BA (Hons) Popular Music - 2026 Entry

History of Popular Music 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll explore how popular music has evolved from the early 20th century to today, examining major genres, artists, and cultural movements. You’ll investigate how technology and society shape musical trends, while deepening your understanding of musical forms and concepts. This module encourages you to link theory with practice through your own compositions, allowing you to creatively respond to key developments in music history. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and practical workshops. Assessment includes a portfolio of work. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Musicianship Foundations 1: Theory and Tools 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll gain a solid grounding in music theory, aural perception, and digital musicianship. Through hands-on learning, you’ll explore core elements like melody, harmony, and rhythm, developing the fluency needed for performance and composition. The module also equips you with essential digital tools to express musical ideas clearly and confidently across different creative and academic contexts. 

This module is delivered through a combination of seminars, practical workshops, and digital skills sessions. Assessment includes an online portfolio of theory coursework. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Musicianship Foundations 2: Applied Theory 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll build on your theoretical and practical knowledge by applying musical concepts directly to creative tasks. This module develops your fluency in key areas like melody, harmony, and rhythm, while enhancing your aural and digital musicianship skills. You’ll actively engage with theory to support composition and performance, gaining confidence in using digital tools to convey and refine your musical ideas. 

This module is delivered through a combination of seminars, practical workshops, and digital skills sessions. Assessment includes a theory portfolio. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Popular Music in Context 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll explore how popular music reflects and shapes identity, politics, and culture. This module investigates the broader social, historical, and economic forces behind music production and consumption, including media and technology. Through listening, analysis, and discussion, you’ll develop your ability to interpret music in context, and you’ll be encouraged to apply your insights in your own compositional work. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and practical workshops. Assessment includes a portfolio of work. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Foundational Performance 1 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll develop essential skills in popular music performance through one-to-one tuition, workshops, and seminars. This module supports your technical growth and musicianship while encouraging a collaborative, personalised approach. You’ll strengthen your instrumental or vocal technique and explore your performance identity, laying the foundation for confident, expressive, and adaptable musical practice. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition, workshops, and seminars. Assessment includes a performance. 

Learning and teaching hours: 50 (25%) 
Directed study hours: 150 (75%) 

Foundational Performance 2 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll continue developing your performance skills, building on the techniques and experiences from Foundational Performance 1. Working closely with your tutor, you’ll refine your individual style and strengthen your adaptability in a collaborative music environment. The module deepens your musicianship and enhances your confidence as you integrate technical development with expressive, performance-focused creativity. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition, workshops, and seminars. Assessment includes a band performance. 

Learning and teaching hours: 50 (25%) 
Directed study hours: 150 (75%)

Performance 1: Skills 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll build a solid foundation in performance by blending technical development with your own musical expression. Through one-to-one tuition, workshops, and lectures, you’ll enhance your musicianship, part-writing, and instrumental or vocal technique. This module supports your creative growth through structured exercises, helping you become a more confident and adaptable performer ready to engage with collaborative music-making. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition, workshops, and lectures.  Assessment includes a performance portfolio and an audio/video presentation. 

Learning and teaching hours: 55 (27.5%) 
Directed study hours: 145 (72.5%) 

Performance 2: Technique 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll deepen your technical and artistic development, strengthening your individual performance style through tailored tuition and collaborative learning. This module supports your growth as a creative professional, combining workshops, lectures, and practice to improve your musicianship and stage presence. You’ll explore performance from technical and expressive angles, preparing for real-world creative and industry expectations. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition, workshops, and lectures. Assessment includes a performance portfolio. 

Learning and teaching hours: 55 (27.5%) 
Directed study hours: 145 (72.5%) 

Creative Environments 1 (Pop and Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll develop key skills in collaborative performance and digital production using industry-standard tools. Through band rehearsals and Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) sessions, you’ll enhance your stagecraft, musical communication, and technical fluency. This module provides a hands-on introduction to creating, performing, and producing within a digital environment, helping you realise your musical ideas with confidence and precision. 

This module is delivered through a combination of practical collaborative band workshops and DAW-based recording sessions.   Assessment includes a DAW submission and a collaborative performance video. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Creative Environments 2 (Pop and Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll build on your collaborative and technical skills by refining your rehearsal strategies and deepening your understanding of DAW-based production. Through live performance and digital workshops, you’ll develop your musicianship, explore arrangement techniques, and learn how to shape ideas into strong demo recordings. This module strengthens your creative process in both live and studio settings. 

