MA Psychology for Musicians/MA Music Psychology in Education
Course Structure
The Psychology for Musicians and Music Psychology in Education MAs are both divided into two parts: the first year introduces relevant work in music psychology and helps you to develop skills in writing, literature exploration and evaluation, whilst the second year consolidates this work and provides training in research methods that will prepare you for dissertation research:
Part I
Musical Development (30 credits)
The Psychology of Performance (30 credits)
Researching Music in Everyday Life (30 credits)
Total: 90 credits
Part II
Readings in Music Psychology or Music Education (30 credits)
Total: 90 credits
Course Total: 180 credits
The Postgraduate Certificate option requires you to pass two of the three taught modules from the first year, while for the Postgraduate Diploma you will need to complete the whole of Part I, plus the `Readings´ module in music education or music psychology. Students can choose to transfer between courses at any stage, but the awards are not cumulative: only one qualification can be awarded to each student at the end of their period of study with us.
The courses are designed for people in full-time work, although as with any distance learning course, time management is vital. Modules are structured such that deadlines occur at approximately three monthly intervals, and students are encouraged to maintain contact with their tutor and with other students throughout that time, for assistance, encouragement and the sharing of ideas.
We are often asked how many hours of study per week the courses require, a question which is almost impossible to answer, given the different pace that people work at when they are reading or writing for a course of this kind. As a rough guide, though, you should expect to set aside the equivalent of at least one evening or half-day session each week for study, and be prepared to increase this nearer to essay deadlines.