The course
By combining Music (75% of your course) with German (25%) you will take Music as the major element of your degree alongside core German language modules.
Studying Music at Royal Holloway allows you to tailor your studies to your own interests and passions.
We have expertise spanning traditional, modern and world music. Through studying musical texts, practices, cultures and institutions you will explore issues in history, sociology, ethnology, and philosophy covering an exceptional geographical and chronological range. You will also be able to gain practical skills in composition, music technology and performance.
You will join a music department that is among the very best in the country, ranked third in the UK for research quality (REF 2014) and the only music department in the country to hold a prestigious Regius Professorship.
- You will have access to well-equipped studios and recording facilities as well as incredible performance spaces including the Windsor Auditorium, Boilerhouse Theatre, Victorian Picture Gallery and College Chapel.
- Our well connected department means you have the opportunity to make valuable music industry contacts. Our staff are connected with musical networks such Wigmore Hall, the BBC Proms, Royal Opera House.
As a student of German, you will take core language modules, enabling you to learn to speak and write fluently.
- Whether you are a beginner or advanced student when you start, by the time you graduate you will be fluent in German: confident in reading, understanding and analysing text and able to write with ease and accuracy.
Course structure
Core Modules
Year 1You will take one of the following:
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In this module you will develop an understanding of both German-English translation and critical analysis of German-language material. You will look at a range of source material, which may include prose fiction, poetry, drama, film, graphic novels, multimedia and web content, and / or newspaper and magazine articles. You will closely examine the syntactical, stylistic, lexical and culturally specific features of a range of German-language text types, and explore published translations of German material to discern the translation strategies adopted. You will consider a range of translation issues, including cultural specificity, untranslatability, intercultural communication, as well as stylistic features, idioms, techniques of linguistic compensation, and word order.
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The course aims to develop reading and writing skills in German. Classes use German as much as possible and the course is assessed in German. The course uses a blended approach: it is based on a beginners' coursebook with additional material on Moodle and as weekly hand-outs based on authentic material. Themes studied vary from year to year but are likely to include every-day life in France, an introduction to German-speaking society and culture, regions and traditions.
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The course aims to develop speaking and listening skills in German. Classes use German as much as possible and the course is assessed in German. The course uses a blended approach: it is based on a beginners' coursebook with additional material on Moodle and as weekly hand-outs based on authentic material. Themes studied vary from year to year but are likely to include every-day life in German-speaking countries, an introduction to German-speaking society and culture, regions and traditions.
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The course aims to expand students’ ability to express themselves in accurate written German. Major grammatical issues will be taught and/or revised, and students will work on a wide range of authentic material in German to expand their vocabulary and range of expressions. Key linguistic features of the texts will be identified and discussed to improve the student’s language acquisition and analysis skills. The course will be taught and assessed in German.
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The course aims to expand students’ ability to express themselves in accurate spoken German. Students will work on a wide range of authentic material in German to expand their vocabulary and range of expressions and to introduce them to contemporary issues and culture. The course will be taught and assessed in German.
You will take one of the following:
- Intensive Beginners’ German II
- German Language II
- Advanced German Translation: Skills and Practice
- German Language III
Optional Modules
There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
Year 1- Theory and Analysis
- Practical Musicianship
- Creative Composition Techniques
- Practical Composition Skills
- A Very Short History of Music
- Introduction to Historical Musicology
- Introduction to World Music
- Contemporary Debates in Music
- Solo Performance
- Creative Ensemble Performance
- Studies in Music Analysis
- Studies in Composition
- Studies in Music History
- Studies in Ethnomusicology
- Studies in Music, Media and Technology
- Practical Performance I
- Solo Performance
- Ensemble Performance
- Composition Portfolio
- Practical and Creative Orchestration
- Choral Conducting
- Composing with Technology 1
- Introduction to Jazz: Theory, Practice and Contexts
- Popular Music and Musicians in Post-War Britain and North America
- Korean Percussion Performance
- Practical Ethics
- Musical Aesthetics
- Mozart's Operas
- Issues in Sound, Music and the Moving Image
- Intercultural Performance: Theory and Practice
- Music and Society in Purcell's London
- Contemporary Music Performance
- Music, Power and Politics
- Ideas of German Music from Mozart to Henze
- Music and Gender
- Hearing the Orient: Critical and Practical Approaches to the Middle East
- Solo Performance
- Ensemble Performance
- Composition Portfolio
- Practical and Creative Orchestration
- Choral Conducting
- Composing with Technology 1
- Introduction to Jazz: Theory, Practice and Contexts
- Popular Music and Musicians in Post-War Britain and North America
- Korean Percussion Performance
- Practical Ethics
- Musical Aesthetics
- Mozart's Operas
- Issues in Sound, Music and the Moving Image
- Intercultural Performance: Theory and Practice
- Music and Society in Purcell's London
- Contemporary Music Performance
- Music, Power and Politics
- Ideas of German Music from Mozart to Henze
- Music and Gender
- Hearing the Orient: Critical and Practical Approaches to the Middle East
- Practical Performance 2
- Composing with Technology 2
- Special Study: Dissertation
- Special Study: Theory and Analysis
- Special Study: Performance
- Special Study: Composition
Teaching & assessment
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and instrumental/vocal lessons. You will also have the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of musical activities supported by the department, including performances by orchestras, choirs and other ensembles. Private study and preparation are essential parts of every course, and you will have access to many online resources and the University’s comprehensive e-learning facility, Moodle. When you start with us, you are assigned a Personal Advisor to support you academically and personally.
