This programme provides you with flexible advanced training that will develop your knowledge and expertise in music and audiovisual media. It offers two pathways; one academic and one practical, which enables you to develop skills according to your own interests and specialisms.
Introduction
Utilising the industry standard facilities within the Department of Music, this course allows you to specialise in areas such as composition for moving image, sound design, screen music analysis, film studies, and sound studies.
You can develop your knowledge and research skills through approaches to audiovisual media including musicology, critical theory, and textual analysis. Students present their research in essays, audiovisual essays, podcasts, soundwalks, and other audiovisual formats.
Film, television, gaming, and web-based audiovisual content creation are all expanding areas of employment for music graduates. The subject is also a burgeoning field of academic study. The MA Music and Audiovisual Media responds to these developments by offering both practice-based and critical studies pathways.
What you'll learn
To compose and produce screen music to a high standard
To critically reflect on relevant literature, methodologies, and theories of music in audiovisual media
To analyse screen music in an engaging manner, drawing on appropriate terminology and theoretical concepts
To prepare and present original research in a professional and appropriate manner using the necessary tools and resources
To produce original compositions for a professional recording session or concert
To work both under supervision and independently; justify and defend decisions taken in the construction and prosecution of research tasks
To demonstrate the ability to plan, organise, review, and deliver a large-scale independent project
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Semester one
The programme offers two core pathways – one academic and the other practical – enabling you to tailor your studies to suit your career ambitions.
For the academic pathway, you will take MUSI553 in semester one, and MUSI554 in the second semester.
For the practical pathway, you will take MUSI555 in semester one, and MUSI556 in the second semester.
All students will take MUSI552 and the major project module (MUSI550). You will also choose three optional modules.
Compulsory modules
Analysing Screen Music 1 (MUSI553)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to the skills needed to research, analyse, critically assess, and write about music and audiovisual media at a postgraduate level. Students will learn historical and technological approaches to synchronising music to moving images across a broad range of media, from silent and narrative cinema to pop music videos, video games, and more.
Composing to Picture 1 (MUSI555)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to a range of professional practices and applications of screen composition. Students will master the technical skills and storytelling strategies required to synchronise their music to picture in an appropriate and considered way. The module encourages students to build a portfolio of work consisting of a range of audiovisual media. Sessions will be delivered as lectures and workshops in the Mac Suite, and students will be assessed on their curated practical work. During the module, students will gain skills and experience with Logic Pro X.
Optional modules
Composing for New Media (MUSI557)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to the process of composing sound and music for cutting-edge interactive media. Topics will include composing for video games, web content, and other forms of modern content. Prominent theories will be discussed and formative exercises will provide practical experience, culminating in a final creative project. During the module, students will gain skills and experience with software such as Unity and FMOD.
Creative Sound Design (MUSI559)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to the creative application and choreography of sound in audiovisual media. Topics will include Foley sound, storytelling with sound, the relationship between music and sound, and mixing in 5.1 surround sound. Sessions will be delivered in a combination of seminars and practical studio workshops in our new Foley stage. During the module, students will gain skills and experience with software such as Logic Pro X and Pro Tools.
Orchestration for Screen (MUSI561)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to a range of orchestration and arranging techniques common to screen composition. Topics will include writing for orchestra, hybrid scoring methods, and writing for synthesizers. Using examples from traditional and contemporary practices, students will examine seminal film and television scores. During the module, students will gain skills and experience with Sibelius notation software.
Sound and Digital Cultures (MUSI551)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to the use of music in digital media, from music videos to social and interactive media. Students will learn how the circulation of music on the Internet has affected music production, dissemination, and reception. Topics may include music and apps/streaming, music/sound/voice and AI, and other forms of modern media and digital communication. The module will culminate in a case study of a digital audiovisual media work.
Soundscapes and Screen Media (MUSI565)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to the concepts and creations of soundscapes in screen media. Students will learn how different musical genres and sound effects create ambience and environments in media from films to video games. Topics will include a select history of music and sound design, and the relationship between music and sound. The module will culminate in a creative project that explores or creates soundscapes in audiovisual media.
Voice in Screen Media (MUSI563)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce students to studies of the voice in screen media, which has been a core tenet in the field since the beginning of film sound studies and has only gained ground with digital media. Topics will include key technological processes such as lip syncing and dubbing, theoretical concepts such as acousmatic voices, adapting voice-centred genres like opera and musicals to screen, and the circulation of voices in digital culture. The module will culminate in a multimedia project that centres around the voice.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Semester two
Compulsory modules
Analysing Screen Music 2 (MUSI554)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 2
Building on from Analysing Screen Music 1, this module prepares students for the delivery of academic conference papers. Students will develop a conference paper to be given in a symposium with fellow students and staff. This module will also continue to introduce students to recent techniques, theories, and scholarly debates in music in audiovisual media, such as the use of pre-existing popular music in film and television, and the creation of digital music videos.
