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Master of Music pathway Music DesignThe study

Master of Music pathway Music Design

About the study

Study
Master Music
Mode of study
Full-time
School
Music and Technology
Grade
Master of Music
Duration
2 years
ECTS
120
Type
Master
Language
English|Dutch
CROHO-code
44739
Email
sz@hku.nl
Phone
+31 (0)30-2091540

Welcome to the study Master of Music (MMus)

Within the Music Design pathway, you will develop a professional and artistic vision of your own practice within the field of music technology, based on your musical and technological background.

Vision on Music Design

In this Master, you will explore your position within the field of music technology. In doing so, you will encounter many aspects of the field, such as:

  • The development and application of technology
  • Multidisciplinary cooperation
  • The context for which the music is made and performed
  • Design and production processes
  • Practice-based research
  • Target groups
All these aspects influence the final musical or technological product.
Master of Music pathway Music DesignWhat will you learn
Master of Music pathway Music Design

What will you learn

During the first weeks of your studies, you will work in a group of 'Artists-in-Residence' on your own study plan. You will describe your objectives during - and after - your studies. From there, you describe the actions you are going to undertake in the upcoming semester- as concretely as possible. For example: on which projects will you be working, which lessons or workshops do you plan to participate in and which conference will you visit.

In this way, you will work out your own study programme that suits your goals. Each semester, you review your plan, adjust your goals, and get closer to the professional practice you have in mind.

As a MMus Music Design student, you profit from an active community of national as well as international students, from a wide range of disciplines and areas of expertise. This means that you can learn a lot from each other and start inspiring collaborations. The network and expertise of our lecturers and Bachelor students extends to all corners of the field.

Four pathways

Within the MMus Music Design, there are four strands (directions) in which you can further develop yourself.
  • You focus on the development and meaningful application of technology within a creative or musical field. These strands are not prescriptive. Oftentimes students are very active within multiple strands throughout their Master.
  • You pay attention to the musical, contextual and productional aspects that play a role in the production of music. From live performance to recorded music. And from music for media to games and interactive installations.
  • You study the creation of sound and sound. This usually involves multidisciplinary work areas such as film, theatre, and games.
  • You focus on the creation and development of compositions for various purposes: from contemporary dance to the advertising industry and from games to animation.

Master of Music

After completing this study, you will obtain a Master of Music degree. You may put this title, abbreviated to MMus, behind your name.

Master of Music pathway Music DesignWhat will you make
Master of Music pathway Music Design

What will you make

Off to work!

After the MMus Music Design, you will have developed a professional and artistic focus and vision, and you will be able to work, for instance, as a:
  • Music technologist
  • Sound artist
  • Composer (autonomous or applied)
  • Producer
  • Software developer
  • Sound designer
  • Sonic Interaction Designer
  • Game Audio Designer
  • Vocalist
  • Instrumentalist
  • Performer
Master of Music pathway Music DesignApplication and admission
Master of Music pathway Music Design

Application and admission

Admission dates

Following your application, you will receive an assignment and uploading instructions. The admission process will take place over multiple rounds. This means that there will be several upload deadlines, and your application will be evaluated in the weeks after the nearest deadline.

The upload deadlines for this year are as follows:

  • 25 November
  • 13 January
  • 17 February
  • 14 April
  • 9 June (for EU/EEA candidates only)

You will be assigned to the next available admission round. We will inform you about the date after receiving your application.

Can you still apply?

You can still apply for the Master of Music, Music Design course for the academic year 2025-2026. Please keep in mind that at this point, almost all study places have been taken. It is therefore possible that you will be placed on a waiting list after we have received your admission documents.

Non-EU/EEA candidates are advised to apply before 1 April to be able to start the immigration procedure before the deadline of 1 June. We cannot accept applications from non-EU/EEA candidates after 1 April.

Prior Education

You can apply for this master's program if you have completed a bachelor's degree in a relevant field or are active as a professional at a comparable level. Or if you have followed a similar training abroad.

This is how the selection works

If you want to apply as a candidate for the Master of Music course, you must be motivated to develop further. You need to be able to set this out clearly in a motivation letter and substantiate your study goal in your study plan. You will then be invited to do the same in an interview. The admissions committee will also assess your portfolio and CV.

In short: we will expect a lot from you. But there's a good reason for that. We feel it's important for you to find yourself in the right place.

Selection Procedure

Apply with your DigiD through Studielink

The admissions procedure consists of two rounds.

First round: admission documents

After receiving your application, we will ask you to submit a number of documents:

  • Motivation letter
  • Study plan
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Portfolio

Based on your documents, the admissions committee will decide whether you go to the second round.

Second round: Interview

If you pass the first selection round, you will be invited for an online interview with the admissions committee. The interview will be about your admission documents and your motivation. It will be an open discussion in which we hope that you, as a candidate, come into your own.

You will be notified by email within three weeks of the admission interview as to whether you are accepted.

Study costs

HKU has different rates for tuition fees. Depending on your situation, you pay either statutory or institutional tuition fees.

Calculate your tuition fee

What are the requirements for my laptop and software?

