Master of Studies in Music

Differences from 2014/15 to 2021/22

  • 1. Each candidate will be required:

    • (a) to follow for at least three terms a course of study in music;

    • (b) to specialise in musicology, performance or composition;

    • (c) to take a two-part examination (Part 1 and Part 2).

  • 2. The elements of the examination will be determined by the candidates chosen specialism.

  • 3. Candidates specialising in musicology will be required to submit:

    • Part 1a: an essay or exercise on issues and methods in musicologymusic studies, in response to a core seminar, of 6,000 words (or equivalent in notation, visual documentation, or analytical diagrams), two copies of which must be submitted, not later than noon on MondayTuesday of theWeek tenth week10 of Michaelmas Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    • Part 1b: an essay of 6,000 words, normallyin onresponse ato topican ofelective the candidate’s choiceseminar. Two copies of theThe essay must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 10 of Hilary Term to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    • A portfolio of appropriately assessed language work that is directly relevant to the candidates intended field of research may substitutebe substituted for Part 1b with the approval of the DirectorMasters of Graduate StudiesConvenor which must be sought by noon on Friday of theWeek first week4 of Michaelmas Term.

    • Part 1c: an essayannotated bibliography of 64,000 words, normallyexplicitly in responserelated to anthe elective seminardissertation. TwoThe copies of the essaybibliography must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 73 of Trinity Term to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

      Part 1d: an essay of 6,000 words, normally on a topic of the candidate’s choice. Two copies of the essay must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 7 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    • Part 2: a dissertation of not more than 13,000 words (this word limit includingincludes footnotes but excludingexcludes bibliography and appendices) in musicology or ethnomusicology, or an editorial exercise (edition), with prefatory matter, of comparable length. The topic for the dissertation or edition must be submitted for approval to the DirectorMasters ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, Faculty of Music, by noon on Friday of theWeek third week3 of Hilary Term. Two typewritten copies of theThe dissertation or edition must be submitted, not later than noon on the Tuesday of theWeek tenth week10 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

  • 4. Candidates specialising in performance will be required to submit:

    • Part 1a: a performancelecture-recital consisting of nota more10-minute thanlecture tenon minutes’a durationresearch topic related to a 20-minute recital, both to be given by the candidate in an examination in Week 0 or Week 1  of Hilary Term.

    • Part 1b: an essay of 6,000 words, normallyin response to an elective seminar. The essay must be submitted, not later than noon Tuesday of Week 10 of Hilary Term.

      Part 1c: an essay of 6,000 words, on a topic of the candidates choice. Two copies of theThe essay must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 10 of Hilary Term to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

      Part 1c: an essay of 6,000 words, normally in response to an elective seminar. Two copies of the essay must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 73 of Trinity Term to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

      Part 1d: an essay of 6,000 words, normally on a topic of the candidate’s choice. Two copies of the essay must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 7 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    • Part 2: a recital of not more than thirtyforty-five minutes duration, vocal or instrumental, of at least two contrasted pieces, to be performed not later than theWeek tenth week10 of Trinity Term; and a programme note of no more than 1,200 words. TwoThe possibleproposed programmesprogramme must be submitted for approval to the DirectorMasters ofCourse Graduate StudiesConvenor, Faculty of Music, by noon on Friday of thirdWeek week7 of Hilary Term. Candidates will be informed of the examiners’ choice of programme by Friday of eighth week in the same term.

  • 5. Candidates specialising in composition will be required to submit:

      • Part 1a: a musical composition of not more than eight minutes produced in response to techniques presented in composition seminars, two copies of which must be submitted, not later than noon on MondayTuesday of theWeek tenth week10 of Michaelmas Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

        Part 1b: an essay of 6,000 words, normallyin onresponse ato topican ofelective the candidate’s choiceseminar. Two copies of theThe essay must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 10 of Hilary Term to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

        Part 1c: in consultation with the student’s composition supervisor: EITHER: an essay of 6,000 words, normallyon a topic of the candidate's choice OR an 8 minute composition in response to ancomposition elective seminarseminars. TwoThe copies of the essaywork must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 73 of Trinity Term to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

        Part 1d: a composition of not more than eight minutes produced in response to techniques presented in composition seminars. Two copies of the composition must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 7 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

        Part 2: a musical composition or portfolio of compositions, of not more than twenty-five minutes duration in total, two copies of which must be submitted, not later than noon on Tuesday of Week 10 of Trinity Term, to the Chair of Examiners for the M.St. in Music, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

    6. TheAll examinerssubmissions maymust awardbe aformatted distinctionand forsubmitted excellenceas specified in the wholehandbook examination. In this casefor the course. The assessments must be submitted by uploading it to the University approved online assessment platform; no concomitant copy submission may be submitted, for any purpose. Electronic submissions must be received by the deadline; technical problems external to the online assessment platform will not be accepted as grounds for excusing lateness. Written work willshall normallybe displaysubmitted anas excellentword-processed commandfiles converted to PDF using the course coversheet as first page of the subject studiedwork, evidencebearing on the front the candidate's examination number but neither their name nor the name of criticaltheir understanding,college. Candidates must themselves retain a copy of each piece of work and somemust demonstrationensure ofthat anthey originalreceive conceptualthe approachemail confirming the submission and that the email is retained for future reference.

  • 7. A candidate who fails the examination will be permitted to retake it on one further occasion only, not later than one year after the initial attempt. Such a candidate whose work has been of satisfactory standard in one or more elements examined will be required to resubmit for examination the element(s) which fell below the passmark when originally examined.

Oxford 1+1 MBA programme

Candidates registered on the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme will follow an additional two or three month bridging programme at the end of their third term of the combined programme.

Each candidate will be appointed an academic advisor from the Saïd Business School to plan an individual course of study which will include as a minimum, the following three compulsory elements:

    • (i) Normally two meetings during the bridging programme with the senior advisor appointed by the Saïd Business School at the start of the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme.

    • (ii) A formatively assessed Integrative Development Plan of up to 3,000 words. Candidates would be required to critically reflect on their learning from the Masters programme and relate this both to their forthcoming MBA programme as well as to their career goals. The meetings with the advisor will frame the design, delivery and discussion of the plan.

    • (iii) Attendance of the MBA pre-course as described in the joining instructions for the MBA class, unless granted exemption by the MBA Committee on the grounds of prior formal study or work experience.