Music - Postgraduate Research Opportunities

The Department of Music offers promising candidates the opportunity to carry out research in one of the most dynamic institutions in Britain, with supervision from world-leading academics and access to outstanding facilities. Our world-class facilities include the £16 million Bramall Music Building, which is home to the Music Department and also features the 450-seat Elgar Concert Hall, the most adaptable space of its kind in any university in the UK. The building also contains a suite dedicated to the study and performance of early music, five electroacoustic studios and a large rehearsal room.

We offer three routes to postgraduate research in Music:

• Music Performance Practice PhD/MA by Research (On Campus or by Distance Learning)
• Musical Composition PhD/MA by Research (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)
• Musicology PhD/MA by Research (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)

Each programme offers both a PhD and MA by Research option. The MA by Research programme requires you to prepare a thesis of up to 40,000 words on a topic of your choice under the expert guidance of an academic member of staff. The PhD, the most advanced research degree, comprises of a thesis of up to 80,000 words on a subject of your choice, again under the expert supervision of an academic member of staff.

You can study all programmes on campus or by distance learning. Please note that if you are studying with us by distance learning, there is a compulsory annual visit to campus (every two years for part-time PhD students).

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.

When proposing your own research topic you’ll need to make sure the department offers the necessary expertise. We ask that you identify an appropriate supervisor before you submit your application and contact them in the first instance to discuss your research proposal.

If there is a good fit between your proposed research and our research strengths, we’ll be able to give you advice on a draft of your research proposal before you make a formal application.

When contacting a member of our staff, it would be helpful to include the following:

• A draft research proposal or a summary of your research ideas
• Details of university-level qualifications and any relevant professional experience
• Details on how you propose to fund your research

Please contact only one member of staff in the first instance. 

View our list of potential supervisors in music below.

• Musicology
• Musical Performance Practice
• Musical Composition

Funding Notes

Please visit the College of Arts and Law funding page for information on possible funding opportunities.