Undergraduate

Music (Popular Music)

Student band Rae Gyaamie performing on the BBC Music Introducing stage at Humber Street Sesh
Hull Music student, Katrina Rae, smiling while playing a guitar.
An orchestral music ensemble, including strings, brass and percussion, performing on a stage.
Max Lilley playing bass guitar in the recording studio

Look around

Get the chance to work at live events in and around Hull, and tap into our partnerships with the BBC, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Opera North.
Open up a range of careers: musician, composer, recording artist, promoter, producer, events manager, music therapist, teacher, journalist…
When you join Hull, you join a tight-knit creative community of fellow performers, composers, songwriters, producers, and music technologists.
From day one, you’ll be learning on the job. Performing and producing on major projects, both on your own and with other like-minded creatives.
Use industry-standard recording studios and performance spaces, including our flagship Duality Recording Studio and 3D sound (ambisonic) studio.
Student band Rae Gyaamie performing on the BBC Music Introducing stage at Humber Street Sesh
Hull Music student, Katrina Rae, smiling while playing a guitar.
An orchestral music ensemble, including strings, brass and percussion, performing on a stage.
Max Lilley playing bass guitar in the recording studio
Middleton Hall Studios Recording and Performance Room
Drama & Music - Music (Popular Music)

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Code

Duration

Mode

  • Standard course
  • With a foundation year

Typical offer

What does this mean?

Gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue a music career. Whether as a performer, radio broadcaster, songwriter, music technologist, or events organiser.

When you join Hull, you join a buzzing creative community. A tight-knit group of performers, composers, songwriters, producers, music psychologists, and writers.

You work on major creative projects – both on your own and with like-minded creatives. You use industry-standard recording studios and performance spaces. And you get the chance to gain work experience at local live events.

  • Professional software

    such as Sibelius and Ableton

  • Hit the right note

    in our state-of-the-art concert hall

  • Industry-standard

    studios and rehearsal rooms

  • Close links

    with Opera North and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

  • Professional partnerships

    with RPO musicians

Swipe
Course overview
Module options

About this course

BA Music (Popular Music) is a variant of the BA Music programme. So you’ll share the same modules as other BA Music students. But when it comes to options within modules, you’ll focus on popular music.

To thrive in today’s popular music culture, you’ll need a mix of musical and technical skills. And to be able to work confidently with others across professional contexts. You'll study a range of technical skills to help you realise your best work. Project management, and rehearsal techniques. Music theory and lyric analysis. Fluency with key pieces of music software. Research skills, and social media skills for promoting your work. As well as festival programming.

You'll receive training in the critical and contextual dimensions of music. Working with expert staff to explore and challenge received wisdom about the value, status and significance of music in our society. Your practical work will culminate in a large-scale project: a stepping stone into your career.

And you can tap into our partnerships with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and Opera North. RPO hold masterclasses and offer career advice. As well as ensemble coaching, one-to-one tuition, and work experience.

Scheduled study hours and how you’re assessed

Throughout your degree, you’re expected to study for 1,200 hours per year. That’s based on 200 hours per 20 credit module. And it includes scheduled hours, time spent on placement and independent study. How this time is divided across the year varies and depends on the module you are studying.

How you'll be assessed depends on the course you study, and the modules you choose. You may be assessed through a mix of examinations, coursework, presentations and group projects.

Choose your modules

Each year, you’ll study modules worth a certain number of credits, and you need 120 credits per year. Most modules are 20 credits – so you’ll study six modules each year. Some longer modules, such as a dissertation, are worth more. In these cases, you’ll study fewer modules - but the number of credits will always add up to 120. Some modules are compulsory, some are optional, so you can build a course that’s right for you.

Preparing for Learning in Higher Education

This module is designed to give you the best possible start to your university studies, making sure you have all the essential skills you need to succeed. Through lectures and workshops we will teach you how to write in an academic style, how to find quality sources, how to reference work, culminating in writing up a mini-research project.

Compulsory•20 credits

Foundation in Data Analysis

Develop a strong foundation in data collection and analysis. This module will introduce you to qualitative and quantitative data and how to analyse it; the collection of primary and secondary data; the production of high quality graphics; and report writing.

Compulsory•20 credits

Group Challenge (Humanities)

Formulate and execute a group led enquiry into texts, cultural artifacts, film, music or dance. You'll explore their topics in groups at supervised workshops and develop questions on the cultural object relates to the living world of human experience, as well as developing your own methods to answer these questions.

Compulsory•20 credits

Academic Writing Skills

Developing confidence in expression, oral as well as written, is a key feature of this module, which also aims to familiarise you with submission and assessment procedures in the context of Higher Education. This is a clear building block onto your degree programme and places you at a distinct advantage when you move into the following year.

Compulsory•20 credits

Research in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Education

This module will equip you with the necessary skills to conduct and analyse research in a specific interest, supported by academics within your subject. You'll navigate through the research process, from identifying an area of interest to presenting their findings to your peers.

