BA (Hons) Popular Music is designed for musicians and artists who want to refine their craft, define their artistic identity, and shape a sustainable career in the music industry. You will explore songwriting, live performance, and creative production in a dynamic and supportive environment, combining hands-on practice with critical reflection and cultural insight.

Collaboration and creativity are at the heart of this degree. You will take part in live projects, showcase your work in professional settings, and experiment with new approaches to composition, production, and performance. Alongside this, you will learn how to promote yourself as an artist through branding, digital presence, and audience engagement, ensuring your music reaches the people who matter most.

Taught by industry professionals and supported by a community of peers, mentors, and collaborators, this course gives you access to world-class facilities and the expertise to develop your authentic artistic voice. Whether your ambition is to perform, compose, produce, or innovate in new areas of music, this course will prepare you to thrive in a fast-changing creative world.

Develop Your Unique Artistic Identity

Explore songwriting, performance, and production to shape a distinctive musical voice and build a professional portfolio that showcases your originality.

Hands-On, Industry-Focused Learning

Work in world-class studios and take part in live projects, showcases, and collaborations with peers and industry professionals to gain real-world experience.

Career-Ready Skills and Professional Development

Learn self-promotion, digital presence, audience engagement, and industry insight to confidently navigate the music business and creative industries.

Supportive, Creative Community

Join a vibrant network of musicians, producers, composers, and mentors, collaborating across disciplines while receiving guidance and feedback to grow as an artist and professional.

This course combines practical musicianship, creative production, and professional development to prepare you for a wide range of careers in music. You will develop your skills across songwriting, performance, composition, and production while exploring the cultural, historical, and technological contexts that shape contemporary popular music.

Your learning will be shaped around live performance, recording sessions, collaborative projects, and hands-on production work, supported by opportunities to learn from visiting industry professionals. You will also engage in critical reflection, exploring the cultural and technological contexts of popular music and the role of the artist today.

You will also gain the professional knowledge needed to succeed in today’s music industry. This includes strategies for self-promotion, digital presence, audience engagement, and portfolio development, all supported by opportunities to work with industry professionals.

By the time you graduate, you will have refined your musical identity, developed strong entrepreneurial and collaborative skills, and gained the confidence to engage authentically with diverse audiences and industries.

Module information

A standard full-time BA (Hons) course is made up of 120 credits studied each year. Some courses may vary, however, and you can find information on the total number of credits achieved per module below.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the

Year OneYear TwoOptional placement yearFinal Year

Core modulesExpand all +

Popular Music in Context

Popular Music in Context examines the historical, cultural, and social development of popular music, from its roots in blues and jazz to today’s globalised pop landscape. The module explores how music both shapes and reflects societal forces, including race, gender, politics, and technological change, with particular attention to sustainability and the ecological impact of production, distribution, and live performance. Students also consider the influence of generative AI on music creation and culture, reflecting on creativity, authorship, and innovation. Delivered through lectures and seminars, the module combines critical engagement with key genres, movements, and artists with research, report and essay writing, and academic skills, preparing students to analyse and contextualise popular music in its evolving contemporary landscape.

20 credits

Performance and Musicianship

This module develops your performance skills and musicianship by focusing on technical proficiency, musical interpretation, theory, listening skills, flexibility in ensemble playing, and stylistic awareness, all within popular music.

Through weekly rehearsals, you will explore various popular music styles, genres, and contexts, focusing on skills development and ensemble performance.

The module emphasises authenticity, innovation, and experimentation in music creation, while also encouraging you to critically reflect on your musical proficiency and development alongside your professional identity and career goals.

Introduction to Songwriting

This module provides foundational skills in songwriting, guiding you to create original compositions while exploring melody, harmony, rhythm, structure, and thematic content across different genres. Drawing on techniques studied in the Popular Music in Context and Performance modules, you will experiment with approaches inspired by blues, rock, soul, punk, hip-hop, EDM, global pop, and more. The module also introduces generative AI as a creative tool to support idea generation, lyric writing, and musical exploration, encouraging reflection on authorship and originality while developing your personal and genre-specific songwriting style.

