Course details
- Entry requirements: Relevant 2:1 degree or equivalent
- Full-time: 12 months
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.
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.
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:
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.
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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.
Students from this course can pursue careers in a wide range of professions. These include:
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland) | |
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Full-time place, per year | £10,400 |
International fees | |
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Full-time place, per year | £21,300 |
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan worth up to £12,167 to help with course fees and living costs. Learn more about tuition fees, funding and Postgraduate Loans.
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.
Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to help cover tuition fees and help with living expenses while at university.
The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.
My qualifications are from: United Kingdom.
Your qualification | Requirements |
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Postgraduate entry requirements |
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. |
You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language. International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
English language qualification | Requirements |
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IELTS |
C View our IELTS academic requirements key. |
International Baccalaureate |
Standard Level (Grade 5) |
TOEFL iBT | 88 or above with minimum scores in components as follows: Listening and Writing 19, Reading 19, Speaking 20. |
INDIA Standard XII | 70% or above from Central and Metro State Boards |
WAEC | C4-6 |
Hong Kong use of English AS level | C |
Discover more about the city and University.
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.
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Last updated 26 April 2023 / / Programme terms and conditions /