Code

005S102

Start

September 2026

Fees

£13,700 (UK) £20,100 (INT)

Duration

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Subject to validation

This course is subject to validation. Please contact Peter Fribbins on p.fribbins@mdx.ac.uk to pre-apply.

Why study Music and Sound for Screen MA at Middlesex?

Learn to compose, arrange and produce music for film, TV, and interactive media using industry-standard tools and workflows
Benefit from London’s world-leading creative industries, live briefs, and placements with media, film and post-production companies
Develop professional skills in contracts, copyright, and production management essential to a sustainable career in screen music
Gain hands-on experience with AI-assisted composition, immersive audio, and spatial sound design
Work in cross-disciplinary teams with filmmakers, animators, and game designers to create original soundtracks
Access our Careers and Futures employability support, networking opportunities, and professional mentoring to launch your creative career
Choose between one- and two-year modes with embedded, credit-bearing work experience on real-world industry projects. Our practice-based approach to learning means you learn vital new skills in professional contexts, enhancing your CV and your employability
Join an interdisciplinary community of digital creatives studying together in our state-of-the-art facilities at MDX Studios. Facilities include studios for film and radio, digital media, VFX, animation and virtual production. We also have recording studios, and suites for post-production and editing, colour-grading and Pro Tools.

Fly through Middlesex Uni: The Grove building for Arts and Creative courses

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Compose for every screen

Learn to write and produce for film, games, and streaming platforms using professional workflows.

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AI and innovation

Master cutting-edge tools in AI-assisted composition, immersive sound, and digital music production.

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London connections

Network with studios and screen composers in the UK’s creative capital.

Placements in music and sound for screen

MDX Studios is a vibrant, industry-connected hub for hands-on learning, research, and innovation - where university meets the real world. We offer a unique environment where students collaborate with external partners to develop cutting-edge skills and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Through our partnership with Screen London, and our access to the thriving London games development and media production sectors, MA Music and Sound for Screen students have opportunities to work alongside professional composers, sound designers, music supervisors and others on real world projects across numerous platforms. You will gain exposure to roles in studios, agencies and post-production companies, and build a professional network to support your career ambitions.

At MDX Studios, you won’t just study—you’ll work. Our MA programmes feature one- and two-year options with embedded, credit-bearing work placements on live industry projects. Placements can be long or short, and if a suitable opportunity is not available with an industry partner, we will create professional settings for you to work on university-led projects. You’ll build your CV while gaining experience in professional contexts, from independent content creation to working on productions in our state-of-the-art facilities.

Discover more about placements

Modules

MA Music and Sound for Screen gives you the creative and technical skills to compose, mix, and deliver original soundtracks for film, games, and television. You’ll explore scoring techniques, post-production workflows, and immersive audio environments through taught sessions and embedded credit-bearing work experience modules, while building an industry-ready portfolio. Collaboration, sustainability, and ethical practice are embedded throughout, ensuring you graduate as a confident, adaptable professional.

Explore narrative structures and emotional arcs that inform music composition for screen.

Experiment with generative and AI-driven tools to expand creative and technical approaches in sound design.

Gain the knowledge to manage contracts, royalties, copyright, and industry workflows.

Undertake placements with industry partners to apply your learning in real production environments.

Provides a structured, hands-on progression through the essential functions and workflows of Avid Pro Tools, as well as preparing for the Pro Tools User certification (PT101 / PT110).

Develop advanced composition and arrangement techniques for visual media.

Learn to mix, edit and master sound for linear and non-linear formats.

Gain sound recording experience across film, television, games, podcast and related media.

Design, compose, and implement adaptive audio for interactive game environments. Students will explore spatialisation, dynamic mixing, and interactive composition techniques, producing original audio content that responds to player actions and immersive contexts.

Explore immersive sound works for public spaces including gallery, theatre and site-specific locations.

Produce a professional-level portfolio or soundtrack for a film, game, or other screen medium.

