MA MA Sound and Music for Media
Course Overview
Start date
September 2021
Subject area
Music and Performance
Attendance
Full-time, 1 year
Part-time, 2 years
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
You can apply for this course as an MFA or MA. The MFA takes one extra year and you can apply by choosing the MFA option when you click 'apply'.
The MA / MFA Sound and Music suite will provide a significant opportunity to extend your skill base through applied practice and research in professional contexts. You will develop projects in your area of specialism (e.g. performance, production, sound and music for media, games or theatre), and capitalise on our expertise in interdisciplinary working to develop collaborative projects alongside other practitioners and researchers studying Acting, Drama, Performing Arts, Dance, Multi-media, Film, animation and architecture, modelling professional practice and modes of collaboration by operating as creative and collaborative innovators.
Programme-specific
skills and professional contexts will include: Sound and Music Performance,
Sound and Music Design and Production, Sound and Music for Games, Sound and
Music for Theatre, Sound and Music for Games. Students will be able to choose
a programme title, relative to the specialism of their Final Project,
Research Praxis and Meta-Praxis modules:
MA / MFA
Sound and Music Performance
MA / MFA
Sound and Music Production
MA / MFA
Sound and Music for Media
MA / MFA
Sound and Music for Games
MA / MFA
Sound and Music for Theatre
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out moreProfessional Pathways to Industry
Our teaching staff and mentors have significant and wide-ranging industry experience and remain active at the cutting edge. Our collaborative partnerships with external professionals and organisations provide a dynamic space for creativity in sound and music.
Interdisciplinary Practice
We recognise and nurture the opportunity of working in interdisciplinary ways, developing skills that can be leveraged for different professional environments, to meet the demands of a changing working practice.
Embedded Projects
Creative and Collaborative Projects are the main mode of learning and development, in which a student’s professional context will support practice-led research inquiry and development.
What we're researching
Our department is researching Immersive Audio and Dolby Atmos, Studio Post-Production, Improvisation, Live Electronic Performance, Song-writing, The Lost Women of Rock, Gender Ventriloquism in Studio Production, Female Punk Bands of the 1970’s, Interdisciplinary Practice, Opera, Immersive Theatre.
Making a difference
UEL is one of the UK’s leading modern research universities. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), 17 per cent of our overall research submission was classified as ‘world-leading’ for its quality and impact – almost double our previous REF score. A further 45 per cent of our work was considered ‘internationally excellent’.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme
Postgraduate Loans (PGL)
The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students. It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs.
Applications are made directly through Student Finance England
Eligibility
Whether you qualify depends on:
• if you’ve studied on a postgraduate course before
• your course
• your age
• your nationality or residency status
Full eligibility can be found here
Please take a look at the Postgraduate Loans for an overview of the new funding.
The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.
Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply.
Terms and conditions apply.How we can help you
Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:
- Alumni Discount – up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see Alumni Discount page for information.
- Early Payment Discount – 5% fee waiver
- Asylum Seekers scholarship – 100% fee waiver
- Civic Engagement – £1,000
- Hardship Bursary – up to £2,000
- Sport Scholarships – Up to £6,000
Terms and conditions apply.
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer
- Apply for a Postgraduate Loan
- Take advantage of UEL scholarships and bursaries
- Ask your employer to sponsor your study
- Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
- Look at UK Research and Innovation funding options
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate
your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and
university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Fees per year for the MFA:
Year 1 (180 credits) - £9120
Year 2 (120 credits) - £6080
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme
Postgraduate Loans (PGL)
The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students. It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs.
Applications are made directly through Student Finance England
Eligibility
Whether you qualify depends on:
• if you’ve studied on a postgraduate course before
• your course
• your age
• your nationality or residency status
Full eligibility can be found here
Please take a look at the Postgraduate Loans for an overview of the new funding.
The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.
Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply.
Terms and conditions apply.How we can help you
Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:
- Alumni Discount – up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see Alumni Discount page for information.
- Early Payment Discount – 5% fee waiver
- Asylum Seekers scholarship – 100% fee waiver
- Civic Engagement – £1,000
- Hardship Bursary – up to £2,000
- Sport Scholarships – Up to £6,000
Terms and conditions apply.
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer
- Apply for a Postgraduate Loan
- Take advantage of UEL scholarships and bursaries
- Ask your employer to sponsor your study
- Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
- Look at UK Research and Innovation funding options
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate
your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and
university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Per 30 credit module
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme
Postgraduate Loans (PGL)
The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students. It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs.
Applications are made directly through Student Finance England
Eligibility
Whether you qualify depends on:
• if you’ve studied on a postgraduate course before
• your course
• your age
• your nationality or residency status
Full eligibility can be found here
Please take a look at the Postgraduate Loans for an overview of the new funding.
The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.
Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply.
Terms and conditions apply.How we can help you
Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:
- Alumni Discount – up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see Alumni Discount page for information.
- Early Payment Discount – 5% fee waiver
- Asylum Seekers scholarship – 100% fee waiver
- Civic Engagement – £1,000
- Hardship Bursary – up to £2,000
- Sport Scholarships – Up to £6,000
Terms and conditions apply.