Professional Pathways in Popular Music

This module equips you with the essential skills and knowledge for a career in the popular music industry, combining theoretical insight with project-based learning that mirrors real-world professional contexts. You will explore industry structures, diversity, sustainability, and personal development through weekly lectures and collaborative seminars, developing professional competencies such as self-reflection, skills audits, elevator pitches, promotional strategies, and portfolio creation. The module encourages creative and strategic thinking through practical projects, feedback, and case studies, while also examining how generative AI is influencing creativity, workflows, and professional identity, prompting reflection on ethics and authorship in the music industry.

Creative Collaborative Practice

This practical, performance-focused module immerses you in the collaborative process of creating original music within a band setting. Working in groups, you'll explore the full creative cycle—from initial jam sessions and songwriting to live performance—developing your musicianship, ensemble skills, and creative confidence along the way.

With a strong emphasis on collective creativity, you'll learn how to generate and refine musical ideas collaboratively, arrange songs with intention, and rehearse effectively to deliver tight, expressive performances. Guided workshops will also introduce you to stagecraft, basic recording techniques, and the technical aspects of preparing for a live show.

DAW Skills

The DAW Skills module is designed to equip students with essential knowledge and practical skills in using the functions of Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs).

This module introduces students to a variety of processes and procedures found in many DAWs, such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Reaper, and FL Studio, among others.

Students will have the flexibility to choose and use the DAWs that best suit their creative and technical needs.

The focus is on developing musical ideas, enhancing production capabilities, and building a solid foundation for songwriting and music production.

The module opens discussion around generative AI tools within DAWs to support idea generation, enhance workflow, and expand creative possibilities in music production.

Headline indicative topics:

Introduction to DAWs

Audio Recording and Editing

MIDI Basics

Software Instruments

Effects and Processing

Arrangement and Structure

Mixing Fundamentals

Advanced Editing Techniques

Sound Design

Production Techniques

Collaboration and Workflow

Screen recording and creating walkthrough videos of production work

You will study one 20-credit Optional Module. There are a range of optional 20-credit modules - these options add personalisation to your course and cover content related to your course subject area. The Optional modules may change year on year and we purposely update these regularly to allow for industry input and innovations in the subject.

Your Sound and Music Industry

This module explores how money flows through the sound and music industry, examining the revenue streams that underpin key areas such as recording, publishing, live events, media, and digital distribution. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of how income is generated, and the role that collection societies, licensing agreements, and company or label financing play within the wider business landscape. The module also addresses the financial challenges facing the industry today and looks at how technology such as AI is shaping new and emerging business practices. Through real-world case studies and industry-led discussions, you'll gain practical insights into the economics of sound and music and how you might navigate your own path within it.

As part of this module, you'll take part in additional practical workshops in submission method development that you can apply across other areas of your course.

Co Lab: Research, Exploration and Risk-taking

Through active participation with team-based problem solving, you will work together in mixed teams on a project where you will use your creative ideas to generate solutions to the challenge or brief. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community. This collaborative learning experience will expose you to a range of new processes and approaches that will develop your creative thinking.

Songwriting Development

Songwriting Development builds on the Introduction to Songwriting module, further advancing your ability to create original and engaging material. Delivered through a songwriting camp format, the module encourages collaboration and creativity in a professional, real-world context.

You will apply current industry practices in collaborative songwriting, responding to briefs and commissions within defined timeframes and creative parameters. This process will help you develop essential skills and techniques used by modern songwriters, topliners, and instrumentalists.

Genre theory and contextual perspectives are integral to the module. Contextual studies will examine the historical and cultural significance of various popular music genres, with a particular focus on the genre most relevant to your own creative work.

Performance Development

Building on the foundational skills developed in the Level 4 module "Performance and Musicianship," this module aims to further enhance your instrumental skills and techniques while deepening understanding of theory and genre-related contexts.

You will engage in more advanced performance practices, focusing on ensemble settings. The module encourages you to explore and refine your musical identity, fostering creativity and innovation in their performances.

