Overview:
The Music course at the University of Cambridge has a rich history of nurturing prominent figures in British music. This includes composers like Judith Weir, Errollyn Wallen, and Thomas Adès, as well as performers like Joanna MacGregor and conductors like John Eliot Gardiner.
The Faculty of Music offers state-of-the-art facilities. This includes a professional concert hall, a comprehensive music library, a purpose-built studio, music computing labs, and the Centre for Music Performance. Students can borrow period instruments, utilise the Javanese gamelan, and participate in various workshops and masterclasses.
As for course costs, you can find details of tuition fees on the university website. There are no compulsory additional course costs, but students pursuing performance options will need instrumental or vocal teaching.
All colleges guarantee financial support, varying amounts in different years of study. Fieldwork, typically supporting dissertations, is optional, and limited financial support is usually available through Colleges for such expenses.
| UCAS Code | W300 |
| Minimum Entrance Requirements | A-levels – A*AA IB – 40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level |
| Admission Test for Musicat Cambridge | The following colleges ask students to undertake an admissions assessment: Clare, Girton, Homerton, Jesus, Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Peterhouse, Queens’, Robinson, Selwyn, St Edmund’s, St John’s, Trinity and Trinity Hall.These colleges will assess aptitude, knowledge base and potential through tasks at the time of interview. |
| Subject Requirements – Musicat Cambridge | All Colleges require: A Level/IB Higher Level Music (ABRSM Grade 8 Theory at Merit and above may be accepted as a substitute if A Level Music is not one of the three subjects taken) |
| Extras things admission tutors look for | Applicants to all Colleges are required to submit representative written work and musical material prior to interview. This will normally include one or two essays on the history or analysis of music; and one or two technical exercises (if studied) and/or your own compositions. |
| Duration | 3 years – BA (Hons) |
| Admissions Statistics | Applications per place: 2 Number accepted: 71 |
| Cambridge Colleges that offer Music | Available at all Colleges except Lucy Cavendish |
| Structure of the Music at Cambridge | Year 1 (Part IA) The first year consists of compulsory papers in three major areas, and two half-papers chosen from a range of options. These papers provide a secure and interconnected foundation for your further study. You take: historical and critical studies, total skills and general musicianship. You also take music analysis in two half papers chosen from the following: extended essay, performance, composition, music historiography Year 2 (Part IB) You take a further paper in each of the core Part IA areas (historical studies, analysis and applied tonal skills). You then choose three more papers from a range of different topics. In-depth historical topics: jazz, popular music and media, musicology, notation, keyboard skills music and science performance studies (including recital) Composition dissertation of 5,000-7,000 words Year 3 (Part II) In the final year, you have even more choice. There are no compulsory papers – you choose six papers from a wide selection of options which reflect your own interests |
| Common Careers after Music at Cambridge | Graduates of Music at Cambridge secure opportunities in: Publishing and the media, Academia, Arts administration, Banking, Law, Public service, The charity sector. |
