Year One

The first semester of year one consists of the following key components:

Music Practice Instrumental Studies: Classes include technique, styles and reading.

Music Theory: Aimed at developing the student’s wider musicianship, this includes classes on aural & transcribing, harmony & theory and keyboards

Music Performance History & origins of Popular Music. Live performance workshops, ensemble, percussion and backing vocals

Music Production and Music Technology: An introduction to the fundamentals, equipping students with the tools and principles of programming and processing.

Songwriting: An introduction to the ethics of arrangement and the principles of songwriting, including form, lyrics, melody, rhythm and harmony.

The second semester of year one consists of the following key components:

Music Practice Instrumental Studies: Classes include technique, styles and reading.

Music Theory: Aimed at developing the student’s wider musicianship, this includes classes on aural & transcribing, harmony & theory and keyboards

Music Performance History & origins of Popular Music. Live performance workshops, ensemble, percussion and backing vocals

Music Production and Music Technology: Continuing study of the fundamentals, equipping students with the tools and principles of programming and processing

Songwriting: Continuing study of the ethics of arrangement and the principles of songwriting, including form, lyrics, melody, rhythm and harmony

Year two

The first semester of year two consists of the following key components:

Music Practice Instrument Studies: Classes include technique, styles and reading. Music Theory: Aural & transcribing, harmony & theory and keyboards

Music Performance Ensemble Skills: A wide-ranging ensemble class supporting the increasing development of performance and communication skills within the appropriate styles of 20th century popular music, and inculcating an awareness of industry-standard performance. Live performance workshops.

Music Production

Music Business

Arranging and Composing

The second semester of year two consists of the following key components:

Music Practice Instrumental Studies: Technique, styles and reading.

Music Theory: Aural & transcribing, harmony & theory, keyboards

Music Performance Ensemble Skills: A wide-ranging ensemble class supporting and extending the development of performance and communication skills within the appropriate stylistic idioms of 20th century popular music. Live performance workshops

Music Production

Music Business

Arranging and Composing

Year Three
In year 3 of the BMus, students must take one of the Dissertation modules. All modules are 20 credits unless specified

The second semester of year one consists of the following key components:

Event Management (optional 20 credits) This module consists of a broad range of relevant, practical management techniques, including communication, negotiation, organisation, co-ordination, arbitration, and resource management. Students will also study venue operations, event culture and tour management and acquire a functional understanding of the relevant legal issues, obligations and regulations such as public and personal liability, health and safety, and insurance

Dissertation (optional 20 credits) After an initial introduction to the dissertation module, covering issues such as library use, bibliographies, research methodologies and scholarly apparatus, there will be a flexible timetable of seminars based on student presentations and smaller tutorial groups in which broad interests are addressed

Production Project (20 credits) This module develops the skills necessary to plan, rehearse and perform a programme of original popular music, either as a live presentation or as a recorded portfolio of work

In addition, students take the following two-semester modules in the third year:

Dissertation (optional 40 credits) The Dissertation module is broken into three components, as follows: Lecture/workshop component: Review of the field/subject discipline and reprise of conventions of scholarly writing and citation. Identifying and selecting a suitable object of inquiry, then identifying primary and secondary sources and discussing framework and structure. Research study group development: Dedicated series of research seminars and the formulation of agreed project. Supervision & write-up: Regular supervision and production of drafts, revisions and final submission

Licentiate (optional 40 credits) This unique option equips the student with skills enabling them to design, deploy and evaluate a variety of teaching, learning and assessment methods. It will also enable the student to achieve a recognised teaching qualification

Specialised Performance Skills (40 credits) This module provides the opportunity to perform, create, and re-create music at an advanced level.

There are two components

Directed Instrumental Skills: Working collectively, as part of an ensemble under direction, this element draws on the many musical skills acquired at levels one and two.

Individual Instrumental Skills: This class involves the student working in a specialised field requiring virtuoso technique