Regular instrumental workshops will support you in your technique, development and confidence.

This module aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the dynamic field of popular music, preparing you for professional careers as versatile and innovative musicians.

Production For Songwriters and Musicians

Production for Songwriters and Musicians builds on the foundational skills acquired in DAW Skills and Songwriting Development.

This module equips musicians with the necessary skills and workflows to transform initial song ideas into complete productions using accessible tools and methods.

It emphasises the use of affordable and readily available recording equipment, ensuring that high-quality productions can be achieved without the need for big studios or expensive gear enabling you to monetise your instrumental skills using accessible equipment.

This module introduces generative AI tools for music production—covering arrangement, sound design, and mixing—to enhance creativity and efficiency in home studios.

Optional modulesExpand all +

Creative Live Event Production

Students will gain a broad understanding of how to create and use live events as part of a wider portfolio of activations to create a narrative and shape a conversation. Students will be introduced to the key themes within creative live event production including creating concepts/pitch decks, the importance of location, technical considerations such as lighting, sound and set and the power of collaboration as the centre of successful creative event production.

Digital Marketing and Communication

This module explores the fast-paced world of digital marketing and communication in fashion and lifestyle. You'll analyse digital brand experiences, experiment with new technologies, and develop a concept proposal with prototype designs. Through individual and group projects, you'll build skills in data analytics, user experience, digital strategy, and storytelling to enhance customer engagement across digital platforms.

Music Video

This module offers the opportunity to work on a live commercial brief from an established record label, developing and producing a music video for multimedia platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. You'll pitch your own concept, then collaborate in cross-course teams to produce the selected idea. The module builds creative, technical, and professional skills in areas including research, direction, filming, editing, ethical practice, and industry-focused teamwork.

Podcast Production For Beginners

Podcasting currently represents the most dynamic and rapidly expanding sector within the media landscape. Over the past two decades, it has evolved from a nascent interest on the periphery of internet blogging into a multi-billion-pound industry.

This course is designed to equip students with the essential knowledge and best practices for developing and producing an original podcast series.

Festival and Music Events Management

Do you love live music and want to create events that leave a lasting impact? This module introduces the principles and practices of designing, planning, and delivering live music events. You will develop a complete event proposal through lectures, workshops, and simulations, considering audience engagement, stakeholder management, logistics, sustainability, and professional standards. The module emphasises teamwork, reflective practice, and practical skills in a music-focused context.

Introduction to Live Sound Technologies

Sound Design for Visual Media

In this module, you will develop a range of sound design skills that will allow you to complete various sound design briefs, for example in the large industries of films and gaming, but equally for personal content creation or public-facing events or media, such as exhibitions and podcasts. You will learn how to analyse existing sounds for recreation and how to manipulate audio to generate new content. The module will provide a creative, practical and playful approach to the discipline, using sampling, synthesis and recording techniques.

Journalism for the Creative Industries

Journalism for the Creative Industries is an exciting module that explores the dynamic intersection of journalism and the modern creative industries landscape.

The module equips students with the skills to produce engaging content across a range of formats, including features, news pieces, reviews, and copy for creative purposes.

Students will have the chance to engage in both written and video journalism, developing established techniques for conducting interviews and crafting compelling stories.

With a strong focus on contemporary industry practices, this module prepares creatives with an interest in journalism to navigate and contribute meaningfully to the world of the creative industries.

The module also explores the use of generative AI in journalism, considering its role in content creation, research, and storytelling. You will critically examine how AI tools can support journalistic practice while raising questions around ethics, originality, and credibility in the creative industries.

Placement year routesExpand all +

Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*

We have an option for all of our students to undertake a placement year and allow you to decide whether this is right for you once you have completed years 1 and 2 of your course. This time spent working in industry provides our students with crucial work experience, which is highly prized and much sought after by employers upon graduation. If you are successful in securing a placement you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.

The additional placement year incurs a fee. For international students considering the transfer to the 4-yr SW route it's important to seek advice from the International Student Support team and the Home Office regarding any potential visa implications and costs. For UK students, advice should also be sought regarding SLC eligibility, if applicable.

