MM vs MA in Music: Choosing a Master's

Master's titles in music vary by country and school. Two frequent ones are the Master of Music (MM, MMus) and the Master of Arts (MA, sometimes MSc or other titles). The title can hint at the programme's focus, but only the curriculum can confirm it. This guide helps you compare. It does not rank programmes or promise admission, funding or career results.

What the titles often signal

• Master of Music is commonly used for advanced performance, composition, conducting and similar practical study.
• Master of Arts is commonly used for academic or interdisciplinary study, including musicology, theory, education and sometimes performance-related subjects.

These are tendencies. The University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, for example, names both MM and MA degrees in its news and profiles, including an MA for a music education graduate. At Guildhall School of Music and Drama the music therapy programme is titled MA in Music Therapy, which shows that an MA may be a professional programme and not only an academic one. Always read the programme page.

The same master's, different shape

Programmes can differ on:

• Length. In the European credit system, a master's is typically 90 or 120 ECTS credits, according to the European Commission, with a year being 60 credits. Other systems set their own lengths, and some UK programmes are one year full time. Confirm the school's own figure.
• Final project. Recital, composition portfolio, thesis, or a combination.
• Mix of taught and individual study. How many hours of one-to-one lessons are included.
• Entry route. Audition or portfolio, prior degree subject, languages.
• Professional links. Some master's lead to a profession (teaching, therapy) only if the programme is approved by the relevant body.

Postgraduate diploma and artist-level alternatives

Some schools offer postgraduate diplomas or advanced artist programmes alongside or instead of master's degrees. They may carry fewer credits or no degree title. See certificates, diplomas and degrees and browse music diplomas. Awards named alike differ by country, and no equivalence is claimed.

Master's with a professional route

If you aim at a regulated profession, the title is secondary to approval. In UK music therapy, for example, the British Association for Music Therapy lists eight HCPC-approved courses at postgraduate level, with titles such as MA, MSc and Master of Music Therapy. Titles differ, but approval is what a course lists. See music therapy education pathways. For teaching, read music education and teaching qualifications.

Choosing between performance and academic master's

Ask yourself:

1. Do I want daily practice and performance as the centre, or research and writing?
2. Would I like to go on to a doctorate later? Compare DMA versus PhD; each can have its own entry expectations.
3. Does the target master's require previous study in a specific area?
4. How will I be assessed: recital, portfolio, thesis, or exams?

Preparing the application

Typical application elements include transcripts, references, a statement, and either an audition, recording or portfolio, or a writing sample. Requirements are set by each school, so list them from the programme page. For performers, read preparing for auditions and prescreening versus final auditions; for composers, composition portfolios.

Cost and funding

Master's fees, assistantships, scholarships and living costs vary by country and school, and some funding is competitive or limited. See scholarships and graduate funding and costs beyond tuition. Do not assume funding exists; ask each school what it offers and when applications close.

Online and part-time options

Some master's programmes are offered online or part time. Delivery varies by school, and some programmes include required in-person elements. See online music study and online master's in music.

Where to look on this site

Start with master's in music and best master's in music, then check each programme against the school's page. Our methodology explains how we verify listings. For the full decision framework, see choosing a music school.