MA Psychology for Musicians/MA Music Psychology in Education

part time, distance learning

Psychology for Musicians welcomed its first students in August 1997, and has since expanded in numbers and geographical distance, drawing students from Canada, Greece, Iceland, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, as well as the UK. The course focuses on the application of psychological research to musical experiences and professions, and aims to attract graduate musicians who work in the fields of music therapy, performance, or teaching. Psychology for Musicians provides you with training in the research methods used by psychologists, together with the conceptual framework within which these methods can help to inform and explore musical expertise and understanding.

Music Psychology in Education is a new course which builds on the success of Psychology for Musicians and offers the opportunity for you to specialise in educational research in your second year. The first year of the course follows the same programme as Psychology for Musicians, but you will be able to select essay titles that emphasise the educational aspects of each module. You will then complete a `Readings in Music Education´ module, followed by dissertation research on an aspect of musical learning, informed by music psychology theory and methods. You will benefit from the same newly-written online materials, and from the department´s extensive resources of books and journals in music education.

The distance learning MA courses are part-time, and should normally be completed in two years. They are taught through a combination of short residential courses in Sheffield (one four/five day course each summer), optional one day study events, specially written online materials and tutorial contact via e-mail or telephone.

Certificate and Diploma options are available if you wish to pursue a shorter period of study, and offer opportunities for Continuing Professional Development for students who wish to combine work in music with postgraduate study. The shared course structures allow flexibility in choosing a course: you can register initially for the Certificate or Diploma, and have the option of transferring to one of the MA programmes at a later stage. Similarly, the Certificate and Diploma options are available for students who register at the outset for an MA, but are unable to complete the second year.

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