Music/Theology & Religious Studies MA
ABB – BBB at A level, A-level Music (OR ABRSM Music Theory grade 5); graduates earn a median £22,500 three years on.
Typical A level offer
ABB – BBB
A-level Music (OR ABRSM Music Theory grade 5) · 65% of entrants came with A levels · 75% stay on after year 1 · Glasgow course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
ABB – BBBtypical A level offer
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. A contextual offer can be lower for applicants from under-represented backgrounds; none is published for this course.
Glasgow course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1A-level Music (OR ABRSM Music Theory grade 5)
Who actually got in: 65% with A levels, 20% via Access courses, 15% with other higher education. 30% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 15 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications2
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Highers | AAAAB | Additional requirements - Higher Music (OR ABSRM Music Theory Grade 5). |
| IB | 34 (6,5,5) | HL English and HL Humanities (plus ABRSM Music Theory required at grade 5). |
Years 1–4
What do you study?
2compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 77% · language & communication 15% · transversal skills 8%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Glasgow course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 2 core · 40 credits ≈ 400 hours
- Listening in Culture
What you learn (6)
- identify a range of musical forms, genres and styles
- apply key musical concepts to construct an argument
- compose written accounts of listening experiences linked to cultural context
- evaluate ideological issues raised by digital music recording and distribution
- discuss ideological issues in music listening through class debate
- communicate critical listening insights to a non-specialist audience
- Listening through Analysis
What you learn (8)
- analyse musical structures using aural listening skills
- analyse musical structures using notation and written description
- discuss musical structures orally with critical insight
- use accurate technical musical terminology in writing
- construct a clear written argument about music analysis
- identify underlying motivations driving musical analysis
- identify assumptions underlying musical analysis approaches
- relate analytical approaches to the listening experience and enjoyment
Year 2 · 10 core · 80 credits ≈ 800 hours
- Analysis: Formalist Approaches
What you learn (6)
- evaluate concepts underlying different musical analysis methods
- compare techniques used across formalist analytical schools
- apply formal analytical methods to pieces from diverse musical traditions
- analyse structural features of musical excerpts from varied genres
- describe the structural organisation of selected musical works
- explain how internal elements of pieces interact to create coherence
- Introduction to Composition
What you learn (5)
- apply varied technical methods to produce original compositions
- apply aesthetic judgement to give compositions a distinct stylistic identity
- incorporate harmony, melody, form, texture and timbre into compositions
- notate music accurately and effectively
- compose music suited to the characteristics of the chosen medium
- Musical Techniques, Foundation (MA/BEng/MEng)
What you learn (4)
- apply historical style conventions to harmony exercises
- analyse musical works using period-appropriate analytical methods
- compose musical passages imitating classical and other stylistic models
- use standard music notation conventions accurately
- Experimental Music Practice
What you learn (8)
- devise experimental musical performances individually
- devise experimental musical performances within an ensemble
- evaluate diverse approaches within experimental music practice
- conduct research to inform musical performance choices
- apply improvisation techniques in performance
- apply socially-mediated composing and devising methods
- interpret graphic and text scores in performance
- reflect critically on own performance in written form
Year 3 · 24 core · 480 credits ≈ 4,800 hours
- Sonic Arts: Interacting with Sound
What you learn (8)
- record sound using appropriate technical methods to achieve creative objectives
- manipulate recorded sound material to achieve a creative aim
- use computer software to generate and shape sound
- operate digital tools to interact with sound in real time
- apply technical sound skills creatively to produce rich audio works
- analyse musical outputs to justify their artistic and technical context
- resolve technical and creative problems encountered while producing sound works
- demonstrate critical listening skills through practical sound work
- Aesthetics And Philosophy Of Music (MA/BEng/MEng/BMus Hons)
What you learn (4)
- analyse philosophical arguments relating to music
- apply critical thinking to philosophical problems
- explain how philosophical concepts are constructed and used
- identify key concepts within music aesthetics
- Analysis: Formalist Approaches (Honours)
What you learn (6)
- evaluate techniques and concepts used in different analytical approaches to music
- analyse musical examples drawn from diverse repertoires using formal analytical methods
- explain the internal structure of key musical works from varied repertoires
