Music Composition

You will be able to benefit from extremely personalised instruction with courses tailored to your needs given by lecturers such as Simon Steen-Andersen or Cathy van Eck (see below for the full list).

• You will be able to choose from a wide range of master classes from different fields, ranging from electronic music to curatorial practice to musical theatre.  
• As part of one intensive week per semester, all students of the programme come together to exclusively deepen their creativity. These projects are realized in the context of festivals and international tours. The Master of Arts in Music Composition was invited to the Biennale in Munich and the Berne Opera in 2016 with the project “Das Haus”, as well as to the Acht Brücken festival in Cologne and the Gare du Nord – Bahnhof für Neue Musik in Basel in 2017, just to name a few.
• At the end of the two years of the Master’s course (which can be extended to three years), there is a final project whose aesthetic orientation can be extremely individual. Our aim is for this project to be taken up at various contemporary festivals. It should become your ‘business card’ for entry into the professional music scene. 

• You will expand your practical skills within different types of ensembles and musical media such as big band, string quartet, vocal ensembles, brass band, electronic music or film music.
• You will deepen your theoretical knowledge, for example on musical forms, harmony techniques, composition/arrangement or musical aesthetics.
• You will explore the relationship between composition and improvisation and the collaboration between composer and performer.  
• You will be supported by mentors in the planning, realization and implementation of personal projects.  
• The programme equips you with the know-how to adequately complete projects or assignments, taking into account the context, the required style and the target situation.
• You will be prepared for the job market by learning to position yourself between individuality and convention, art and commerce, authenticity and project requirements.  
• You will have the opportunity to present yourself with well-known musicians and ensembles at national and international festivals.
• You will be studying at a dynamic university with cutting-edge facilities (e.g. recording studios, video labs, research pools, music mediation).

The core subject consists of individual courses that form the focus of the programme. You will attend one 80-minute course per week.

The module plan offers numerous courses in the field of artistic practice, depending on your chosen specialisation. For the field of musical theater, for example, this module involves a number of important projects for developing and studying the repertoire (Aperghis, Globokar, Kagel, Schnebel, etc.), while the curricula for composition in the fields of jazz, wind ensemble and classical music offer courses in ensemble conducting and studio work. Research questions and aspects are integrated throughout the studies. Every semester, the research division at HKB offers topic weeks, which are open to you. You can decide for yourself which week during your studies you want to devote to these intensive seminars.

This is where students come together to develop joint projects and collaborate in various ways.

A wide range of optional courses are available, from seminars on specific themes to courses in, for example, music informatics. The course programme is published in a brochure each semester.

This module is a second, quite complex specialisation, since it represents about a quarter of the degree programme (30 ECTS). In the minor subject (e.g. on your instrument) as well as in the optional courses, you can shape your own personal profile with the help of the head of studies.

The master’s thesis is your final project. All of your work culminates here in a concert / performance / installation or similar at the end of your second year. This is the most important part of your studies. It also includes a written thesis and a colloquium.

The number of places available within our programme is limited (‘numerus clausus’). We administer an entrance examination to review your aptitude for our programme. We look for motivation, stamina, resilience and independence in our students as well as a readiness to participate actively in university-level projects.

Academic requirements

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree from a Swiss or foreign university in music is required.

Knowledge + Abilities

For admission to the Master’s programme in Music Composition, you must have a great deal of artistic autonomy. You are able to engage in the transdisciplinary, artistic context and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects. 

Creative Practice

For this specialisation, you should be able to compose, perform, or improvise, or to curate music events, while considering the main trends in current composition and music creation. You are someone who relies on your own experiences to put your artistic ideas into practice.

Suitable for:

• Composers
• Vocal and instrumental musicians
• Electronic music artists
• Authors of sound installations
• Improvisation artists
• Persons from related fields (e.g. stage production, acting) who wish to educate themselves in the field of music creation

Contemporary Jazz

For this specialisation, you must have solid knowledge of the use of the different instruments in jazz and related fields as well as good instrumental skills and the ability to develop a project. You should also be familiar with the musical techniques used in contemporary jazz, arrangement and sound technology.

Language skills

Instruction takes place in French, German and English. However, English is becoming more and more established as the lingua franca in the degree programme. The lecturers are usually proficient in several languages and have good skills in the ‘partner languages’. Written work can be completed in German, English or French.

General information regarding scholarships

Students must also fulfill their compulsory service obligations during their studies. Please be sure to plan and coordinate your compulsory service ahead of time.
It is strongly recommended that you complete your basic military training and civil service before commencing your studies. Completing them during your studies results in absences, which can lead to an extension of the duration of the course.

General information about military and civil service

• Information regarding the recruitment process (VBS)
• Amt für Bevölkerungsschutz, Sport und Militär des Kantons Bern
• Informations regarding Civil service and studying  

Support

Start date: 15.9.2025
Application deadline: Specialisation Creative Practice: 15.3.2025
Application deadline: Specialisation Contemporary Jazz: 15.3.2025

Date for Aptitude assessment:
Creative Practice: 31.3.2025–20.5.2025
Contemporary Jazz: 31.3.2025–20.5.2025
Exact dates will follow

So, have you decided to study at the Berne University of Applied Sciences? Then don’t hesitate and register right away! With the online registration you always have an overview of the application process.

Online Application

Please have the following documents available in electronic form (passport photo: JPG / remaining documents: PDF). No document should exceed 1MB.

• ID card or passport
• Passport photo
• A diploma qualifying you for university studies (for example, A-Levels, Matura from a Gymnasium, Berufsmaturität, Abitur)
• A CV in tabular form
• A written statement expressing your personal motivation for undertaking this course, as well as your professional aspiration.

For international students, the following documents are also required:

• A residence permit (if available)

If you were already enrolled at another university:

• Confirmation of exmatriculation
• Diploma and Transcript of previous academic history (Transcript of Records)

In case you do not have the above listed documents, please mention this in the comments section.

If you have any questions about the programme, please contact the programme secretariat or the Head of Degree Programme, Xavier Dayer.