World Music Studies MA - Applying
"The distance-learning MA course allowed me to realise my dream of pursuing studies in World Music, without giving up my job and my study of music in Japan. The course is affordable, fun, and has opened up new doors of opportunity."
Kirk King
MA (2010)
Please note this course only recruits in even numbered years. We are therefore now taking applications for August 2012 entry. Any offers made will be held until then.
Please follow the link below to apply on-line.
www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/apply
You also need to find two referees who can comment upon your academic and musical experience, and upon your suitability for the course. We will pay particular attention to the last section of your application form, where you are asked to comment on your reasons for doing the course and your current interest in world music and ethnomusicology.
Your application will be processed by the University Graduate Admissions Office, before being considered by the course tutors. We will inform you of our decision within 6 weeks of receiving your application and references. If you are offered a place, you will begin the course by attending the first residential, which will be for four days in the second half of August 2012. Details will be sent to successful applicants nearer the time.
Applications can be processed until the course is fully subscribed, but we would urge you to respond as early as possible to give us the best chance of considering your application. Interviews for the course are rare, but we might contact you by telephone or email to discuss a particular aspect of your experience or education.
Entry requirements
What we expect of you...
World Music Studies is a postgraduate course, and before enrolling in it, you should possess academic and musical skills equivalent to those of a UK Bachelors degree course (usually at or above the British 2:i standard), or a graduate diploma course from a conservatoire of music. It is important that you can demonstrate an academic and practical commitment to the research area, with the ability to read music notation and the capacity to analyse existing research work and to write essays. Previous experience in world music and ethnomusicology is welcome but not required.
The most important requirement is your interest in and dedication to the course of study that we offer. Without motivation, postgraduate courses are extremely difficult to complete, and this is doubly true of a course that is taught at a distance. World Music Studies gives you the opportunity to study at intensive residentials, and to interact with your tutors in a number of ways, but it cannot provide the same environment as a contact-taught course. You must be self-motivated and able to work on your own and think for yourself. Your tutors can help you develop your skills and knowledge, but much of the energy must come from you.
The course is designed to be taken by practising musicians and music educators, and can be successfully completed by students who are in full-time work. Deadlines and essays are set well in advance, and assessments are made at the end of each module. This gives you the opportunity to structure your study time according to your work and other commitments, and you will find the tutors supportive in enabling you to do this. Making contact with other students is also important in preventing the sense of isolation that can sometimes be a problem for distance learners, and there is an e-mail discussion list to facilitate this.
If English is not your first language you will also require a suitable language qualification, such as TOEFL PBT (minimum score 575), TOEFL CBT (minimum score 232) or IELTS (minimum score 6.5 with 6.0 in each component), unless your undergraduate degree was also taught in English.
All applications are considered on individual merits, and there is no such thing as a `typical´ applicant; students will have experience and training in varied aspects of music and academic work. If you are still uncertain about details of the course or your own suitability to apply after reading the Frequently Asked Questions section, you are welcome to discuss the course and your potential application with the course director, Dr Andrew Killick, by phone (+44 (0)114 222 0460) or by e-mail a.killick@sheffield.ac.uk .
Further Information
We very much hope that you have found this information interesting and, as throughout the course, we are keen that you should contact us if we can provide any further information or help. Your first point of contact should be the course co-ordinator:
Jamie Crewe
University of Sheffield
Department of Music
Jessop Building
34 Leavygreave Road
Sheffield
S3 7RD
Tel: +44 (0) 114 222 0495
Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 0469
email : dlma-admin@sheffield.ac.uk