- evaluate how structural elements function within selected musical works
- critique the suitability and limitations of chosen analytical methods
- relate chosen analytical approaches to broader analytical literature and musical enquiry
- Introduction to Composition for Honours
What you learn (6)
- apply technical compositional techniques to create original music
- apply aesthetic judgement to shape a distinctive compositional style
- integrate varied musical perspectives drawn from course content into compositions
- manage harmony, melody, form, texture and timbre coherently within a composition
- use music notation accurately to represent compositional ideas
- compose music that can be performed on the intended instruments or media
- Musical Techniques, Intermediate (MA/BEng/MEng Hons)
What you learn (5)
- produce practical projects showing familiarity with tonal musical styles across eras
- select stylistic features appropriate to a given period for a composition exercise
- apply period and style features to exercises at an advanced level
- demonstrate practical skill in writing music notation
- demonstrate practical skill in arranging musical pieces
- Live Performance, Introduction (Hons)
What you learn (6)
- select a programme of music reflecting own musical skill and background
- perform music live with technical accuracy and stylistic sensitivity
- organise and rehearse a group music project
- appraise peer and professional performances through critical listening
- apply stagecraft techniques suited to a performance setting
- apply basic management and entrepreneurial skills relevant to music performance
- Genders (20)
What you learn (5)
- analyse how gender shapes debates in diverse cultural texts and practices
- construct a well-argued academic essay on gender-related topics
- design a structured oral presentation on a chosen topic
- explain historical approaches to gender in creative works
- evaluate how gender influences debates across creative disciplines
- Composition Advanced 40
What you learn (7)
- combine diverse technical methods and musical viewpoints to produce compositions
- evaluate aesthetic choices to shape a developing personal compositional style
- refine an individual and consistent approach to composing music
- manage specialised compositional elements including harmony, melody and form
- apply notational conventions to represent complex musical ideas
- design compositions that exploit the sonic qualities of chosen instruments or media
- design compositions that exploit the gestural capabilities of chosen media
- Composition Higher
What you learn (5)
- apply advanced technical and formal strategies to compose extended works
- develop a distinctive stylistic identity across a composition portfolio
- evaluate compositional choices using critical listening and aesthetic judgement
- incorporate harmony, melody, form, texture, timbre and notation into compositions
- compose music that exploits the capabilities of selected performance media
- Dissertation in Music
What you learn (11)
- identify a suitable research question or text for extended study
- demonstrate detailed knowledge of a chosen musical topic or text
- identify relevant current literature on the research topic
- critique scholarly sources for relevance and currency
- identify ethical issues arising in a research project
- resolve ethical issues identified within the research design
- select research or analytical methods appropriate to the project
- evaluate the suitability of chosen research methods
- identify limitations of the research project
- relate project findings to existing scholarship
- present research findings in a clear and coherent written form
- Experimental Music Practice
What you learn (5)
- create experimental musical performances individually and in groups
- identify key stylistic features of relevant musical idioms through listening
- research material to inform and develop personal musical performance
- apply varied experimental performance methods such as improvisation and graphic scores
- evaluate own performance within its artistic context through written analysis
- Music General Paper
What you learn (8)
- identify suitable research questions for a paper of given scope
- construct a scholarly argument synthesising current literature
- select appropriate research and analytical methods for a project
- apply advanced research skills appropriate to the academic level
- demonstrate critical awareness in academic enquiry
- produce writing that meets academic conventions at this level
- identify limitations of a research project
- relate project findings to the existing body of knowledge
- Live Performance, Advanced
What you learn (9)
- select advanced repertoire suited to instrument or voice
- source repertoire material from credible references
- perform chosen pieces with technical mastery and stylistic accuracy
- critique own and peers' performances through attentive listening
- choose appropriate musicians for ensemble collaboration
- organise rehearsals for a collaborative musical group
- apply stagecraft techniques during live performance
- apply organisational and management skills to performance planning
- apply entrepreneurial approaches to performance contexts
- Performance Practices
What you learn (6)
- distinguish between different performance practices across historical and modern cultures