* If you choose to take the sandwich route option, you will need to apply for this course by using the full-time UCAS code.

0 credits

Study Abroad

If you're studying on our sandwich route you can also opt to study abroad for a full academic year, or for a semester, during Year Three. This is an optional and additional period of study that complements your degree at NTU as an alternative to taking a work placement.

This is an exciting opportunity to experience a different national culture, teaching and learning styles and subjects in an international environment. The destination university must be a year abroad / exchange partner of NTU or member of a formally recognised scheme such as the International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP).

Our NTU Global and student mobility team will support you in finding the right opportunity from one of the many international partners available around the world.

Successful completion of a period of international study will earn you a standalone award an International Study Certificate (minimum six weeks) or the International Study Diploma (minimum 36 weeks).

Industry Briefs

Get ready to dive into the real world of the creative industries! This module is all about tackling live industry work via real briefs or other professional practices and developing the skills you need to thrive in your career. Whatever you're producing, you’ll be responding to industry challenges, pushing your problem solving, project management and creativity to build a portfolio that sets you apart. With skills workshops, and hands-on experience, this is your chance to level up and prove what you can do within professional parameters.

By the end of the module you will have assets that could support your Future Pathways module outward facing portfolio for semester 2, and the skills can support your Capstone Project.

Dynamic Stagecraft

Dynamic Stagecraft is a practice-led module that develops your performance skills through the creation of a fully staged live production. You will explore stage presence, audience engagement, and the integration of genre-appropriate sound, lighting, and visual elements, drawing on original or arranged material. The module introduces advanced production techniques such as backing tracks, pre-recorded elements, in-ear monitoring, and MIDI or time-coded synchronisation with lighting and visuals, enabling cohesive and professional live performances. Collaboration with peers, including students from Events Production, supports interdisciplinary teamwork, communication, and project management. Throughout the module, you will take creative ownership of your work, refine your technical and artistic skills, and build the confidence to deliver polished performances to specialist and general audiences.

Future Pathways

This module provides an opportunity for you to consolidate your academic, practical, and professional learning into a focused and strategic portfolio that reflects your readiness for the next stage of your career.

Drawing on the experiences, insights, and skills developed throughout your degree, you will curate a body of work that articulates your professional identity and future direction within Music and Events industries. This is a chance to synthesise your journey so far and present a compelling narrative of your abilities, values, and ambitions.

The emphasis is on finalising your career or further study plans, demonstrating a clear understanding of industry expectations, and showcasing your preparedness for employment or continued education. Through engagement with professional practices and critical self-reflection, you will develop a portfolio that not only highlights your achievements but positions you confidently for your next steps.

Final Capstone Project: Preproduction

In this module you will apply what you have learnt throughout your course and start developing a Final Capstone Project. Working with your peers and lecturers, you will negotiate collaborative practice and individual achievement with the view of showcasing your work.

Depending on your course, these final capstone projects may be prescribed, collaborative or individual.

By the end of the module, you are expected to have arrived at an evidence-backed plan that can be implemented in Semester 2. You will have assessed any possible challenges and risks, including how collaboration and ethical considerations may affect your journey.

You will be submitting a project proposal for approval at the end of the module. In addition, you are expected to provide planning documentation and/or examples of work which will be negotiated with the course team when the assessment is set.

Any project work or expenditure can only take place after the project has been approved by the relevant course team.

The delivery comprises discipline-specific practical classes as well as lectures that will help you to design and contextualise the project.

Final Capstone Project

Final Capstone Project is the culmination of your degree and an opportunity to integrate your learning, skills and experiences. This is your chance to create something meaningful, challenge yourself, and showcase who you are as a professional in your field.

At the core of your project is a practical, creative or research-led negotiated output – what this entails depends on your discipline area. These projects may be prescribed, collaborative or individual.

