Location:

Exmouth, United Kingdom

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Performing Arts

Program Overview

Program Description:

The computer is becoming increasingly ubiquitous in all aspects of music. Smart sound design and synthetic music pervades a wide range of creative practices, from avant-garde contemporary music to entertainment media for mass consumption. Computer technologies are having a profound impact on how music is studied, composed, performed, listened, stored and distributed. The Master of Research in Computer Music provides an exciting opportunity to pursue an individual research project of your choice on the interplay between music, science and computing. Projects may range from the development of innovative approaches to composition and performance using computers, and the design of assistive music technology, to studying how music is processed in the brain. The MRes in Computer Music conveys the skills necessary to progress to more advanced research towards a PhD. It is delivered within the context of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR), which underpins this programme with an impressive research activity of international significance, with over 100 peer reviewed research papers published within the last 5 years, books and music on CDs. In addition to being interdisciplinary, ICCMR is a truly international centre, with staff, PhD students and post-doctoral researchers from all over the world. ICCMR is very strong in the academic scene internationally, with the highest number of papers ever by a single institution accepted for presentation at the 2011 International Computer Music Conference (ICMC 2011): a total of 12 papers! The notion of interdisciplinarity is key to this programme. The overall theme of the MRes is at the crossroads of music, science and computing and we welcome students from a variety of backgrounds. The MRes in Computer Music is for: • Practising musicians: It provides a platform to explore systematically ways in which computing technology may enhance your practice. This category includes composers wishing to look into the possibilities of computer-aided composition or computer-aided sound design, and/or performers wishing to explore the potential of performance with live electronics. • Music graduates, musicologists and music educators: It gives you the opportunity to pursue a research project involving computing technologies to complement your skills, while enhancing your career with a post-graduate academic qualification. For example, this category may include a music graduate interested in learning a music programming language to complement skills not covered in a traditional BA (Hons) Music degree. • Music technologists, sound engineers and software developers: It provides you the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the needs of musicians and the music industry, in the context of a research project, whose outcome may be a technological development. For instance, a computer game developer wishing to investigate the possibilities of computer-generated music. • Graduates from other areas, but with proven knowledge of music and/or music technology: The course enables you to explore ways in which you may combine your background and your passion for music. This category may include a physicist interested in exploring concepts from modern physics to design new music synthesizers; or a psychologist interested in developing computational models to study music perception, creativity, etc Foreign students are very much welcome: ICCMR is a truly international centre, with staff, PhD students and post-doctoral researchers from all over the world (including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and of course, the UK). We are particularly keen to encourage applications from students whose music background is not necessarily Western European “classical” music.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

Not applicable

Financial Aid:

No

Requirements:

A 2:1 or above degree in a relevant area of study is normally required. In exceptional circumstances candidates who do not hold a first degree, but possess significant practical experience may qualify for entry.

International Requirements:

Applicants with overseas qualifications can check their comparibility with the UK equivalent through NARIC, who provide an advisory service. If your first language is not English then evidence of English proficiency is required. The level of proficiency that is required can vary with the type of programme for which you are applying. For further advice on the appropriateness of overseas qualification and proficiency in the use of English, please contact our International Office. The minimum IELTS score for acceptable English proficiency for entry is normally 6.5.