Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
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Course contact details
Main Contact
Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
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Artist Diploma (Taught)
- Study level:
- Postgraduate
- Scheme:
- UCAS Conservatoires
Course summary
The Artist Diploma is intended for advanced students in music on the cusp of a professional career, who are seeking to hone a distinctive musical personality through a year of post-master study in a conservatoire environment.
In the Principal Project module, you will work towards an individually negotiated programme of high-level artistic outputs such as performances, compositions, recordings, or documented research, according to the discipline. This module is supported by 20.5 hours of one-to-one lessons from a tutor or tutors of your choice.
In the Supporting Project module, you will receive individual support and mentoring from a personal supervisor, who will help you to create an individual portfolio of supplementary activities to complement your main artistic projects. The module culminates in an oral examination that invites you to reflect critically on the artistic intentions of your work through the course of the programme.
The ArtDip is available to performers in the following disciplines:
*All string, woodwind and brass instruments, solo, chamber or orchestral
*Guitar and harp
*Timpani and percussion, including marimba
*Piano solo and ensemble, harpsichord, organ, accordion
*Vocal performance
*Traditional performance
*Jazz performance
It is not available for Conducting, Composition, Piano for Dance, or Repetiteurship.
Singers accepted onto this programme will normally work within the Department of Vocal Performance: any work with the Opera department will be exceptional and by negotiation.
Overseas Auditions
If you want to audition at one of our overseas locations, you must submit your application by the 2nd October 2024. We may not be able to audition certain instruments at our overseas auditions, please see our website for more information. Where required, all applicants will need to provide their own instruments (except piano) and accompanist for the audition. Details of audition dates and locations can be found on our website, under the 'How to apply' section. Please note our locations are subject to change at short notice. if you choose a location that becomes unavailable we will be in touch to offer an alternative, this will likely be a recorded submission.
Please note, the international deadline for this programme is the 2nd December 2024 (except for keyboard who's deadline is 2nd October), but we would encourage applicants to apply by the 2nd October 2024 to be guaranteed consideration for first round of scholarship
Curriculum Review
We are currently in the review cycle for our postgraduate music programmes starting in 2025, these courses are currently designated 'subject to validation'. This is standard practice during curriculum review periods. The outcome of this process, may mean there are some changes to how your programme is delivered.
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Main specialism
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Primary instrument/specialism
- Accordion (classical)
- Bassoon
- Bodhran
- Button Accordion (Traditional Music)
- Cello
- Cello (Jazz)
- Cello (Traditional Music)
- Clarinet
- Clarinet (Jazz)
- Cornet
- Double Bass
- Double Bass (Jazz)
- Drumkit (Jazz)
- Electric bass (jazz)
- Euphonium
- Fiddle
- Flute
- Flute (Jazz)
- Flute (Traditional Music)
- Gaelic Song
- Guitar (Classical)
- Guitar (Jazz)
- Guitar (Traditional Music)
- Harp
- Harpsichord
- Highland Bagpipes
- Horn (French)
- Horn (Tenor)
- Mandolin (Traditional Music)
- Oboe
- Organ
- Percussion & Timpani
- Percussion (Jazz)
- Piano
- Piano (Jazz)
- Piano (Traditional Music)
- Piano Accordion (Traditional Music)
- Pipe Band Snare Drum
- Saxophone (Classical)
- Saxophone (Jazz)
- Scots Song
- Scottish Harp
- Trombone (Alto)
- Trombone (Bass)
- Trombone (Jazz)
- Trombone (Tenor)
- Trumpet
- Trumpet (Jazz)
- Tuba
- Vibraphone (Jazz)
- Viola
- Violin
- Violin (Jazz)
- Voice (Alto)
- Voice (Baritone)
- Voice (Bass)
- Voice (Bass-Baritone)
- Voice (Contralto)
- Voice (Counter-Tenor)
- Voice (Jazz)
- Voice (Mezzo-Soprano)
- Voice (Soprano)
- Voice (Tenor)
- Whistle
Modules
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website.
Assessment method
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website.
How to apply
This course is closed for the 2025 academic cycle. Please contact the provider or view the 2026 courses.
If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
Apply by
2 October
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 446F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 60 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire.
Entry requirements
Candidates are normally expected to hold a Masters Degree. Suitability for the programme will be assessed through the audition process.
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- All auditions are planned to take place in-person at our campus in Glasgow in November 2023. Should you apply on time, you will be e-mailed directly with details of your audition date and time, and your UCAS Conservatoires track will be updated with this information. International applicants are welcome to submit a recorded submission via Acceptd.
- Other
- All applicants need to complete an Acceptd account profile, regardless of which location you choose, this is part of the audition process. Applicants submitting performance recordings via our Acceptd platform, will go through a two round process. If successful, the second round will be a live online interview with the department you are applying for. For applicants auditioning in-person overseas, Heads of Department may follow up with an online interview. Once we receive your application we will email you with details of your audition. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants (and where possible international applicants) to attend in-person.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | We accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Level 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component) is required of applicants to the School of Music. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 80 | Overall score of 80, with minimum scores of: Reading – 18, Listening – 17, Speaking – 20, Writing – 17 |
| PTE Academic | 59 | Overall score of 59 with a minimum of 59 in all components (reading, listening, speaking, writing) |
More information about our language requirements can be found at the weblink. https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands | £7079* | Whole course |
| England | £7079* | Whole course |
| Northern Ireland | £7079* | Whole course |
| Scotland | £7079* | Whole course |
| Wales | £7079* | Whole course |
| Republic of Ireland | £7079* | Whole course |
| EU | £13995* | Whole course |
| International | £13995* | Whole course |
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
Please note, fees are subject to change for AY25 entry
Associated programme costs may be required for this programme for any new student at the start of their studies. For more information on please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/fees/
Sponsorship information
Within the School of Music, the majority of scholarship awards are made following our audition period and offer of a place at the RCS. Scholarships are made based on ability and potential with some for financial need. Many School of Music scholarships are made for the duration of the programme. There is no separate scholarship application for the School of Music as everyone is automatically considered.
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