Compulsory•20 credits

Introduction to Study in the Humanities

This module equips you with a suite of analytical and theoretical tools to support you as you progress along your academic journey. You'll develop an interdisciplinary understanding of approaches to study in the humanities by working with a variety of resources, including novels, films and aspects of the visual arts.

Compulsory•20 credits

Students who require Foundation Year study will register on the Media Studies with Foundation Year programme.

Upon successful completion with a score of 50% or above you will progress directly onto BA Music (Popular Music). The foundation year has been designed to prepare you for entry on the degree.
6 Modules

Creating Recorded Music

Writer? Performer? Producer? Whatever your focus, you’ll work with fellow musicians to fully realise a musical recording. You’ll learn how to collaborate with others, each with different skills and roles, to create original music (including songwriting, instrumental works, electronic tracks and anything in-between) or to capture performance as a recorded artefact. You’ll finish the module with a portfolio-ready work.

Core•20 credits

Creating Live Music

Channel your creativity into a live music event to develop your technical and artistic skills whatever your musical interests. You’ll collaborate with music and music production students to create a unique and original live music event, alongside developing core skills in project management, repertoire development and artistic presentation.

Core•20 credits

Core Music Techniques

How does music work? How is it put together? Providing you with an essential proficiency in music theory and enabling you to realise your creative projects, you will develop your understanding of notation, harmony, melody, rhythm, alongside listening skills. You will form a portfolio for your final assessment from tasks across a variety of musical styles and techniques.

Core•20 credits

Applied Music Skills

Get an in-depth understanding of how music is put together, along with how and why harmonic provides such a powerful force in music’s structure. Based on a range of musical styles, you’ll be given the tools and techniques to analyse structural and harmonic perspectives, and develop crucial listening skills for practical musicianship.

Core•20 credits

Music, Criticism and Culture

Music can be profoundly significant for individuals in their daily lives, for politically-charged movements, and for entire cultures. This module will teach you different ways to ask such questions of music, and will help you to apply ideas derived from core literature to contemporary case studies.

Core•20 credits

Music and its Histories

This introduces you to narratives that characterise histories of music across different historical periods, technologies, and styles. You will explore these while also pursuing specialist studies relevant to your degree pathway. Through a range of different music, you will look at their histories and the assumptions behind the construction of such histories.

Core•20 credits
6 Modules

Individual Creative Project

What would you like to create? This module gives you the time, space, and expert support that you need to bring your individual project to life. You’ll be supported through planning, executing, and completion – which may be a performance, composition, recording, songwriting EP, educational practical project, or piece of sound design.

Core•20 credits

Collaborative Creative Project

Creative project management will explore the key methods used in a broad range of creative industries to organise and manage complex projects.

Core•20 credits

Music and Its Objects

Explore how music has been shaped by the objects we associate with it: instruments, technologies, sound recordings, and notations. You will develop a critical approach to thinking about these, helping you to deepen your understanding of the historical context and critical significance of your own music-making activities.

Core•20 credits

Case Studies in Music 1

This module will introduce you to key areas of contemporary musical practice and the ways in which music functions in contemporary society. Example case studies include psychology of music performance, global pop, and music and AI. 

Core•20 credits

Case Studies in Music 2

This module will introduce you to key areas of contemporary musical practice and the ways in which music functions in contemporary society. Example case studies include film music, groovology and eco-musicology. 

Core•20 credits

Professional Music Skills

How should you prepare for your music career? You will explore roles, discover what professionals really do, and find out how to maximise your future employment opportunities in a vibrant and growing sector. It will give you an in-depth understanding of your chosen field, as well as set you up for your next steps as a professional.

Optional•20 credits

Music and Sound for Media

This practical project-based module supports the development of specialised creative and technical skills involved in the production of sound and music for visual media. You can undertake a variety of projects, including films, games, music videos, interactive installations, and performances with visual projection. As projects are developed, general principles relating to the interaction of sight and sound will be explored, such as functionality, audio-visual correspondence and implementation.

Optional•20 credits
7 Modules

Major Project (Music)

What would you like to create? You will carry out a substantial piece of work in your chosen area. Whether that’s large-scale live performance, an original album, a critical dissertation, a portfolio of compositions, music for film or game, or a cutting-edge research project, we’ll give you the support, facilities and expertise you need, along with some key planning and management skills.

Core•40 credits

Working in Music

Gain essential insight into your future career, either by taking part in a placement or getting experience of working as a freelancer. Whether you’re going into performing on stage or in the studio, working in broadcast or live events, or going into teaching, we’ll enable you to start gaining professional experience of your chosen career.

Core•20 credits

Questioning Music

Imagine that what you’ve always thought was true about music actually wasn’t. What if there were questions about music that you hadn’t even thought could be asked? Challenging your assumptions about music and its value, which might lead you to think differently, the skills you learn will be highly transferable and prepare you for a range of career paths.