Students should have taken MUSI553 or have equivalent experience as approved by the instructor.
Branding and Collaboration (MUSI552)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 2
This module will prepare students on both pathways for a career after the MA course. Students will learn to professionally promote themselves and their work; to communicate and collaborate with clients and colleagues effectively; to find, acquire, and sustain jobs, grants, and working relationships. The module will encourage students to work together to present their music and research in a variety of multimedia formats.
Composing to Picture 2 (MUSI556)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: semester 2
Building on from Composing to Picture 1, this module will prepare students for a professional recording session. It offers students the opportunity to develop their music and have it recorded by live musicians in a studio setting. The module takes students from the spotting session all the way through to the delivery of a mixed and mastered soundtrack. During the module, students will gain skills and experience with software such as Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, and Sibelius.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Final project
Compulsory modules
Major Project: Music and Audiovisual Media (MUSI550)
Credits: 60 /
Semester: summer
The Major Project marks the culmination of the student’s MA course. Depending on individual pathways, students will deliver either a portfolio of original music-to-picture compositions, a written dissertation, or a research project that combines practical and written work. Students will each be assigned a supervisor with whom they will liaise throughout the semester.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
How you'll learn
The MA Music and Audiovisual Media programme is split into two pathways: research and practical. Teaching on the MA programme is delivered primarily through a combination of lectures, workshops, and seminars, as well as guest lectures and workshops with external partnerships. All teaching takes place on campus. In semester 3, students develop portfolios and research projects with guidance from a specialist supervision team. Assignments encompass a wide range of topics and can be focussed towards written or audiovisual research projects, or more practical projects involving music composition, VR environments, and/or sound design. Lectures and seminars focussing on career development and professional skills encourage students to think about and prepare for employment (or self-employment) after the course.
How you're assessed
Students on the MA Music and Audiovisual Media programme are assessed through a combination of formative and summative coursework, including screen music portfolios, self-reflective commentaries, essays, audiovisual essays, and musical scores.
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
Your experience
As a music student at the University of Liverpool, you will be a part of a small and friendly department. With access to our extensive range of facilities including state-of-the-art recording faclilities, our auditorium and professionally maintained instruments. All while being surrounded by like-minded musicians.
Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
Why study Music at Liverpool?
We pride ourselves on being an innovative department that embraces the full spectrum of music, from the great works of the past to emerging trends such as sound for computer games
Our staff and students come from a variety of performance and non-performance backgrounds and share interests that span classical, popular, world and film music
Long established as a classical music department, in 1988 we created the Institute of Popular Music – the world’s first specialist centre for the study of Popular Music
Music placed in the top quartile for impact classified as outstanding (4*) (REF 2021)
Our recently refurbished facilities boast brand new studios, teaching spaces, and industry standard equipment. These include recording and production studios, an SSL studio, practice rooms with Yamaha pianos, a multipurpose rehearsal and performance space, iMac suites and a games research lab
In March 2022 we opened the Tung Auditorium, a new state-of-the-art performance venue seating up to 400 people, with space for a 70-piece orchestra.
What students say...
Due to the course being focused on working in industry, I am finding myself to be putting a lot of consideration into career paths. On the MA, I am being given the recourses I need to get my foot through the door and progress into the industry I want to.
The MA Music and Audiovisual Media develops key skills to those working or wishing to work in a variety of fields related to music and media. The MA programme is particularly suitable for graduates looking to pursue careers in filmmaking as, for example, music composers, orchestrators, music supervisors/editors, or sound designers. Equally, the MA is designed to prepare students for further research at PhD level, and to enable them to enter further postgraduate study, thus offering a first step towards a career in academic teaching and research.
Career support from day one to graduation and beyond
Students from this course can pursue careers in a wide range of professions. These include:
Composer
Music supervisor
Orchestrator
Sound designer
Academic researcher
Lecturer
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year
£10,400
International fees
Full-time place, per year
£21,300
Fees stated are for the 2023-24 academic year.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
A relevant 2:1 degree or above is required to being this course. Examples of relevant degrees include Music Technology, Sound Production, Composition, Creative Media and more at undergraduate level.
International qualifications
If you hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet our entry requirements, a Pre-Master’s can help you gain a place. This specialist preparation course for postgraduate study is offered on campus at the University of Liverpool International College, in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. Although there’s no direct Pre-Master’s route to this MA, completing a Pre-Master’s pathway can guarantee you a place on many other postgraduate courses at The University of Liverpool.
Liverpool bursts with diversity and creativity which makes it ideal for you to undertake your postgraduate studies and access various opportunities for you and your family.
To fully immerse yourself in the university experience living in halls will keep you close to campus where you can always meet new people. Find your home away from home.
Discover what expenses are covered by the cost of your tuition fees and other finance-related information you may need regarding your studies at Liverpool.
Contact us
Have a question about this course or studying with us? Our dedicated enquiries team can help.
