Graduate Diploma
Music
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Why study the Graduate Diploma in Music
This Pre-Masters programme is aimed at postgraduates who need a year to develop their musical skills and academic English.
- You'll have the opportunity to familiarise yourself both with ways of working in British academic culture and in the standards required at Masters degree level.
- You can take it as a self-standing Diploma or as an ideal preparation for further postgraduate study. The Graduate Diploma in Music is designed to lead on to a Masters programme in the Department of Music at Goldsmiths.
- You can choose to specialise in an area of music that interests you, whether it be music performance, composition or musicology.
- If you wish to go on to study either at Goldsmiths or elsewhere in Britain you'll be given help and support in finding an appropriate programme.
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Naomi Matsumoto.
Length
1 year full-time
Fees
International - full-time: £18750
Departments
What you'll study
Half of the programme is made up of English for Academic Purposes modules, concentrating on different areas of language and academic skills development:
- Academic Writing and Language Development
- Academic Listening and Speaking
- Contemporary Theories
The other half of the programme is taught in the Department of Music.
You choose ONE of the 30-credit modules listed below, and TWO of the 15-credit modules:
| Module title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Performance: Creative Practice | 30 credits |
| or | |
| Composition portfolio | 30 credits |
| or | |
| Research Project | 30 credits |
| Acoustic Ecology and Field Recording | 15 credits |
| Performing South-East Asian Music | 15 credits |
| Fringe and Underground Musics | 15 credits |
| Music Practice and the Black Atlantic: Britain’s Celebrity Culture | 15 credits |
| Creative Orchestration and Arrangement | 15 credits |
| Introduction to Audiovisual Composition | 15 credits |
| Improvisation | 15 credits |
| Advanced Popular Music Studies | 15 credits |
| Live Electronics | 15 credits |
| Music and Screen Media | 15 credits |
| Contemporary Jazz Performance the UK Scene | 15 credits |
How you'll be assessed
Continuous assessment includes regular seminar presentations and researched essays. There will also be written, listening and oral examinations. For those students who choose music performance and composition options, assessments will include a recital and a portfolio of creative work.
Skills you'll develop
This programme will develop your skills in:
- Critical reasoning
- Textual interpretation
- Oral and written communication
Find out more about how Goldsmiths can develop your skills to boost your employability.
How to apply
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
See our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement - If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
- A sample of your work (either an essay in English, sample compositions or a video recording of a musical performance)
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
When to apply
We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.
Selection process
Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. We will assess your suitability based on your submitted sample of work, as specified above.
Entry requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in a relevant/related subject.
You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.
For this programme we require: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) IELTS 5.5 overall with no component lower than 5.5. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees
These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
- International - full-time: £18750
Find out about our tuition fees and funding opportunities.
Funding opportunities
We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our Careers Service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.
If you pass the programme at the required level (a pass in all modules with an overall score of 50% or more), you can progress onto one of our Masters programmes.
In 2024 these are:
