Year one at Durham City Campus builds core musical knowledge through what is the history of western music, alongside optional modules in composition, performance, ethnomusicology, and study skills. You develop foundational knowledge of Western art music from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries, historical and analytical approaches, and music research methods while building performance, listening, and writing skills for professional music careers. Teaching links theory to Durham University Department of Music research strengths and prepares you for optional specialist modules in composition, performance, and musicology in year two.

• What Is the History of Western Music? — Core

Year two develops applied musical study through optional modules chosen from your interests and career ambitions across creative music technology, the music of India, performance practice, composition, orchestration, historical studies, advanced historical composition techniques, theory and analysis, studies in the history of opera, world music traditions, and studies in popular music. You apply historical, analytical, compositional, and performance skills to musical problems while building research and professional skills for music roles at Durham University.

• Creative Music Technology — Optional
• The Music of India — Optional
• Performance Practice — Optional
• Composition — Optional
• Orchestration — Optional
• Historical Studies — Optional
• Advanced Historical Composition Techniques — Optional
• Theory and Analysis — Optional
• Studies in the History of Opera — Optional
• World Music Traditions — Optional
• Studies in Popular Music — Optional

Year three completes your music degree through a substantial dissertation on a research question of your choosing, which may be historical, analytical, ethnomusicological, or interdisciplinary, under academic supervision. You undertake independent research producing a major written thesis, consolidating skills developed across years one and two. Graduates are prepared for musician, singer, vocalist, composer, and songwriter roles across performance, composition, education, and creative industries in the UK and internationally.

• Dissertation — Core