This course is subject to validation. We will publish a full programme specification here when it is validated.

Register your interest

Teaching

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Careers

Graduates from MA Music and Sound for Screen go on to careers as film and game composers, sound designers, audio producers, and music supervisors. You’ll be equipped to work freelance or within studios, agencies, and post-production companies in London and globally.

Entry requirements

Qualifications

Undergraduate degree (2:2 or above) in a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

Portfolio

If you don’t hold a degree in a relevant field, you’ll need to submit a portfolio as part of your application. This is your chance to show us your creative ability, enthusiasm, and potential to succeed on the course.

We welcome students from the UK and all over the world. Join students from over 122 countries and discover why so many international students call our campus home:

Quality teaching with top facilities plus flexible online learning
Welcoming north London campus that's only 30 minutes from central London
Work placements and networking with top London employers
Award-winning career support to get you where you want to go after university.

Qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the accepted qualifications on your country's support page. If you are unsure of the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest international office.

English language

You will need to meet our English language requirements. And, don’t worry If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, as we offer a Pre-sessional English course.

Visas

To study with us in the UK, you might need a Student visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.

Portfolio review

We’ve put together some simple notes to help you prepare:

Be selective about the work you show while continuing to show a range of skills and ability;
Show mostly recent work that you are most proud of;
Consider how to present your work and the impression the overall look of your portfolio will have on the viewer.

After you have applied, we will send you a link for you to submit your portfolio online via the applicant portal.

We welcome portfolios in any digital format. Please share your work in whatever way best represents your creativity and skills.

If you are having difficulty with the file format, please contact ACIPortfolios@mdx.ac.uk who can help you submit.

Applications for postgraduate study should be made directly to the university.

Please visit our postgraduate application page for further information and to apply.

Entry onto this course requires a portfolio review.

Fees and funding

The fees below are for the 2026/2027 academic year.

UK students¹

Full-time students: £13,700
Part-time students: £90 per credit
Part-time students: £45 per dissertation credit

If you were to study over two years part-time, you would usually pay £5,400 for the first year of study, and £8,100 in the second.

International students²

Full-time students: £20,100
Part-time students: £134 per credit
Part-time students: £67 per dissertation credit

If you were to study over two years part-time, you would usually pay £8,040 for the first year of study, and £12,060 in the second.

Additional costs

The following course-related costs are included in the fees:

All printing and copying required for your study
Access to sound recording and mixing studios, editing suites, and colour grading suites
Audio-visual equipment available for loan, including digital stills cameras, digital video recorders, digital audio recorders, a large range lighting gear, grip equipment, and specialist microphones.

Extra costs

Additional costs may include optional field trips, personal recording equipment, and subscriptions to professional audio software.

Financial support

We offer lots of support to help you with fees and living costs. Check out our guide to student life on a budget and find out more about postgraduate funding.

Postgraduate scholarships

You may be eligible for one of our scholarships including:

The Alumni Postgraduate Award – for all UK/EU Middlesex alumni a 20% fee reduction
The Commonwealth Scholarship – full course fees, airfares and a living allowance
The Chevening Scholarship – full course fees
The European Academic Awards – £1000 to £7000 for students showing academic excellence
Regional or International Merit Award –up to £2,000 towards course fees

For international students, we also have a limited number of other awards specific to certain regions, and work in partnership with funding providers in your country to help support you financially with your study.

Find out more about our postgraduate scholarships.

Help from your employer

Your employer can contribute towards the cost of your postgraduate study as part of their staff development programme.

Work while you study

If you are not currently working, we can help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase postgraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

North London campus

Our north London campus is just 20 minutes from central London, giving you easy access to everything this vibrant city has to offer. Make the most of incredible professional opportunities, cultural experiences, and more affordable living, all within a supportive and close-knit campus community.

Learn about campus life

Get answers from our Unibuddy student ambassadors

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Next steps

We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.