For your admission:
HKU Music and Technology deliberately chooses not to offer any advice on software or hardware in preparation for the admission. This is because the tools that a candidate uses are not that relevant. Most important during the admission is that a candidate shows they have successfully created a musical work with the technological means they had available, and that they can explain and tell about the creative judgements and decisions they made. These technological tools can be very diverse in nature, from old tape recorders, analogue mixing consoles and 4-track cassette decks, to contemporary software such as MaxMSP, Logic, Protools, Cubase, FL studio and Ableton. Hardware may range from AKAI MPC's, to free open-source software such as PureData, Ardour and Audacity.

For the admissions, being proficient in the specific DAWs that we use at the school is not required. However, being skilled in any type of DAW is regarded as a plus.

For students:
M&T deliberately chooses not to set any specific requirements for soft- and hardware. Although you could theoretically complete the course without your own software and hardware, many students choose to use their own laptop and software, be it Windows, MacOS or Linux. In general, each student decides for themselves during the first period what setups works best for them, often based on the info and advice from fellow students and teachers.

Any other questions?
Please contact the HKU Service Desk Student Affairs:
T: 030-2091540
E: sz@hku.nl
  • The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science anually sets the statutory tuition fees. The statutory rate applies only to students from the Netherlands, another country in the European Economic Area (EEA*), Switzerland or Suriname, and students who meet the nationality criteria of the Dutch Student Finance Act (WSF 2000).

    (* EEA countries comprise the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein).

  • HKU sets the institutional tuition fees on the basis of the statutory rate. Students who have already completed a course in higher education and students from outside the EEA usually pay a higher rate.

    Partly as a result of legal changes, the rate for institutional tuition fees for non-EEA students may rise considerably in the coming years.

Find out more?

We can help you with (almost) every questions about the Master of Music - Music Design and studying at HKU. Feel free to contact Claudia van den Hoeven, get in contact with the Student Affairs Service Desk or visit our Open Day.

You can read many answers to frequently asked questions about the course in the FAQ below or in the fact sheet.

General questions about studying at HKU can be found in the HKU-wide FAQ.

FAQ

  • It is possible to apply without a bachelor of music. It depends on several aspects, for instance your individual study plan, the quality of your portfolio, but also your background in the field of music and technology, your professional experience and your ’state of mind’ as a reflective practitioner. The School can make an exception for candidates without a Bachelor of Music, but only in case of exceptional talent and a steady track record.

  • 25 Students are admitted each year. On average, one third of these come from abroad.

  • Please take a look at the factsheet on this page of the website.

  • Yes! Within the master it is precisely the intention that you use your current practice within the master. Your supervisor will guide you in this.

  • It is not a master with modules from which you can choose. It is mainly about the formation of an individual plan about what you would like to do and achieve within the master. Based on that plan you will be connected to a supervisor – a coach - who will guide you and ask you questions about your development and direction. You can attend lessons, but they have to correspond with your individual plan. Your supervisor will help you to estimate which lesson series to attend. Besides that there will be portfolio feedback sessions, community meetings, workgroups on entrepreneurship and research, remedials (lessons about skills and techniques in the
    first semester), workshops, guest lecturers, etcetera.

  • You don’t need to choose one of these strands. They simply serve as examples, and many students end up combining elements from several strands. We assign one strand for administrative purposes, but in practice, it makes no difference.

  • Unfortunately, instrumental lessons are not part of the Master of Music curriculum. The focus of the program is on artistic development within your chosen pathway, such as music technology or composition, rather than on individual instrumental training. Of course, you’re welcome to take instrumental lessons privately, outside the Master’s curriculum, with a teacher of your choice.

  • The lessons that are offered to the MMus are taught in English. About two third of the students is Dutch, however English is the main language. Some bachelor classes can be attended by master students, but they are primarily taught in Dutch.

  • Please check https://www.hku.nl/en/study-at-hku/explore-and-apply/application-
    and-admission/general-enrolment-requirements

  • Unfortunately it is very difficult to find a room in Utrecht. Information about housing on our website: https://www.hku.nl/en/study-at-hku/studying-in-utrecht/housing. There are always a few temporary rooms available for students from abroad. You can send a mail to sz@hku.nl (student affairs). You could also try to find a room in villages around Utrecht, easy too access by public transport or by bike, like Zeist, Bunnik, Hilversum, de Bilt, Houten, Nieuwegein.And you could try Facebook: ‘Gezocht op HKU’.

  • Unfortunately that is not possible. We cannot hold places for a year or more. It is a big puzzle to properly streamline the master's applications, admissions and registrations and to arrive at a well-launched first year in which individual plan, diversity and nationality are taken into account. So every year we start over with the
    puzzle. It is wise to register as soon as possible to increase your chances. That will be from October the next academic year.

  • It is not possible to reconsider the decision. The Holland Scholarship is a scholarship awarded to the most talented candidates. We always create a reserve list in case a candidate withdraws. If you have not heard that you are on the reserve list, then you do not have the chance that you will still be awarded the grant. Here is the the link for information: https://www.hku.nl/en/study-at-hku/explore-and-apply/nl-scholarship. For more information please contact sz@hku.nl.

  • No, the Holland Scholarship is a scholarship awarded to the most talented candidates. The registration date does not count.