Postgraduate student profile
Mark: Having taken a short break from higher education to become a classroom music teacher, I decided to return to university to study further. I chose Nottingham for a number of reasons: the music department’s high national rankings; the vibrant city; and the fact it offered an MA course that I could individually tailor to my interests.
Upon arrival, I found everyone to be extremely friendly, welcoming, and showing a genuine interest. The music postgraduate community is a lively one, running its own monthly research seminars and weekly reading groups – giving the chance to hear other students’ work and views. Opportunities for practical music-making are extremely varied, including our own postgraduate choir. Unusually, Nottingham also has its own music postgraduate room – a resource I have found invaluable in terms of feeling part of the wider postgraduate group. All of these elements combine to remove the danger of feeling isolated in your work, which might often be the case in other establishments.
Staff have always been supportive, and their expert knowledge has been invaluable in helping me develop my own critical approach to a much higher level – something that I am sure will continue as I start my first year as a research student.
