約克大學(xué)

The MA by Research in Contemporary Studies offers students the chance to delve deeper into creative processes in contemporary music and sound art, and to consider related cultural and critical issues. Applicants present a proposal, setting out the area they wish to investigate and the form(s) their research will take. This can be primarily practical, rooted in performance, composition, and/or improvisation, or more theoretical and musicological. Importantly, the Contemporary Studies strand includes the option to combine practical and theoretical perspectives on the chosen topic: students can submit a portfolio of work that includes creative research alongside theoretical investigation.

Applicants will already have some experience of the modes of research they wish to employ, whether practical, theoretical, or a combination of the two. They will also have some understanding of the range and variety of current musical practices (in composition, performance or improvisation, but perhaps also in other forms: installation, sound art, music theatre, radio and web-based work, and so on), and some ability to contextualize this in relation to recent musicology or other theoretical perspectives.

Supervisory meetings support the development of the student’s work, providing constructive feedback. Tutorial support is also used to develop the student’s ability to frame and situate their work in the context of recent developments: we examine different models of contemporary musical practice and related critical perspectives (including relevant approaches in other art forms).

The MA in Music by Research offers postgraduate opportunities to individuals who prefer to study independently rather than through classroom teaching, working under the close supervision of an expert in their field. This is a research degree, not a taught course programme, and applicants will need to have a clearly-focussed research proposal in their given area in order to be considered for admission to the research MA. Supervision and tutorial meetings are held on either a weekly or fortnightly basis throughout the academic year and by arrangement over the summer vacation. There is also an opportunity for all MA by Research students to interact with one another: the MA Research Forum. Meeting on Wednesday mornings, this is a discussion group that engages with common themes, such as issues of writing about music, while offering the opportunity for individual students to present aspects of their research topics to the larger group. Students are also encouraged to attend the weekly Research Seminar series (on Wednesday afternoons) where invited speakers, staff members and PhD students give presentations about their latest work, and there are opportunities to meet other postgraduate researchers.