Music (Production) BA (Hons)

This module builds your understanding of how different musical genres took shape and the social and historical moments behind them, while giving you the chance to analyse influential works across a wide range of styles. You’ll get to grips with the core research and study skills you’ll use in musicological work, and you’ll grow your confidence in critical writing and in communicating about music in different ways.

This module gives you a solid grounding in the principles behind sound recording for studio work, live music and sonic arts, while helping you get familiar with the software and hardware used in audio production and production‑based song‑writing. You’ll also build confidence with essential computer concepts and start exploring basic Digital Signal Processing techniques through practical, hands‑on applications.

This module builds the core skills you’ll use in events production and collaborative projects, from confident communication and creative thinking to teamwork, self‑reflection and independent research. You’ll develop a professional approach to practical musicianship, both as an individual performer and as part of a coordinated team, and you’ll gain the administrative know‑how you need for self‑promotion, career development and event planning - including promotional strategies, logistics and project management. You’ll also learn how to research arts organisations and understand their place in the music industry, helping you spot potential collaborators, sponsors and partners and start forming meaningful professional relationships.

This module gives you the chance to gain confidence in live performance by working in both student‑led and tutor‑led ensembles, exploring how different performance skills develop and how to present work in public. You’ll build an understanding of collaborative performance processes, learn how to work practically with others, and start developing professionalism, rehearsal discipline and early leadership skills. You’ll be part of a creative team that shares decisions and solves problems together, while examining your own technical and performance skills using the tools and instruments you already know. You’ll also explore what performance confidence looks like, develop a mature sense of your own abilities, learn how to coach and critique each other positively, and strengthen the presence and presentation skills you need to deliver engaging performances.

This module supports you if most of your experience is in DAW‑based music making and you’re new to notation and its language. You’ll learn how to collaborate confidently in a group, developing your communication, teamwork and musical interaction skills, while creating original music through group songwriting and collaborative composition. You’ll build a practical vocabulary of musical terms and concepts to help everyone work together smoothly, and you’ll develop a broad understanding of common musical instruments and what they can do in songwriting and production. You’ll also strengthen your ability to analyse your own work and others’ in a positive, informed way, building the shared language and confidence you need for creative collaboration.

This module helps you build on your live performance experience by working in both student‑led and tutor‑led ensembles, exploring how performance skills develop and how to present work in public. You’ll deepen your understanding of collaborative performance, develop professionalism, rehearsal discipline and early leadership skills, and work as part of a creative team that shares decisions and solves problems together. You’ll also develop your improvisation, stylistic range and technical skills, build confidence in your own abilities, learn how to coach each other positively, and strengthen the presence and presentation skills you need to deliver engaging performances throughout the year.

This module helps you collaborate confidently in a group, developing your communication, teamwork and musical interaction skills. You’ll create original music through group songwriting and collaborative composition, building a shared creative identity. You’ll also develop a practical vocabulary of musical terms and concepts to support smooth, effective collaboration across diverse ensembles.

This module extends the professional skills you began at Level 4, strengthening your communication, teamwork, use of technology, creative thinking, self‑reflection and personal research. You’ll develop confident teaching, communication and leadership skills, and build practical knowledge in self‑promotion and career development. You’ll also deepen your understanding of how to use technology in audio, film and podcast work, and explore areas of music that focus on diversity and access.

This module develops your practical skills with the software and hardware used for songwriting, recording, editing and production, helping you create professional‑quality demo tracks. You’ll take an academic and technical look at production processes across contemporary genres so you can understand, analyse and adapt to different styles. You’ll explore creative sound design, arrangement and production techniques that support expressive, genre‑appropriate songwriting, and you’ll build the workflows and professional practices needed to work as a songwriter, collaborator and producer in the wider industry. You’ll also develop your own creative approaches to songwriting and production, using a DAW as your main compositional tool while staying adaptable to new and emerging technologies.

This module gives you a solid grounding in sound engineering theory, helping you build a comprehensive understanding of the key concepts and equations used in acoustics. You’ll also explore how core pieces of studio equipment are constructed and how they function, developing the technical awareness you need to work confidently in recording and production environments.

This module develops your creative and technical skills for capturing, editing, transforming and organising sound for non‑linear and installation‑based composition. You’ll take an exploratory, experimental approach to sound projects, working in imaginative and process‑driven ways. You’ll build personal creative methods using both digital and physical tools for recording, composition and production, and you’ll strengthen your problem‑solving skills as you design systems, structures and workflows for non‑linear composition and sound installation.

This module gives you the chance to explore a topic that genuinely interests you, whether through a dissertation, a portfolio of recordings, the development of music‑processing software for live performance, or a combination of these. You’ll apply and further develop the critical skills you built at Levels 1 and 2, using them to shape a focused, independent piece of work that reflects your growing technical, creative and analytical abilities.

This module develops advanced creative and technical skills for live electronic music performance, using software, hardware and controllers to shape real‑time sound. You’ll build a critical understanding of key repertoire and practices in live electronic music, exploring them within their cultural and historical contexts. You’ll experiment with real‑time sound design, performance‑system design and interactive composition, and learn to create flexible performance setups and workflows for both solo and collaborative work. You’ll also prepare for further study or professional practice in live electronic music and related creative fields.

This module develops advanced practical recording‑engineering skills, giving you a comprehensive understanding of live sound‑capture techniques and the confidence to apply them in professional contexts. You’ll also build high‑level skills in audio editing and mastering, strengthening your ability to shape polished, industry‑ready recordings.

This module builds on Ensemble I and II by giving you the chance to design and deliver a series of performance projects - from solo work to directing large ensembles - and to take full responsibility for their curation, production and public presentation. You’ll develop advanced skills in interpreting a wide range of traditional and contemporary music, deepen your understanding of current performance practices, and gain confidence producing high‑quality performances in different venues and styles. You’ll work as a committed member of a creative team, learn how to realise and direct new scores, and take an innovative approach to programming and performance development. You’ll also strengthen your ability to deliver confident public performances, understand how to market them effectively, and build a growing awareness of audience needs and performance spaces.

This module explores how music and culture shape one another across historical, political and global contexts, examining how identities - including race, gender and power - are expressed through sound. You’ll investigate music’s role in social and political movements, from revolution to resistance, and deepen your understanding of non‑Western and marginalised musical traditions. You’ll also apply musicological theories and methods to analyse music and its cultural meanings with confidence and clarity.

This module guides you in producing a portfolio of compositions that meet high professional standards, while supporting you in developing your own distinctive musical voice. You’ll build an imaginative understanding of contemporary music by exploring a wide range of repertoire, aesthetics and compositional techniques, and you’ll study scores and recordings in depth to strengthen the technical approaches you bring to your coursework.

This module guides you in producing a portfolio of compositions that meet high professional standards, while helping you develop your own distinctive musical voice. You’ll build an imaginative understanding of contemporary music by exploring a wide range of repertoire, aesthetics and compositional techniques, and you’ll study scores and recordings in depth to strengthen the technical approaches you bring to your work. You’ll also develop practical strategies for curating performances and managing recordings of your creative projects, building the professional awareness and creative confidence needed for your next steps as a composer.