Core•20 credits

The Future of the Arts

What is the environmental cost of a single Spotify stream, an online gaming session, or of going to a gig, concert or to see a play? How much carbon does that YouTube movie trailer release? Our ability to engage with arts and culture has been made almost effortless, but at what environmental cost? By reflecting on your own creative practices, you’ll be equipped with the skills and understanding you’ll need to shape the arts practices of the future.

Core•20 credits

Professional Showcase

Ready to showcase your work? This module is about professionalism, portfolio management, and communication. You will curate and update a relevant selection of the work you have completed at University for a showcase presentation event.

Core•20 credits

Industry Production

As you approach the end of your degree, this module will help you to master the ultimate industry production skills needed for real-world practice. You will manage mini projects involving sound capture for broadcast in different locations, studio-based music mixing and mastering, and venue assessment. 

Core•20 credits

Advanced Production Techniques

Explore advanced techniques by refining your knowledge of the tools and environments that shape the production of music in varied formats and arenas. Creative work will include immersive production approaches, mastering techniques as well as AI-driven production methods.

Core•20 credits
7 Modules

Playlist

Dr Peter Elsdon

Course Overview 1 min

Humber Street Sesh

Course highlight 2 mins

The Future of Music

Course highlight 7 mins

Pippa Brazier

Student story 1 min

Entry requirements

What do I need?

When it comes to applying to university, you'll need a certain number of UCAS points. Different qualifications and grades are worth a different amount of points. For this course, you'll need…

Use UCAS's calculator to work out your estimated points

We consider experience and qualifications from the UK and worldwide which may not exactly match the combinations above.

But it's not just about the grades - we'll look at your whole application. We want to know what makes you tick, and about your previous experience, so make sure that you complete your personal statement.

Have questions? Our admissions team will be happy to help.

What do I need?

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by the University of Hull.

If your English currently does not reach the University’s required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.

Fees & funding

How much is it?

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.

How do I pay for it?

How much is it?

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.

How do I pay for it?

Our academics

From DJs to band members, stage performers to session musicians, our performance-led staff are active in making music themselves. And they bring their passion and experience into everything you learn.

So you can be sure you’re getting a great education.

See more academics for this subject
Rowan Oliver
Featured academic

Dr Rowan Oliver

Before joining the University of Hull, Rowan spent several years touring the world as the drummer in Goldfrapp (among various other musical exploits). He continues to record and perform internationally as a session musician.

Dr Mark Slater
Featured academic

Dr Mark Slater

Mark is a composer, producer and musicologist with an interest in the processes of how music is made, usually including uses of technology and improvisation in some way. His work is fuelled by an exploration of spontaneity and collaboration.

Take a look at our facilities

Middleton Hall

The centrepiece of our world-class cultural venue is a 400-seater concert hall. A versatile space which also offers rehearsal rooms, performance spaces and professional recording studios.

Duality Recording Studio

Use professional kit from Akai, AKG, Sennheiser, Neumann and Sound Devices. As well as software including Pro Tools, Sibelius, Adobe Creative Suite, Ableton Live and Reaper.

Ambisonic Studio

Our Ambisonic Studio is a 3D surround-sound studio with 4-8-4 array, additional Barefoot stereo monitoring and fully adjustable lift and desk for ideal monitoring position.

Rehearsal and performance spaces

Our industry-standard rehearsal spaces let you experiment to your heart’s content. And our students regularly perform in the University Chapel.

See more in our virtual tour

Look around

Look around

Look around

Look around

Middleton Hall Auditorium
Middleton Hall Studio recording desk
Larkin Ambisonic Music Studio
Middleton Hall Rehearsal Room
Hull Music student, Alex Dexter-Mills, sits working at a mixing desk in one of the University's recording studios.

Future prospects

You’ll graduate with essential skills for the music industry, plus, a professional portfolio of material for your CV. You’ll learn how to communicate confidently, both through your craft and face-to-face. You’ll also have access to our network of professional partners, providing opportunities for live projects, work experience, masterclasses, and more.

Some students set up record labels before they graduated. Others carve out their own careers in the industry. Our graduates go on to become musicians, composers, and recording artists. They also pursue careers as radio producers, music promoters, and events managers, as well as music therapists, teachers and journalists.

University of Hull Open Day

Your next steps

Like what you’ve seen? Then it’s time to apply.

The standard way to apply for this course is through UCAS. This will give you the chance to showcase your skill, qualities and passion for the subject, as well as providing your academic qualifications.

How to apply

Not ready to apply?

Visit our next Open Day, and see all that Hull has to offer for yourself. Talk to our lecturers about your subject, find out what university is really like from our current students, and take a tour of our beautiful campus and amazing facilities.

Book your place now

You may also be interested in…

Course

BA (Hons) Music
Course

BA (Hons) Music Performance
Course

BA (Hons) Music (Songwriting)
Course

BA (Hons) Music Production
Course

BA (Hons) Music (Community and Education)

All modules presented on this course page are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

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