in research methods and critical methodology as preparation for undertaking research and is designed to support and advance the project work produced during the rest of your study through a developed investigation of research methods.
You will define, articulate and critically reflect upon the research concerns of your own practice during this unit, thereby underpinning and enhancing your knowledge and understanding of the chosen field of study, as well as developing your ability to communicate this in a variety of ways.
This module will build on skills gained in the Music Production Skills and Production Portfolio-1 modules. The module aims to enhance technical, creative and innovative production skills, as well as consolidating and heightening your evaluation of stylistic and technical issues. The focus of this module is to select a commercially viable repertoire.
In addition to your development as a producer, there will be a practical element aimed at developing your skills in organising and promoting yourself as a producer/artist. The aim is to provide you with a real-world experience of recording and producing music with commercial viability.
Production Pathway Optional Modules
The Songwriting module gives you the opportunity to engage in the development, management and execution of a high-quality song portfolio. Applying a myriad of songwriting techniques and conventions, you will create a song portfolio realised via basic recordings and lead sheets.
This module provides an excellent opportunity for students to test their potential as music educators. It is intended that the module gives students a flavour of working in education and also equips them with valuable skills that are transferable to their careers.
By engaging in parallel with analogue & digital, software & hardware, hybrid-production workflows (recording, sampling, synthesis, programming, mixing and mastering), this module offers opportunities for original application of advanced audio techniques, pushing the expressive boundaries of the sonic medium, and contextualising current practice through the lens of forward-thinking (auto)ethnographic analysis
200Students
30Professional Tutors
3Established Centres
Course Delivery
All materials are hosted on our VLE, which also houses an archive of previous masterclasses and webinars.
In addition to access to our VLE (virtual learning environment) our Mmus students are entitled to weekly 1:1 sessions with their tutor, mentor and supervisor. They are also encouraged to take part in our online forum where students can interact with one another sharing their experiences and advice for online learning.
Audition & Interview
Extensive performance or production skills and experience are needed, in addition to this, we require a 2:1 (or higher) grade at BA(hons) to be considered; however, if you have any questions regarding entry we welcome you to contact a member of our team.
Fees and Finance
The course is fully-funded for those living within the UK, for more information on your funding eligibility please contact your regional Student Finance body.
How To Apply
Apply for this course is via the form below
Your Masters in Music
By earning your music master’s degree from the Academy of Music and Sound, you’ll be joining a network of successful graduates who have gone on to establish themselves in the music industry. Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career as a performer, composer, educator, or musicologist, our program will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve your goals.
If you’re ready to take your passion for music to the next level, apply to our music master’s degree program today. We look forward to helping you achieve your dreams and make your mark in the world of music.
FAQs –
What is a music master’s degree?
A music master’s degree is a graduate-level academic degree that typically takes 1-2 years to complete. The MMus Music & Sound course takes 1 year, and is a full Masters Degree – 180 credits at Level 7. The course is delivered over 3 x 12 week trimesters. The degree is often required for advanced positions in the music industry, such as teaching, conducting, composing, or performing.
Can I specialize in a particular area of music during the program?
Yes, many music master’s degree programs allow students to specialize in a particular area of music. This can include jazz, classical, popular music, music technology, music education, and more. Specialization can help students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue specific careers in the music industry. Our Music & Sound Masters Degree allows students to specialise as either performers, or producers.
What kind of career can I consider with a music master’s degree?
A music master’s degree can open up many career opportunities in the music industry, including teaching, conducting, composing, performing, music production, music therapy, musicology, and more. The specific career path you choose will depend on your interests, skills, and specialization.
What kind of support will I receive from the faculty during the program?
Faculty support is a crucial aspect of any music master’s degree program. At the Academy of Music and Sound, our experienced instructors are committed to providing personalized guidance and feedback to each student. This includes one-on-one consultations, constructive critiques, and support with assignments and projects. Additionally, our faculty is available to answer questions and provide support throughout the program, helping students achieve their academic and professional goals.