BA (Hons) Popular Music Course

Program Overview

This three-year music program emphasizes collaboration and creativity. Students work with fellow musicians on recording and live music projects while developing core music techniques, research skills, and an understanding of music's history and cultural impact. They also engage in individual and collaborative creative projects and gain practical experience through placements and industry connections, preparing them for a successful career in various music-related fields.

Program Outline

Outline:

• Year 1
• Creating Recorded Music: Work with fellow musicians to fully realize a musical recording.
Learn collaboration, songwriting, instrumental works, electronic tracks, and more.
• Creating Live Music: Channel creativity into a live music event.
Collaborate with music and music production students to create a unique event. Develop skills in project management, repertoire development, and artistic presentation.
• Core Music Techniques: Develop proficiency in music theory, notation, harmony, melody, rhythm, and listening skills.
Form a portfolio for assessment from tasks across various musical styles and techniques.
• Applied Music Skills: Gain an in-depth understanding of music structure and harmonic principles.
Analyze structural and harmonic perspectives, and develop crucial listening skills for practical musicianship.
• Music and its Histories: Examine narratives that characterize histories of music across different historical periods, technologies, and styles.
Explore these while pursuing specialist studies relevant to the degree pathway.
• Year 2
• Individual Creative Project: Bring an individual project to life with support, planning, execution, and completion.
The project can be a performance, composition, recording, songwriting EP, educational practical project, or piece of sound design.
• Collaborative Creative Project: Explore key methods used in creative industries to organize and manage complex projects.
• Specialist Music Skills: Develop core music research skills and specialist techniques useful in various applications.
Hone practical skills through focused study. Develop a critical approach to thinking about these, deepening understanding of the historical context and critical significance of music-making activities.
• Case Studies in Contemporary Practice: Interrogate the concepts, methods, philosophies, and motivations that underpin diverse practices such as performances, compositions, installations, community projects, music therapy, industry-related practices, and music psychology.
Benefit from sessions with leading practitioners and prepare a critique of a chosen case study.
• Professional Music Skills: Explore roles, discover what professionals do, and maximize future employment opportunities in a vibrant and growing sector.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the chosen field and prepare for the next steps as a professional.
• Year 3
• Major Project (Music): Carry out a substantial piece of work in the chosen area.
This could be a large-scale live performance, original album, critical dissertation, portfolio of compositions, music for film or game, or cutting-edge research project. Receive support, facilities, expertise, planning, and management skills.
• Working in Music: Gain essential insight into a future career by taking part in a placement or getting experience as a freelancer.
Explore performing on stage or in the studio, working in broadcast or live events, or teaching. Start gaining professional experience in the chosen career path.
• Questioning Music: Challenge assumptions about music and its value, leading to different thinking and transferable skills that prepare for a range of career paths.
• The Future of the Arts: Reflect on the environmental cost of arts and culture engagement and explore the ability to engage with arts and culture almost effortlessly.
Equip with the skills and understanding needed to shape the arts practices of the future. Define a topic, explore it in detail, and share insights, giving crucial skills and sharpening abilities to articulate ideas.

Careers:

• Musician
• Composer
• Recording artist
• Promoter
• Producer
• Events manager
• Music therapist
• Teacher
• Journalist

Other:

• Gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to pursue a music career.
• Join a tight-knit creative community of fellow performers, composers, songwriters, producers, and music technologists.
• Work on major creative projects, both independently and with like-minded creatives.
• Use industry-standard recording studios and performance spaces, including the flagship Duality Recording Studio and 3D sound (ambisonic) studio.

Tuition fees

UK £9,250 per year The amount you pay may increase each year, in line with inflation - but capped to the Retail Price Index (RPI).

Additional costs you may have to pay

Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme. There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make: Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own) Optional field trips Study abroad (incl. travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation) Placement costs (incl. travel costs and accommodation) Student visas (international students) Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and computers on campus, but you may want your own) Printing and photocopying Professional-body membership Graduation (gown hire and photography) Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more. You can take out a tuition fee loan to cover the full cost of your course. One you’ve successfully applied for this, you don’t need to do anything else – the money is sent straight to us. You can also take out a maintenance loan of up to £10,227 a year to cover your living costs, depending on your household income. Remember, you won’t start paying your loans back until you’ve left University and earn more than £25,000 per year.

International

£16,500 per year

Additional costs you may have to pay

Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme. There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make: Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own) Optional field trips Study abroad (incl. travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation) Placement costs (incl. travel costs and accommodation) Student visas (international students) Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and computers on campus, but you may want your own) Printing and photocopying Professional-body membership Graduation (gown hire and photography) Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more. Discounts are available for International students.