MA Music and Drama: The University of Manchester

Course description

The purpose of this programme is to encourage the study and analysis of music on stage and screen as an interdisciplinary medium, facilitating a rich cross-fertilisation of ideas, concepts and practices between the disciplines of music and drama. It draws on the exceptional strengths, diversity and international expertise within the University in research and practice in this area. Their current research profile ranges from Renaissance chanson to Bollywood cinema, Italian operatic practice to contemporary music theatre composition, and melodrama to film music.

The breadth of the programme offers you possibilities of further development in areas as diverse as composition for screen and stage, historical and theoretical explorations in music and drama, applied theatre practice or musical direction and performance. It is designed to be as flexible as possible, in order to enable you to cross disciplinary boundaries freely, and develop your own individual research interests and specialisms.

Module details

Typical compulsory course units in semester one include research skills and methodologies. You are then encouraged to devise your own selection of optional course units, according to your specific needs and interests, from any of the Masters programmes in Music and Drama, including the MusM in Musicology, MusM in Composition, MA Theatre Studies, MA Screen Studies, and MA Applied Theatre.

Career opportunities

Various opportunities exist for graduates who are skilled in both disciplines of music and drama: for example, film, television and theatre composers; film and video editors; conductors and musical directors; opera and musical theatre directors and producers; theatre, film and television directors; teachers and lecturers; educational and community arts workers; music and drama therapists; arts administrators, theatre and television managers; curators and archivists. Graduates may also pursue further study and research on doctoral programmes.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview: A First or good Upper Second Class Honours degree (or overseas equivalent) in either Music or Music and Drama Studies.

English language: If your first language is not English, you need a minimum score of 7.0 on the IELTS test or 600 on the TOEFL paper-based test (250 computer-based), or the Cambridge Advanced Certificate (grades A-C) or the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (grades A-C).