If you are fascinated by the role that music plays in our lives and how it interconnects with other fields, disciplines and technologies, and if you are as passionate and curious about music as we are, this is the programme for you!

Our BMus is unrivalled in its flexibility, enabling you to tailor a programme that best fits your own musical interests and strengths. In addition, we are open to students who have not had an opportunity to study music as a subject at school and offer a year 1 course (Fundamentals of Music Theory) which provides students with an opportunity to develop their musical literacy if required.

We offer a distinctive and rigorous core curriculum in the first two years that will develop your musicianship and critical thinking skills, introduce you to the history of both popular and western art music, areas such as acoustics, music psychology and music technology, and support you in the development of an individual creative/performance practice.

In years’ three and four, this choice is expanded further, enabling you to specialise in particular areas and to benefit from the practical expertise of Reid School of Music staff. We currently offer options in performance, composition, music in the community, Scottish traditional music, music technology, music and multimedia, and music psychology, as well as a range of courses exploring the theoretical, historical, and political contexts of music. In addition, and subject to availability, you can also select to study subjects from elsewhere in the Edinburgh College of Art or across the University in all four years of your degree.

As a student in the Reid School of Music, you will be part of a vibrant musical community. You will study with scholars, composers, and performers of international renown who are passionate about teaching. You can join one or more of the many orchestras, ensembles, and choirs available at the University, enjoy our varied concert series, and take advantage of the School’s location in the centre of Edinburgh, a city with a rich musical life. You will have the opportunity to work with ensembles such as the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Edinburgh String Quartet. You can immerse yourself in our unparalleled Musical Instrument Museum, and you can also apply to participate in our Music in the Community projects, which in recent years have involved student visits to the Gambia and Greece.

Our graduates include acclaimed composer Isobel Waller-Bridge who created the music for the iconic Fleabag, for movie Emma, and for the beautiful short film The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse; upcoming composer Joesph Stevenson, who composed the stunning score for the 2020 BBC adaptation of the novel Mayflies; international opera star, Louise Alder; Ciara Elwis, Emmy winner for her work as Music Supervisor on I May Destroy You; and many more who have gone on to find success in performing, writing, teaching, production, and arts management. 

We are very proud of all of our alumni as they make their way in the world; within the music industry and beyond it.

If you'd like to study on an undergraduate programme at Edinburgh College of Art, you must apply through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. You can find out how to do this on the University of Edinburgh website, where you'll also be able to

• see the structure of the programme and what you will study each year
• see detailed entrance requirements for each programme on the Degree Finder
• get information on what to expect after you apply
• find out about fees
• find out where to go for further advice and guidance.