Whatever form your project takes, you are expected to frame it as a research project as well as to consider aspects such as existing and/or emerging technologies (including AI), ways of working, sustainability and social responsibility. Moreover, you are required to critically reflect on the distance travelled, the role collaboration played and any challenges you faced and overcame. You are invited to link this reflection with your personal and professional goals. Your appendices will evidence processes and experimentation within your subject area.

40 credits

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

How you're taught

You will learn through a mix of practical workshops, live projects, studio sessions, and collaborative assignments, supported by lectures, seminars, and one-to-one mentoring. Industry professionals and experienced tutors guide your development, giving feedback and insight while encouraging experimentation and creative exploration. This hands-on approach ensures you build technical expertise, artistic confidence, and professional skills in a real-world context.

Showcase

You will be given the opportunity to exhibit your work during your time at NTU to members of the creative industries.

Artificial Intelligence and Innovation in Popular Music

The BA Popular Music programme at NTU critically examines the role of Artificial Intelligence within contemporary music practice. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for human creativity, the course positions it as a tool to enhance workflow efficiency and support professional practice. Students engage with AI-driven processes for music creation, applying advanced critical analysis to evaluate outputs and interrogate the significance of human input in shaping originality, intellectual property, authorship, and ownership within real-world industry contexts. Ethical considerations, sustainability, and cultural values underpin this exploration, ensuring graduates develop the ability to integrate technology responsibly while safeguarding creative integrity. This approach equips students with the knowledge and adaptability required to thrive in an evolving music industry landscape. Find out more about AI, Creativity and Innovation at the Nottingham School of Art & Design | Nottingham Trent University.

Contact hours

For each 20-credit module, you’ll spend about 200 hours learning overall. Around 40 of those hours will be taught in lectures or seminars. The rest of the time is for independent study, reading, research, or working on assignments.

Who will teach you?

Lou Barnell

Lecturer (Teaching)

Lou Barnell teaches songwriting and DAW skills on the BA Music Performance course, guiding students in music creation, theory, and production through practical composition and software-based learning.

Visit Lou Barnell's staff profile

Elliot Oakley

Elliot Oakley is a Lecturer in Popular Music whose teaching combines songwriting, music production and industry practice to help students develop successful careers in the contemporary music industry.

Visit Elliot Oakley's staff profile

Tom Mapes

Tom Mapes is Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the FdA and BA (Hons) Music Performance programmes at Nottingham Trent University, within the Nottingham School of Art & Design.

Visit Tom Mapes's staff profile

Jessie Dipper

Lecturer

Jessie Dipper is a BA Music Performance teacher, specialising in songwriting and independent release and management.

Visit Jessie Dipper's staff profile

Paul Stephen Adey

Paul Adey is a Lecturer of Music Performance and Music Business within the Nottingham School of Art & Design.

Visit Paul Stephen Adey 's staff profile

Entry requirements

UK students

Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Contextual offer (UK only): 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Additional entry criteria:

Links to 2 videos of contrasting performances on your instrument/voice. For advice on what to record and how to submit your videos, please see our Application Guidance for Music courses at NTU.

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

Additional requirements

Additional requirements for UK students

There are no additional requirements for this course.

Contextual offers

We consider every application in the context of your individual circumstances and educational background. This may include information about where you live, the school or college you attended, or experiences that may have shaped your educational journey. This is known as a contextual offer, and we use information provided through UCAS to help inform our decisions. By considering achievement in context, we can better recognise academic potential and ensure applicants are assessed as fairly and fully as possible.

Meeting our entry requirements

Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.

Other qualifications and experience

NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.

We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.

Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.

International students

Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.

English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Additional international requirements

Additional requirements for international students

English language requirements

View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.

If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.

If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

Sign up for emails

Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.

If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students - see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£10,050 per year

Year abroad - £1,507

Placement year - £2,010

If you choose to do a placement year or year abroad, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year. Please be aware that you will be charged the fee set for the year this takes place, rather than being fixed at the rate applicable when you start your course, and any increases are subject to Government approval. As a guide, the fees above are for the 2027/28 academic year.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including NTU bursaries and scholarships.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students - see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

£19,150 per year

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees might increase from the second year of your undergraduate course, in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Scholarships

We offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money and the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment as part of your offer conditions. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, in order to enrol on the course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about your advance payment, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Year abroad

If you choose to study abroad for a year, you may need to consider additional costs such as visas, vaccinations, accommodation and travel expenses.

