Course contact details
Main Contact
Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
Composition (Taught)
- Master of Arts
- 1 Years
- Full-Time
- 20 September 2027
- Postgraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
Course summary
The MA Composition pathway is designed to explore your compositional voice. Embarking on your tailored learning journey, our tutors will apply their expertise to support your creative and professional development.
Composition students have opportunities to work in the superb electroacoustic and recording studios, devise new work in our purpose-built performance venues, and complete an optional second study in performance. You will be working with our diverse and talented performing community in some of the best facilities in Europe.
Performing new work is of paramount importance to us. The Composition department has a significant reputation for contemporary music. PLUG – our critically acclaimed annual festival – is a renowned platform for premiering hundreds of new works. Our professional partnerships with leading ensembles and orchestras will provide you with further opportunities to hear your pieces performed.
Composition can be a solitary existence, but our Composition programmes aims to challenge and provide students with collaborative experiences with artists from dance, theatre, film, and musical theatre disciplines to develop their skills.
At RCS, our aim is for each of our graduates to build a distinct, artistic practice, with the skills required to embark on a professional career as a creator of new music.
Please note, the international deadline for this programme is the 1st December 2026, but we would encourage applicants to apply early where possible.
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Primary instrument/specialism
- Composition
Modules
Course Modules
The MA Composition degree course shares many attributes with the BMus degree. This facilitates the cross-fertilisation of ideas from a similar discipline across degree structures.
There is strong dialogue between composers of all levels of experience at the Conservatoire from undergraduate, postgraduate through to research, which creates a strong and supportive learning environment.
The Masters composers are encouraged to develop their own personal directions. These are considered when learning journeys are agreed at the beginning of each academic year.
In addition to 1:1 lessons, composers also have access to a diverse and comprehensive diet of classes each year, such as:
-
Masters Studies Classes
-
Composers’ Forum
-
Cowcaddens Gramophone Society
-
Music for Media
-
Orchestration
-
Analysis
-
Sonic Arts
-
Interactive Composition
-
Contemporary Repertoire
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/mmus-ma-composition/#programme-structure
Assessment method
Please see our course page for more information.
How to apply
If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
Apply by
1 October 2026
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 820F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
Bachelor Degree
Candidates for both the MMus and MA are normally expected to hold a good honours (at least 2:2) degree, or its overseas equivalent, in a subject area relevant to the demands of the programme.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Typical qualification requirements
Bachelor Degree 2:2
Candidates for both the MMus and MA are normally expected to hold a good honours (at least 2:2) degree, or its overseas equivalent, in a subject area relevant to the demands of the programme.
Additional entry requirements
- Portfolio
- Applicants should submit 2-4 pieces of work, each with a recording, which may be purely digital, or performed by live instruments (as appropriate). At least one work in the submission should be accompanied by a full, musical score, to demonstrate an example of the candidate’s music notation skills. Explanatory notes can, if appropriate, be submitted.
- Interview
- If successfully recalled for interview, these will take place either in-person or online during our November audition week. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants (and where possible international applicants) to attend in person.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | 6.0 with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 80 | Overall score of 80, with minimum scores of: Reading – 18, Listening – 17, Speaking – 20, Writing – 17 |
| PTE Academic | 59 | Overall score of 59 with a minimum of 59 in all components (reading, listening, speaking, writing) |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 169 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 169 with a minimum of 162 in all components |
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| RCS (Glasgow) | £65 |
| Online | £65 |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not Applicable |
| Online | Not Applicable |
Additional Information
All applicants need to complete an Acceptd account profile and application regardless of which location you choose, this is part of the audition process (https://app.getacceptd.com/rcs) and needs to be completed once your UCAS application has been submitted. Entry to this programme is through a two round audition process. All second round live in-person auditions will be scheduled through the Acceptd platform. If you don't have an acceptd application, we won't be able to audition you. You can view the audition requirements and what to prepare for this course on the relevant programme page on our website. If you have any questions, please contact: hello@rcs.ac.uk
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
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.
Additional fee information
Please note, all new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
For more information on fees, funding and scholarship, please see our website.
Sponsorship information
Music Scholarships
Within the School of Music, the majority of scholarship awards are made following an audition and offer of a place at the RCS. Scholarships are made based on ability and potential with some for financial need. Many School of Music scholarships are made for the duration of the programme. There is no separate scholarship application for the School of Music as everyone is automatically considered.
Related courses
At Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Like this page