The University of Birmingham is a public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingham, and Mason Science College, making it the first English civic or 'red brick' university to receive its own royal charter. The University have a long and proud history of firsts, at the University of Birmingham; they were the first – and are now one of the largest - civic universities in the UK.

At Birmingham, the institution teach and research across the full breadth of academic disciplines, creating a vibrant community with multi-disciplinary opportunities for research and education. The University is a truly international community consisting of more than thousands of staff, students, and alumni. The student community is not only one of the largest of any UK university, it is highly diverse, with 82 per cent of home undergraduate students from state schools, 32 per cent from a BAME background, and 35 per cent in the first generation of their family to attend university.

Core modules
You will study the following core modules:

Advanced Studies in Electroacoustic Composition 1 and 2
These two half-modules present selected topics in advanced electroacoustic composition, including, but not limited to:

Advanced recording techniques (studio and field) using conventional and ambisonic techniques
Approaches to multichannel spatialisation
Diffusion techniques and the MiniBEAST and BEAST sound systems
Topics in programming for electroacoustics and digital signal processing
Live electroacoustic performance
Advanced or non-standard synthesis techniques
Mixed instrumental and electroacoustic composition.
Assessment: A combination of written and practical tasks

Composition Tutorials 1 and 2
Across these two modules you will receive regular one-to-one tutorial teaching, enabling you to develop your compositional technique and a self-reflexive critique of your own work. You will be taught composition techniques appropriate to your individual needs. You will also be encouraged to broaden your range of compositional practice, and move toward the development of a personal ‘voice’.

Assessment: A series of compositions

Optional modules
You will also choose three optional modules from a range which typically includes:

Advanced Studies in Instrumental/Vocal Composition
Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art
British Music Studies 1850-1975
Electronic Music Studies
Experimental Music and Sound Art
Fieldwork Methods
Introduction to Global Popular Musics
Introduction to Musicology
For more information, see our Music module descriptions.

Composition Portfolio
In addition to your taught modules, you will produce a portfolio consisting of one or more compositions amounting to approximately 13-23 minutes duration in total (length to be agreed with your supervisor), and an accompanying written commentary of approximately 3-5,000 words. Students are also required attend and to write short summaries of research seminars presented during the academic year.

Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.

You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.

• Make a booking online after you have been accepted (in this case please let us know your choice when you apply).
• Register when you arrive - its not possible to reserve a room before arriving. You can arrive a few days before and book it