Master in Composing for Film and Television
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
GBP 8,770 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* there is no application deadline for postgraduate courses
** home full-time: £8,770 | international full-time: £17,700
Introduction
Why choose this course?
This course explores how music creates atmosphere, conveys mood and depicts setting, character and action.
You will examine the relationships between composer and producer, directors and music editors. You will study the technology used to produce high-quality soundtracks as well as business and copyright issues. Through optional modules, you will be able to tailor the course to your interests.
For your major project, you will create a portfolio of music to picture and work with filmmakers. There are opportunities to collaborate with film-making and animation students.
Reasons to choose Kingston
- You will learn techniques for composing and producing music for different media, be taught by professional composers, and collaborate with filmmakers and animators.
- There is the opportunity to have your compositions performed by an ensemble, conducted to picture in a professional recording environment.
- You will use recording studios, rehearsal rooms, a synthesis/sampling lab, and will the analogue/digital hybrid Visconti Studio, which has a 300m² octagonal live room plus rare and vintage recording equipment.
The Art School Experience
As part of Kingston School of Art, students on this course benefit from joining a creative community where collaborative working and critical practice are encouraged.
Our workshops and studios are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.
Gallery
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
BAFTA UK Scholarship Programme
Applicants to MMus in Composing for Film and Television can apply for the BAFTA UK Scholarship Programme, which is open to British citizens in need of financial assistance.
Each successful BAFTA Scholar receives up to £12,000 towards their annual course fees, as well as mentoring support from a BAFTA member, and free access to BAFTA events around the UK.
In addition, three successful applicants will be awarded a Prince William Scholarship in Film, Games and Television, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros., including a funded work placement within the Warner Bros. group of companies and other benefits.
Curriculum
What you will study
You will analyse film and TV scores, exploring how music is used to create atmosphere, convey mood and depict setting, character and action. You'll also explore the relationships between composer and producer, directors and music editors.
As well as studying and practising the use of main themes, underscoring and the harmonic languages of soundtracks, you will also learn about the technology used to produce high-quality soundtracks for the music industry, as well as business and copyright issues.
Modules
The curriculum is enriched by a broad view of musical styles and genres, exploiting the diversity of a repertoire that encompasses Western classical music, and popular and world music.
The major project enables you to compose an individualised portfolio of music to picture and work with student filmmakers, enhancing your research and project development skills.
You'll need to take all four compulsory modules, totalling 150 credits. You can then choose one further optional module, to total 180 credits altogether.
Core modules
- Major Project
- Score and Screen
- Researching Music
- Techniques and Technology for Composing for Film and Television
Optional modules (not all optional modules will run every year)
- Advanced Production of Popular Music
- Commercial Music
- Composing and Marketing Popular Music
- Constructing Music Education in the UK
- Critical Reflection on Musical Performance
- Performance Studies
- Special Study: Arranging and Scoring
- Special Study: Broadcasting
Please note
Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
After you graduate
Many of the graduates from this Composing for Film and Television course have progressed on to roles either in the music industry itself or in related areas – or have enrolled for further study (e.g. MPhil/PhD). For those students who are already in employment and undertake the course part-time, the award may accelerate promotion and open up new opportunities.
The nature of the Composing for Film and TV MMus course at Kingston – combining compositional and practical skills, alongside theoretical knowledge – equips graduates for a broad range of careers, including:
- composing for theatre
- studio-based technical and creative work
- a portfolio career as a composer, producer and performer.
Recent graduate destinations for this and similar courses include:
- broadcast media coordinator at the BBC, London
- composer for Jonathan Brooks Music, Cheshire
- interactive editorial assistant for the BBC, London
- music production coordinator at Michael Paert Music, Surrey.
The high level of research and transferable skills you acquire during your studies also makes careers in the wider commercial and business environments available to you.