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PostgraduateDoctor of Philosophy

Musical Composition

University of Sussex
Brighton, England
Visit University Website
4 yearsDuration
£23,500Per Year (Intl)
£5,238Home Fee
N/AContinuation Rate

Course Overview

Pursue your ambitions in creative arts and design with the PhD Musical Composition at University of Sussex. Based in Brighton, England, this programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, with a 4-year full-time and part-time structure. For our Musical Composition PhD, you’ll research and develop new musical languages. You achieve this through building a portfolio of works accompanied by a reflective critical commentary. Our specialist facilities provide the latest tools in software and hardware in the Jonathan Harvey Electronic Music Studio. International tuition fees are £23,500 per year, home/UK fees are £5,238 per year, and a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 is required for admission. Graduates from this programme benefit from strong career prospects, with 87% student satisfaction rating, a 95% continuation rate, and 80% of graduates in employment or further study.

What You'll Learn

Advanced Compositional Techniques
Electronic Music Studio Practice
Orchestration and Instrumentation
Research Methods in Music
Contemporary Opera Studies
Film and Media Scoring
Improvisation and Harmonic Language
Critical Commentary and Contextual Analysis
Academic Year:2026-27 entry
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Entry Requirements

📋 Academic Entry Requirements

Postgraduate Requirement2:1

🗣️ English Language Requirements

TestOverallLRWS
IELTS Academic6.56666

L = Listening, R = Reading, W = Writing, S = Speaking

Tuition Fees & Funding

International Student Fee

£23,500

per year

Total Course Cost (4 years)£94,000

Home Student Fee

£5,238

regulated fee

Scholarships available for eligible students

Fees shown are for current entry. Fees may increase annually in line with inflation.

📊 OFFICIAL UK DATA

Graduate Outcomes

Based on official LEO data (HMRC tax records) Based on subject average, not course-specific.

💰 Graduate Salaries — University of Sussex

Time After GraduationLower Quartile SalaryMedian SalaryUpper Quartile Salary
3 years£17,000£21,000£26,500
5 years£21,000£26,500£36,000
Indicative Data

Salary figures are based on national sector benchmarks for the CAH25-02-02 subject area and do not represent outcomes specific to this course or provider. These are indicative figures to aid comparison. For official graduate outcomes data, visit Discover Uni at Discover Uni.

💼 Employment Breakdown

75%Working
5%Studying
5%Seeking Work
60%Professional Jobs
Official Data

Graduate employment outcomes are sourced directly from Discover Uni for this specific course and provider. For full details, visit Discover Uni at Discover Uni.

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University of Sussex

About University of Sussex

University of Sussex offers Musical Composition as part of its comprehensive programme offerings.

#278QS World
#27UK Ranking
17,290+Students
152+Courses

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