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer
- Apply for a Postgraduate Loan
- Take advantage of UEL scholarships and bursaries
- Ask your employer to sponsor your study
- Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
- Look at UK Research and Innovation funding options
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate
your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and
university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Fees per year for the MFA:
Year 1 (180 credits) - £13860
Year 2 (120 credits) - £9240
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
What you'll learn
You will
develop advanced skills in sound design and production,
music
performance, composition and production, placing emphasis on the particular
context of your work (e.g. media, games, theatre).
You will
develop skills in working with technology as a collaborator, innovating process
and practices to support you creative project work.
A key feature
of the course is our expertise in Interdisciplinary learning, through which we
will support you to make interdisciplinary intersections – connections between
disciplines to establish modes and models of collaborative creative practice
derived from industry, as well as innovating through experimentation to develop
hybrid approaches.
You will be
guided in the design and implementation of creative projects, involving modules
for the arts, design thinking, and innovation practice. This will form the
foundation for your practice-led final project, together with the deepening of
the scope and effectiveness of your research skills, leading to the completion
of the MA course.
A further
year of practice-led research embedded in a professional context relative to
your specialism, will culminate in a significant body of applied reflective praxis
(Meta-Praxis) and research (Research Praxis), in which original ideas and
concepts have derived and cultivated, capturing both planned and emergent methodologies
and impact.
Who teaches on this course:
- Michael Bunce
- Tony Nwachukwu
- Gordon Kerr
- Steve Betts
- Tim Lawrence
- Jeremy Gilbert
- Jan Kybert
- Guy Harries
- Yumi Hara Cawkwell
- Helen Reddington
What you'll study and when
All modules are core. Modules 1-6 culminate in the MA qualification. Modules 7 and 8 are studied as a second full time year for the MFA Qualification.
- Advanced Sound Design and Production
- Advanced Music Performance, Composition and Production
- Creative Technologies
- Interdisciplinary Intersections
- Creative Project Design
- Dissertation / Final Project
- Research Praxis
- Meta-Praxis (Mental Wealth Module)
How you'll be assessed
You will be assessed through the development and delivery of live
projects, applied in professional contexts appropriate to your area of
specialism.
Project development,
outcomes, and impact will be captured and disseminated and assessed by:
Interactive Portfolios
Literature Reviews
Critical Evaluation
Research and Development Repositories
Presentation, workshops, and seminars
Reflective Journals
Collaborative practice-led research
All assessment
is a combination of 60% Practical and 40% Coursework.
Ongoing formative feedback will provide you with continuous support and opportunities for development and growth. For formal assessment, we aim to provide feedback in 20 working days.
How you'll learn
This course suite will develop knowledge, cognitive and practical skills and experience for the emerging marketplace and employment context.
You will develop core technical and creative skills relevant to several industrial and professional contexts and select an appropriate programme title that captures the nature of professional practice within their chosen industrial domain.
Core skills
will be developed through collaboration and in-context application across all
programme pathways, and industry specific skills will be developed and applied
within the industrial context of the student’s workplace, placement context, or
chosen community / professional setting.
The main
focus of the course is on designing and leading creative and collaborative
projects that are designed and implemented by students, supported by teaching
staff and industry mentors, to create impact for students and the publics,
communities and collaborators with which they are working.
Study will be
practice-led, with a focus on developing a range of research skills and models
for creative practice, applied in diverse professional contexts. You will also
develop context awareness and responsiveness, examining the influence and
impact of your work for and upon the many contextual layers interconnected with
it, including but not limited to the social, cultural, historical, economic,
technological, environmental, and ethical.
Assessment Tasks and Portfolios
Assessment frequently includes the creation
of portfolios, comprising production reports, written reports, extended essays,
and live practical assessments relevant to disciplinary and interdisciplinary
practice.
Portfolio content will depend on the module
assessment task in which the portfolio features, consisting of a wide variety
of mediums from digital content, such as video and audio recordings, or digital
images, which capture the production and performance/ media of practical work
and technical outcomes. Portfolios will be digital documents presented online
using web publishing tools.
Details of the requirements and content for portfolios and assessment tasks will be provided in module guides for each module. To allow for diversity and inclusivity across course clusters, it will be appropriate, based on relevant course subject, to further stipulate the form of assessment required i.e. artefacts and performance/ media pieces captured as evidence digitally and or non-digital formats (e.g. published printed book), which may subsequently be documented digitally (i.e. coursework portfolio).
Portfolios will take the form of digital and physical documents presented
online using web publishing tools and or physical portfolios that have been
printed and curated into a portable portfolio.
From this practice,
students demonstrate and reflect upon the process of creating and preparing a
final professional body of work for professional display, further development
in production and or industry.
Your future career
You are
likely to have professional industrial experience and/or have joined the course
as a graduate within the specialist areas of Music Performance, Music
Technology and Production, Sound and Music for Media, Games or Theatre. This
will inform your path of study and practice.
A significant
feature of the course is to establish creative and collaborative
interdisciplinary projects applied in professional industrial contexts, which
may include your current place of work.
This mode of
embedded study will significantly increase your opportunity to operate and work
in a wide range of roles across the music, media, theatre, games and
multi-media industries.
Our links with industry partners will provide
opportunities to enrich the professional practice and research base of the
course.