- assess the value of varied performance traditions and cultural contexts
- evaluate historical and contemporary performance practices for relevance to one's own work
- apply insights from performance traditions to develop personal creative practice
- critically examine scholarly debates on historical performance practice
- challenge underlying ideological assumptions about musical performance
- Popular Music Politics
What you learn (8)
- evaluate the political dimensions of popular music across varied contexts
- critique academic and other texts on the politics of popular music
- evaluate key concepts such as politics, gender, race, policy and censorship in music
- analyse academic texts addressing popular music topics
- analyse the relationship between popular music texts and their audiences
- reflect critically on personal musical preferences and their influences
- present oral arguments on the politics of popular music
- write analytical accounts of the politics of popular music
- Sonic Arts: Individual Creative Project
What you learn (7)
- produce a large-scale independent creative project using technology
- resolve technical issues by developing new and existing skills
- operate advanced sound manipulation technologies
- apply advanced listening skills to shape sound creatively
- analyse sound material to achieve a personal aesthetic goal
- evaluate one's own creative practice through critical reflection
- relate aesthetic objectives to relevant artistic contexts
- Sonic Arts: Sound for Narrative Film
What you learn (6)
- create and manipulate sound material to accompany moving image
- operate digital audio software to record sound
- design original sound effects using computer tools
- produce post-production audio material by combining creative and analytical approaches
- investigate the interplay between technology, sound and image in storytelling
- apply advanced creative and technical reasoning to sonic art projects
- Live Performance, Higher
What you learn (11)
- select a programme of music reflecting personal artistic development
- perform music live with technical accuracy
- demonstrate stylistic awareness during performance
- present music to an audience with confidence
- plan a collaborative musical project with group members
- rehearse a group performance to achieve musical coherence
- realise a group performance that represents all members' contributions
- evaluate peer and professional performances critically
- adjust own performance in response to critical listening
- apply administrative and management skills within a music group
- apply entrepreneurial skills to a group music project
- Applied Dissertation in Music
What you learn (8)
- evaluate a chosen music topic using subject-specific theories
- apply academic knowledge to a practical creative project
- plan an independent research and creative work schedule
- conduct independent research and creative activity efficiently
- synthesise independent research findings into a coherent written account
- analyse key concepts relevant to the research topic
- integrate critical and theoretical approaches into written and practical work
- analyse project outcomes within their wider academic field
- Digital Art and Performance (20 Credits)
What you learn (4)
- critique examples of digital performance using a chosen theoretical framework
- relate technological change to recent critical theories of performance
- identify key concerns of digital art and performance in contemporary culture
- collaborate effectively within a group to communicate shared understanding
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£22,500median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£18k
Median£23k
Upper quarter£29k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 350 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 23, 13, 11, 21
Half of graduates earned between £18,000 and £29,000. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 75% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 125% left | 75% | 15 |
| In work or study, 15 months on5% studying | 85% | 20 |
| Professional or managerial job | 75% | 15 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £26,000 | 45 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £22,500 | 350 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 375 |
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
75%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 73% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 15 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 1; lowest: 65% on question 25.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 100% |
| Question 2 | 100% |
| Question 3 | 96% |
| Question 4 | 88% |
| Question 5 | 100% |
| Question 6 | 96% |
| Question 7 | 100% |
| Question 8 | 96% |
| Question 9 | 87% |
| Question 10 | 92% |
| Question 11 | 92% |
| Question 12 | 96% |
| Question 13 | 92% |
| Question 14 | 71% |
| Question 15 | 92% |
| Question 16 | 96% |
| Question 17 | 96% |
| Question 18 | 96% |
| Question 19 | 95% |
| Question 20 | 92% |
| Question 21 | 100% |
| Question 22 | 100% |
| Question 23 | 100% |
| Question 24 | 83% |
| Question 25 | 65% |
| Question 26 | 75% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Glasgow’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Glasgow is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.