Music at Aberdeen is the wonderful opportunity to learn, compose and perform with world-renowned composers, conductors, musicologists and researchers working in all genres, styles and periods. You will benefit from first-class facilities and instruments and unrivalled opportunities to grow as a musician and performer, be part of the vibrant musical scene in north-east Scotland and have options to specialise in teaching music or working with music in community settings.
Aberdeen is the ideal environment and location to study music, with 500 years of musical history and heritage and a vibrant cultural identity, which celebrates the traditional while embracing the modern.
When you enter our highly-regarded BMus programme you might already have may specific career aspirations including editing, writing and presenting music, composing and performing. If you are still considering your music career however, our degrees are specifically designed to give you the time to explore and develop your interests with a broad foundation in music before choosing your specific programme. You will study performance, composition and theory, musicianship and a broad overview of music history which serves as the foundation for future study and specialising in subsequent years.
You may wish to continue honing your skills as a musician and specialising in composition, performance and musicology, especially in your final year. Alternatively, you can specialise in teaching in the BMus (Education) programme Your studies will prepare you for a wide variety of careers, not only in music but applying your skills in education, in the media and in business and there are Aberdeen graduates working in music agencies and in the management of London and Scottish orchestras.
You will thrive in our friendly and vibrant international community, on our beautiful medieval campus with great facilities for learning, sports and leisure.
We also offer various opportunities for students, staff, and community members to perform together at our music ensembles. From folk to classical, we have a range of genres to suit your musical interests.
Music at Aberdeen offers a range of diverse courses and the performance and composition skills that you will develop will help you prepare for an exciting career in music. Some of the topics that you will explore throughout the programme include musicianship, digital musicianship, music theory, harmony and analysis, composition, music history and musicology, performance, composition, conducting, harmony and ethnomusicology.
View all modules on the programme page to find out more about what you will be studying and when. University of Aberdeen modules are designed to give you breadth and depth to your degree. The range of modules you study will allow you to become proficient in all subjects which are directly relevant to your degree giving you greater career options.
The use of various forms of assessment and learning environments facilitates the development of generic transferable skills enhancing student employability.
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods: coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course; practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course; and written examinations at the end of each course. The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
The following entry points are available for this course:
For entry to Year 2:
Satisfactory completion of HNC Music (120 SCQF credit points). Also requires: Interview and Audition.
Studying Music or Music Education at the University of Aberdeen requires an ability to read and write musical notation. Entry to these degrees is conditional on your academic achievements so far, as well as your performance at interview and audition.
For the audition, you will be expected to play or sing a short piece of music of your choice. Choose something that enables you to demonstrate your technical ability on your instrument or voice, and be prepared to answer questions about the piece you have chosen. Your interview will focus on the breadth and depth of your knowledge of music and your interest in it. Be prepared to be asked about music in different genres to the one that you have performed, including classical music (which is an important ingredient of the Music and Music Education degrees at Aberdeen, amongst many other styles and genres).
For entry to Year 3:
Satisfactory completion of HND Music (240 SCQF credit points). Also requires: Interview and Audition.
Auditions at the University of Aberdeen are centred around the classical music course. So, expect questions on classical music to pop-up in your interview. After the theory/ aural session you will be expected to play (or sing if you are a singer) on your main study. Then there will be a short interview. This interview will focus on classical music; so, be prepared for this. One example of a question which might be asked is, ‘can you talk us through the main points of Sonata form’. Or, another, ‘Talk to us about a work by Mozart or Beethoven’.
Although we welcome all genres of music, the course is primarily classical focussed.
Entry to these degrees are conditional on performance at interview and audition, entry at year three is not guaranteed by the academic requirements alone and in some cases entry to a lower year may be offered.
In addition to tuition fees, students will require money to cover their living costs including accommodation, food, books, entertainment, clothing, phone bills, local travel, and laundry. These expenses will vary depending on your lifestyle and spending habits. In keeping with UKVI rules, we recommend that student’s budget at least the minimum maintenance amount as stated by the UKVI per month, to cover their living costs and you have to evidence 9 months’ worth of maintenance when applying for your visa. You also have to pay the NHS health surcharge per each year of study, when applying for a visa.
When you apply for your Student Visa, you will be required to evidence these funds in your personal bank account (or a parent’s personal bank account (NOT a Business Account). Therefore, you will have to evidence your 1st years tuition fees (minus the International Scholarship for self-paying students) and the maintenance amount. These funds have to have been in your account for a minimum of 28-consecutive days immediately prior to applying for your visa. If the amount in your account drops below the required amount, the 28-day period starts over.
International students who will be studying for more than 6 months are permitted to work for 20 hours per week during term-time, though this may be increased during the holiday periods. Please note this must not be relied upon as a means to fund your studies, as you have to evidence your funding when applying for your Student Visa.
Candidates are required to demonstrate a strong interest in the study of music as well as significant attainment in one or more of a range of disciplines including performance, composition, music technology, musicology, and community engagement. Entry to the programme will be assessed on the strength of the candidate’s academic record and personal statement where graded qualifications on instrument or voice are welcome but are not essential. Candidates may be invited to interview. Further information about the interview process is available on the Music Department website. Applicants outside the UK must also meet the above performance requirement.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | Overall - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5 or above; Reading - 5.5 or above; Speaking - 5.5 or above; Writing - 6.0 or above. IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training are not accepted. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 78 | TOEFL iBT and TOEFL Home Edition (online) - DI code is 0818: Overall 78 with: Listening - 17 or above; Reading - 18 or above; Speaking - 20 or above; Writing - 21 or above. |
| PTE Academic | 59 | Overall - 59 with: Listening - 59 or above; Reading - 59 or above; Speaking - 59 or above; Writing - 59 or above. Online Test is not accepted. |
| Trinity ISE | Pass | Pass overall at ISE II with a distinction in writing and merit in the other three skills. |
| Institution's Own Test | Academic English Pre-sessional Programmes - Pass (valid for one year) OR Academic English Preparation Programme - Pass at Level Four (valid for one year) | |
| Cambridge English Advanced | C | Overall - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing -169. |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | C | Overall - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing -169. |
Please use the checklist at the following webpage to determine how you can meet our English language requirements: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/undergraduate-degrees-english-requirements-268.php
We are keen to encourage students from the widest possible range of backgrounds to participate in University studies, and we appreciate that not all students have the same opportunity to meet our advertised entry requirements.
For this reason we take contextualised information into account when making decisions on the applications we have received. Decisions are made in line with the University's Contexualised Admissions Policy.
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Historical entry grades data is not currently available for University of Aberdeen - we are working with them to try and make it available soon - learn more.
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The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| EU | £20800 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820 | Year 1 |
| England | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9790 | Year 1 |
| International | £20800 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
EU/International Applicants: When you are thinking about studying overseas, it is important that you understand all the costs involved and budget accordingly. It is essential to budget for your studies prior to leaving your home country, and arrange all your funding for BOTH your tuition fees and your living costs.
Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.
International Students: The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme. This scholarship is in the form of a tuition fee waiver. To be eligible students must be registering for a full-time, on-campus programme and cannot be in receipt of external scholarships or other University of Aberdeen scholarships, except for awards granted by the University of Aberdeen Development Trust. Please note that the scholarship does not apply to the DPLP or Medicine.
View the University of Aberdeen Online Prospectus programme page to find out about any scholarships and funding you may be eligible to apply for.
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