Assessment is carried out by a combination of examinations, which take place in the summer term, along with written papers, extended essays, assessed coursework, and portfolios of compositions and other practical work, and performance recitals.
Our teaching in the School of Modern Languages combines a majority of seminars and small group work as well as role play and conversational activities, with some lectures. Private study and preparation are essential parts of every course, and you will have access to many online resources such as Powerpoint slideshows, copies of selected primary and secondary texts, audiovisual materials, class and seminar preparation aids, links to relevant external sites, quizzes and grammar and essay writing guidance, and the University’s comprehensive e-learning facility, Moodle. When you start with us, you are assigned a Personal Tutor to support you academically and personally and who holds regular surgery hours at least twice weekly.
Each course is assessed using a varied range of methods such as coursework and end of year examinations. Coursework includes essays, language exercises, translations and reports. Oral presentations and computer-based tests are used in some course units to assess grammar and comprehension skills. You can, to some extent, choose course units which suit your own assessment preferences.
You will take a study skills course during your first year, designed to equip you with and enhance the writing skills you will need to be successful in your degree. This course does not count towards your final degree award but you are required to pass it to progress to your second year.
Entry requirements
A Levels: AAB-ABB
Required subjects:
- A-level Music at grade A, or Grade 8 Music Theory at pass
- Grade 7 ABRSM (where applicants are unable to take Grade 7, video evidence may be acceptable)
- Applicants without A-level grade A in Music or pass in Grade 8 Music Theory may be eligible for the Intensive Theory entry. This requires Music GCSE grade A/7 or equivalent, plus performance at Grade 7 level. In term 1 you will be required to take Fundamentals of Music Theory, an intensive music literacy course.
- Students wishing to take Solo Performance options will need to be of Grade 8 level in performance at point of entry.
- A-level German is not compulsory but if it is taken then grade B is required
- Five GCSEs graded A*-C or 9-4 including English and Maths.
Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A - levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. Socio - economic factors which may have impacted an applicant's education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants.
Other UK Qualifications
International & EU requirements
English language requirements
All teaching at Royal Holloway (apart from some language courses) is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.
The scores we require
- IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
- Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
Country-specific requirements
For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please visit here.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements, we offer an International Foundation Year, run by Study Group at the Royal Holloway International Study Centre. Upon successful completion, you may progress on to selected undergraduate degree programmes at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Your future career
You'll come away from our course with industry contacts, insider knowledge of music networks in London and specific practical skills in performance, composition and production. Our recent graduates have gone into a wide range of careers including roles as musicians, composers and performing arts teachers, but also technicians, publishers, managers, lawyers and policy makers –they've taken away transferable skills like communication, teamwork, time management, commercial awareness and critical thinking. Find out where graduates from our music department are going.
Fees & funding
Home and EU students tuition fee per year*: £9250
International students tuition fee per year**: £17900
Other essential costs***: £50
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, scholarships and bursaries.
*The tuition fee for UK undergraduates is controlled by Government regulations. For students who started a degree in the academic year 2018/19, it was £9,250 for that year, shown here for reference purposes only. The tuition fee for UK undergraduates starting their degree in 2020/21 has not yet been confirmed. The Government has also confirmed that EU nationals starting a degree in 2019/20 will pay the same fee as UK students for the duration of their course.
**Fees for international students may increase year-on-year in line with the rate of inflation. The policy at Royal Holloway is that any increases in fees will not exceed 5% for continuing students. For further information see fees and funding and our terms and conditions.
***These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree programme at Royal Holloway. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing etc., have not been included.
