Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: School of Music - Open Day
15 May 2025, 09:15
Glasgow, Lanarkshire
You are viewing our beta course page.
Composition (BMus Hons)
- Study level:
- Undergraduate
- Scheme:
- UCAS Conservatoires
Course summary
The Composition pathway is designed to develop artistically aware, imaginative and confident creators, who are equipped to succeed as musicians in a rapidly-changing cultural landscape.
We are looking for active and engaged individuals, who are interested in developing professional attitudes towards compositional practices, willing to collaborate and develop communication skills for use with other composers, performers and artists from a broad range of disciplines, demonstrating an independent willingness to prepare for lessons and classes, and a clear interest in widening musical experiences as they progress through their studies with us here at the RCS.
When you study Composition, you will be working with our diverse and talented performing community across both our School of Music and School of Dance, Drama, Production and Film. You’ll benefit from our professional partnerships with leading ensembles and orchestras, and there will be opportunities to hear your work performed. The performance of new work is of paramount importance to us, and we have a significant reputation for contemporary music. PLUG, our critically acclaimed annual festival, has become a renowned platform for new work, premiering hundreds of new works across the years.
You’ll follow your own tailored path through the programme; you have the option to include a second study in performance, work in the superb electroacoustic and recording studios, or devise new work in our purpose-built performance venues.
Our staff are working artists, with various areas of specialist expertise. There’s a real sense of community among our composition students, staff, and PhD cohort; the Composers Forum meets weekly, and our students are offered support in setting up their own collectives for collaboration and performance. Composition can be a solitary existence; at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, we help you to develop the skills to work with other artists across disciplines, allowing our students to develop a number of projects within dance, theatre, film, and musical theatre.
Please note, the international deadline for this programme is the 1st December 2023, but we would encourage applicants to apply by the 2nd October 2023 to be guaranteed consideration for the first round of scholarship.
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
- Composition
Modules
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-composition/
Discover Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Learn what it's like to study at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. From key stats to campus highlights, open days, and more - find everything you need to know here.
How to apply
This course is closed for the 2024 academic cycle. Please contact the provider or view the 2025 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:
- 302F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)
Applications for direct entry beyond Year 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Royal Conservatoire’s Recognition of Prior (Experiential) Learning policy. Please email admissions@rcs.ac.uk for more information.
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
Qualification requirements
A level
Passes in two subjects at GCE Advanced level
Scottish Higher
Passes in three subjects at Higher level
Additional entry requirements
- Portfolio
- After making an application through UCAS , Composition applicants should submit at least two compositions (preferably recent examples) together with brief analytical notes, and recorded performances and software files wherever possible. Portfolios must be submitted online using Acceptd and must be received by 15 October 2021.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.0 in each component (with no component below 5.5) is required. |
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| England | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820* | Year 1 |
| EU | £27968* | Year 1 |
| International | £27968* | Year 1 |
* 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
For more information on fees and funding, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/feesandfunding
Sponsorship information
The Royal Conservatoire is able to offer a number of entrance scholarships which are awarded as part of the audition/selection process on the basis of merit and financial need. Please see our website for more information - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/scholarships/.
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
Visit our website Visit our course page
Course contact details
Main Contact
Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
Like this page