Course contact details
Admissions Team
Email:admissions@rwcmd.ac.uk
Phone:029 2039 1361
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Castle Grounds
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3ER
MMus Composition (Intensive)
- Master of Music
- 13 Months
- Full-Time
- 20 September 2027
- Undergraduate
- Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
- Awarded by:
- University of South Wales (Prifysgol De Cymru)
Course summary
The MMus Composition programme is available over two years, full-time. In exceptional cases a one year intensive programme is available. For more information, please see our website: http://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/composition
Course overview
In this advanced course, you’ll work with professional musicians offering specialist tuition in creative compositional approaches and individual support in your personal development as a composer.
This one-to-one tuition (which we call principal study) will be supported by seminars and practical classes, where you’ll receive feedback from staff and your peers.
You’ll also take part in skills-based composition tutorials and workshops, as well as advanced performance and recording classes, usually with students from a range of disciplines.
The focus is on expanding your fluency with instrumentation, style or genre. But you’ll also develop your individual and collaborative artistry and confident communication skills as a musician.
Opportunities to showcase your work run through the entire programme of study. You can collaborate with industry professionals, work on our drama productions or be invited to pitch to write for College ensembles. To allow you to put into practice what you’ve learnt, your course culminates with a substantial performance of your work in the final term of study.
Here, you’ll be treated as an individual, working to build your skill set and diversify your work – and, perhaps most importantly, cultivate a future-facing creative outlook that will equip you with the ability to tackle developments and challenges as they arise.
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
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:
- 802F
- Institution code:
- R59
- Campus name:
- Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Entry to the postgraduate composition programme is by interview. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a level of ability appropriate for professional training. Applicants will be asked to send a portfolio of their creative work to discuss at interview. Minimum entry requirements usually include an undergraduate degree in music (2:1 or higher for Masters applicants) or an equivalent qualification. Candidates who have been studying or working in another field will be considered.
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
- Portfolio
- All applicants are required to submit a portfolio via Acceptd. You should expect to be ready to do this at the point of submitting your UCAS application (https://app.getacceptd.com/rwcmd).
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| Institution's Own Test | Requirements vary depending on the course of study | If you're applying from outside the UK, you will usually have to demonstrate that you meet our English language requirements. The requirements will vary depending on your chosen course of study. The tests we accept and minimum levels required for entry are available on the RWCMD website: |
https://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/international-students/english-language-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 |
|---|---|
| CBCDC Myfyrwyr | Fee Not Known |
| Online | £63 |
*Fee not collected by UCAS
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| CBCDC Myfyrwyr | Not Applicable |
| Online | Not Applicable |
*Fee not collected by UCAS
Additional Information
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio to support their application, portfolios are submitted via Acceptd; for more information and guidance, please see our website: http://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/auditions .
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
The fees stated are for one academic year and are subject to annual increase.
Related courses
At Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
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