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Music BA

Course code

W300

W301 with placement year

Start date

September

Placement available

Mode of study

3 years full-time

4 years full-time with placement

4.5 to 6 years part-time

Fees

2024/25

UK £9,250

International £19,430

Entry requirements

2024/25

AAB – BBC (A-level)

DMM (BTEC)

29 (IB)

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Overview

Our Music BA degree has been designed to develop your particular interests in music-making. It aims to equip you with a solid grounding in the craft of creativity which reflects the diversity of musical styles and genre in today’s world.

In your first year you will gain a strong understanding of composition, performance and musicology. You will also be introduced to sonic arts and sound recording. Your peer group of musicians will discuss, review and give you constructive feedback on your musical activities.

You can choose from a range of optional modules in your second year and final year. This means you develop your own bespoke pathway during your music course, and this prepares you for your chosen career in the music world. Examples of specialist options you could choose include orchestration and arrangement, and taking sonic art to the stage, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

You will be taught by some of the leading figures in today’s contemporary music comprising composers, performers and musicologists. They are performing, composing and writing books, and have strong connections with the music community in London, the UK and in Europe. This opens up opportunities for you to collaborate with them and work together on installation projects and a huge variety of creative projects.

Our music facilities include a fully sound-proofed recording studio for rehearsals, and performance spaces and practice rooms equipped with grand pianos, drum kits and amps. Access is available to an editing suite with Mac computer workstations where you’ll work on your music using industry standard music making software.

During your time at Brunel, you’ll benefit from guest lectures delivered by leading figures in the music industry who give advice on music promotion and how to get a gig. In addition, you have the advantage of Brunel’s close location to London’s exciting music scene for planned trips to music concerts, festivals, galleries, and museums.

Our music undergraduate degree can be studied full-time over three years, four years with a placement year, or part-time over six years.

We encourage the placement year option. This time in the music industry helps you to further prepare for the world of work and you’ll have a year’s worth of invaluable professional experience when you graduate. If you decide to go on a music work placement year, you could find yourself working at record companies, TV companies, or teaching music in a school.

You’ll have the opportunity to showcase your musical talent before you graduate alongside external musicians. There are a variety of performances hosted by Brunel including concerts, recitals and ensembles where you’ll be able to network and gain feedback on your creativity from the visiting music artists.

Watch videos and presentations about Music at Brunel,on our 'On demand' pages.

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.

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Course content

From the first year you will start building a professional portfolio of your project-based work. You will plan and manage themed events and build a live website of your musical creations as part of the professional development module. In later years you can select modules that you find interesting and that reflect your career aspirations. You can choose a theoretical or practical-based final year project. It could be a written dissertation, or, alternatively, a composition, performance, vocal, or an album, or electronics piece.

This course can be studied 3 years full-time, 4 years full-time with placement or 4.5 to 6 years part-time, starting in September.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

This course has a placement year option. Find out more about work placements available.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

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Careers and your future

A music degree from Brunel University London will prepare you for a broad range of employment in the music industry.

Our graduates are ready for the real world of music and launch careers as singers, songwriters, performance artists, and freelance musicians. Others are working in the film industry or in music studios. Some opt to work in event management, teaching, radio, journalism, or software engineering.

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UK entry requirements

2024/25 entry

  • GCE A-level AAB-BBC.
  • BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DMM in any subject.
  • BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in any subject, with an A-level at grade C.
  • BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma M in any subject, with A-levels grade BB.
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma 29 points.
  • Obtain a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.

A minimum of five GCSEs are required, including GCSE Mathematics grade C or grade 4 and GCSE English Language grade C or grade 4 or GCSE English Literature grade B or grade 5.

Brunel University London is committed to raising the aspirations of our applicants and students. We will fully review your UCAS application and, where we’re able to offer a place, this will be personalised to you based on your application and education journey.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

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EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
  • Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
  • BrunELT: 63% (min 55% in all areas)
  • TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)  

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

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Fees and funding

2024/25 entry

UK

ÂŁ9,250 full-time

ÂŁ6,935 part-time

ÂŁ1,385 placement year

International

ÂŁ19,430 full-time

ÂŁ14,570 part-time

ÂŁ1,385 placement year

Fees quoted are per year and may be subject to an annual increase. Home undergraduate student fees are regulated and are currently capped at £9,250 per year; any changes will be subject to changes in government policy. International fees will increase annually, by no more than 5% or RPI (Retail Price Index), whichever is the greater.

More information on any additional course-related costs.

See our fees and funding page for full details of undergraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Please refer to the scholarships pages to view discounts available to eligible EU undergraduate applicants.

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Teaching and Learning

How the course will be delivered

Required equipment

How you'll learn on your course

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Assessment and feedback

Your progress will be assessed via essays, coursework portfolios, group practical exercises, individual and group presentations, exams, and the final year individual project.

Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.

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