Graduate Festival

In your final year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for the Graduate Festival Showcase.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Popular Music - personal instruments and performances

Course fees do not include the cost of personal instruments, accessories, maintenance, insurance or travel to performances.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, phone the Student Money Team on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

Cost of living in Nottingham

Our student benefits and free services

Money advice for international students

Careers and employability

A degree in Popular Music opens the door to a wide range of creative and professional opportunities. Graduates can go on to work as musicians, songwriters, composers, producers, live performers, recording artists, music directors, DJs, remixers, or sound designers.

Many also move into technical roles such as sound engineering, recording, mixing, mastering, live sound, music programming, or studio management. Others pursue the business and management side of the industry, taking on roles as music managers, promoters, booking agents, A&R representatives, publishers, tour managers, or marketing specialists.

The transferable skills you develop will also prepare you for work in education, media, and communication. Possible roles include music teaching, journalism, music therapy, podcasting, radio presenting, music criticism, social media management, and event production.

Whichever path you choose, you will graduate with a strong portfolio, a network of collaborators, and the confidence to carve your own space in the global music industry.

Employability Promise

Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).

Assessed work-like experience

We’ve embedded at least eight weeks of assessed work-like experience into all of our courses. This gives you the opportunity to apply your learning in real-world scenarios, build your confidence, and develop the experience employers are looking for.

NTU Enterprise

If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Campus and facilities

Whether you’re a songwriter, performer, producer or someone who wants to get into the live events industry, you’ll study and learn in the heart of a world-class venue – Metronome on our City Campus.

With its unrivalled reputation for the quality of its sound and visuals, Metronome hosts a successful commercial programme of live events throughout the year – and it’s here where you’ll learn from the best and gain real work experience.

This world-class venue is home to some amazing facilities, jam-packed with recording studios, rehearsal rooms, performances spaces, and a 400-capacity venue.

Industry kit and facilities:

Exigy and MPC ATC monitors

Specialist IT and production suites with software such as Logic, Pro Tools, Ableton

Industry-standard recording, mixing and mastering studios including SSL Duality, Neumann and Schoeps Studer equipment

Dolby Atmos studio

Specialist IT Suites with Logic, Pro Tools, N.I Komplete M4L and Ableton software

Performance rehearsal rooms

400 capacity live events venue

Post-production suites including Soundfield, 5.1, Foley Room, Binaural and VR technology

Synth Lab: a shrine to the synthesiser

Audient Heritage Console

SSL Duality 48 Channel Super Analogue Console

Neumann Microphones

EMT 140 Plate Reverb

Outboard from Tube-Tech and AP, DAWs (such as FL Studio, Ableton, Pro Tools, Logic, Reaper)

Studer A827 2-inch 24-Track Tape Machine

Plug Ins from Sound Toys, Arturia, SSL and Slate Digital.

Metronome venue 360

Step inside the studio in 360°

Metronome atrium 360

Metronome

For more information visit the Metronome page.

Boots Library

For more information visit the Boots Library page.

Take a virtual tour

Applying

Application for this course is through the UCAS application form.

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button below and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

We will ask you to provide links to two videos showing contrasting performances on your main instrument or voice. After submitting your videos, you may be invited to an online interview to help us make a final decision.

Apply through UCAS

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Please read our application guidance before you start your application.

We advise you to prepare and apply as early as you can as Student visa processing time can vary.

We'll send you important emails throughout the application process. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam mail folder.

Apply through NTU portal

Personal statement guidance

You’ll submit a personal statement with your UCAS application – here are our tips on what to include and how to structure your personal statement.

Application support

If you have any questions about applying, get in touch through our online form or call us on 44 (0)115 848 4200.

Related courses

More from this subject

View more courses on the Music and Live Events subject page

Further study

View Music and Live Events postgraduate courses

Keeping in touch

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