This module is delivered through a combination of practical collaborative band workshops and DAW-based recording sessions. Assessment includes a collaborative performance and a DAW processing skills. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Musical Analysis (Pop, Folk, Songwriting) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll explore the structures, techniques, and creative decisions behind influential songs and records. Using analytical tools, you’ll study arrangement, songcraft, and form—then apply these insights to your own music. Through lectures and peer discussion, you’ll sharpen your technical vocabulary, deepen your compositional understanding, and develop a more focused and reflective creative approach. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment includes a written or audio/video presentation analysis. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Musical Contexts (Pop, Folk, Songwriting) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll examine how music operates within social, cultural, and industry frameworks. This module introduces musicological and theoretical approaches that help you understand music as both an art form and a commercial product. By analysing repertoire and musical discourse, you’ll gain the tools to critically evaluate your work and position your creative output within wider contexts. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars.  Assessment includes a research project. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Performance 3: Artistry 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll take a more focused approach to developing your unique performance identity. Through personalised tuition, workshops, and lectures, you’ll refine your instrumental or vocal skills while exploring artistry in recorded and live performance. This module supports your growth as a creative performer with a distinct musical voice, ready for collaborative professional environments. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition, workshops, and lectures. Assessment includes a performance portfolio and written or audio/video reflective presentation. 

Learning and teaching hours: 55 (27.5%) 
Directed study hours: 145 (72.5%) 

Performance 4: Creativity 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll continue to develop your expressive range, performance strategies, and artistic direction. Alongside technical and stylistic refinement, you’ll explore the songwriting process and how your influences shape your creative identity. This module supports professional practice and experimentation, helping you evolve as a disciplined, original performer with an understanding of your place in the industry. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition, workshops, and lectures. Assessment includes a performance portfolio. 

Learning and teaching hours: 55 (27.5%) 
Directed study hours: 145 (72.5%) 

Creative Environments 3 (Pop and Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll strengthen your band performance and DAW production skills, focusing on rehearsal efficiency, stagecraft, and stylistic interpretation. In parallel, you’ll gain confidence with mixing techniques like track organisation, gain staging, and balancing. Through feedback and workshops, you’ll refine both your musical performance and your technical execution in a studio environment. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars.  Assessment includes a research project. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Creative Environments 4 (Pop and Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll further develop as a versatile performer and producer by engaging with live performance techniques and DAW-based creativity. This module explores advanced stagecraft, sound manipulation, and digital effects, helping you shape your identity as a contemporary artist. You’ll prepare compositions for live delivery while aligning your work with industry standards and expectations. 

This module is delivered through a combination of practical collaborative workshops and DAW-based production sessions. Assessment includes a mix submission and performance video. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Industry 1: Infrastructure (Pop, Songwriting, Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll explore the structure and workings of the UK music industry, gaining insights into income streams, management, legal frameworks, and professional bodies. This module provides the essential knowledge to start building a career as a songwriter or performer. You’ll learn to navigate industry mechanics and develop transferable business skills for long-term sustainability. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars.  Assessment includes music industry research. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Industry 2: Portfolio Skills (Pop, Songwriting, Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll explore three complementary disciplines—Journalism, Pedagogy, and Musicology—to broaden your career prospects. This module helps you develop skills that can support or extend your creative practice. Through lectures and practical tasks, you’ll gain the tools to deliver work in one of these areas, strengthening your employability and portfolio as a music professional. 

This module is delivered through lectures. Assessment includes a project in which you can choose a specialism. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Major Performance Showcase 
Credit value: 40 

You’ll consolidate your artistic voice and professional identity through a high-level performance project. Supported by tuition and workshops, you’ll refine your technique, stylistic fluency, and creative control. This module gives you the platform to demonstrate discipline, individuality, and professionalism as you prepare for a career in the music industry. 

This module is delivered through a combination of individualised tuition and workshops. Assessment includes a performance portfolio. 

Learning and teaching hours: 110 (27.5%) 
Directed study hours: 290 (82.5%) 

Focus 1 (Pop, Songwriting, Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll design and deliver a specialist project that aligns with your professional goals in ensemble performance, collaborative songwriting, or research. This module lets you showcase the skills and insights developed throughout your degree. You’ll refine your creative or academic approach while producing work that meets professional industry standards and reflects your artistic identity. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars or workshops. Assessment includes a project in which you can choose a specialism. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Focus 2 (Pop, Songwriting, Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll continue to develop your chosen specialism—whether performance, songwriting, or research—through a major project. Building on Focus 1, you’ll deepen your expertise and creative focus while demonstrating originality and professionalism. This module supports your transition into industry or further study by encouraging self-direction and high-level project delivery. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars or workshops. Assessment includes a project in which you can choose a specialism. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Industry 3: Strategy (Pop, Songwriting, Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll learn how to promote and position yourself in the music industry using strategic tools like marketing, branding, and digital presence. Through case studies and practical work, you’ll explore how artists build sustainable careers. You’ll develop networking skills and gain the knowledge to release music, build an audience, and navigate industry landscapes. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment includes a written or audio/video presentation case study. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%) 

Industry 4: Implementation (Pop, Songwriting, Folk) 
Credit value: 20 

You’ll bring together everything you've learned in your industry studies to shape your unique career path. This module helps you develop your creative vision, visual identity, and professional presentation. You’ll gain experience in branding, career planning, and income strategies, preparing you to secure employment or launch yourself as a self-employed music professional. 

This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment includes a submission of a graduation pack with evidence of your skills as a music practitioner. 

Learning and teaching hours: 30 (15%) 
Directed study hours: 170 (85%)