This exciting popular music degree provides excellent creative opportunities for budding performers and composers, as well as the professional skills for a career in today’s music and entertainment industry.
Essential Info
In addition to the practical aspects of music, this popular music degree will allow you to explore the cultural and historical aspects of this global phenomenon, so you will develop your knowledge as well as your talent. Although technology is not the focus of this popular music degree, you will learn how to work with contemporary studio technology from a creative perspective, which will allow you to develop your musical interests and career prospects.
You will study at ATRiuM, our purpose-built campus that provides a rich creative environment and plenty of chances to gain experience across complementary disciplines. For a broader understanding of industry and the workplace, you will collaborate with your fellow students in performance, composition, recording and research. This approach will bring together expertise from theatre, studio recording, live sound, radio, television, film, journalism, interactive media, design and more.
Did you know?
We have a bilingual pathway available in this course. Find out more. Darperir llwybr dwyieithog o’r cwrs hwn, i wybod mwy, cer i.
News and Events
Read all the latest news stories involving students and staff from the Division of Music and Sound at our Music and Sound News and Events page.
What You Will Study
As well as practical projects and instrument tuition, you will learn about popular music from many perspectives. You will explore the key themes of performance and improvisation, composition and arranging, theory and analysis, history and cultural studies, music and sound technology, and how the music industry works.
The following modules are attached to this award:
Year One
Aural Investigation
Music Theory
Instrumental Studies
Arranging
Ensemble Studies 1
The History of Popular Music and the Recording Industry
Musical Cultures
Music Technology
Year Two
Instrumental Studies 2
Music Industry Studies
Research Skills
Research Skills – Musicology
Compositional Processes
Ensemble Studies 2
Advanced Theory and Aural Investigation
Contemporary Musical Cultures
Studio Operating and Production
Year Three
Dissertation
Major Project
Improvisational Approaches
Composition for Media
How You Will Study
The Popular Music degree is taught in a variety of ways, including practical workshops in the studio, tutorials, seminars and lectures. In the first two years, you will also get instrument-specific tuition to develop your practical music skills, building to one or more live ensemble performances each year. In your final year, you can specialise with a creative or industry-focused major project and a dissertation on an area that is of interest to you.
Prospects
Possible Career Options
By the time you graduate, you will have the skills for a wide range of careers in the music, media and entertainment industries, including performance, creation, administration, production and studio work.
