MusM Music (Performance Studies) / Overview

Year of entry: 2025

Degree awarded
Master of Music
Duration
1 Year (full-time); 2 Year (part-time)
Entry requirements
Applicants will be expected to hold a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree, or its overseas equivalent, in a relevant subject - normally Music, or with music as a substantial component of the programme. In exceptional circumstances we may consider appropriate professional experience as an alternative route to entry.

Full entry requirements

How to apply
Apply online .

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MusM Y Y N N

Attend an open day

Download our course brochure

Discover more about Music

Course overview

  • Develop the skills and knowledge to forge personally satisfying and socially impactful portfolio careers as performing artists, educators, entrepreneurs, and researchers.
  • Develop an advanced understanding of the interpretation of music through analysis, historical research, cultural critique, and performance.
  • Study at a Top 5 UK University for Music (Complete University Guide 2023).
  • Study in a city that is home to more professional music-making than any UK city outside of London, with three professional orchestras and internationally recognised institutions such as the BBC and Opera North.
  • Engage in cutting-edge artistic research in music performance.

Open days

Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting us on one of our open days .

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MusM (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £13,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £27,000
  • MusM (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £7,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £13,500

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Each year the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures offer a number of school awards and subject-specific bursaries (the values of which are usually set at Home/EU fees level), open to both Home/EU and international students. The deadline for these is early February each year. Details of all funding opportunities, including deadlines, eligibility and how to apply, can be found on the School's funding page where you can also find details of the Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme.

See also the University's postgraduate funding database to see if you are eligible for any other funding opportunities. For University of Manchester graduates, the Manchester Alumni Bursary offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a First within the last three years and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course. The Manchester Master's Bursary is a University-wide scheme that offers 100 bursaries worth £3,000 in funding for students from underrepresented groups.

Postgraduate 1+3 funding is available from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for students to pursue postgraduate study through a master's (one year) leading into a PhD (three years). It requires a project proposal as part of the application. Information is available on the NWSSDTP website.

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.