Music Business (online) MA
About this course
This online postgraduate degree is delivered in partnership with Tileyard Education, London.
This innovative online postgraduate degree is designed for ambitious music business professionals looking to lead and innovate within the industry. Taught in partnership with Tileyard, the world’s largest professional music community, the Music Business Masters degree offers a flexible and advanced pathway to mastering the commercial and operational aspects of the music industry. You’ll develop strategic expertise in project management, IP management, budgeting, and contracts while diving into cutting-edge technologies and data analysis to make informed, impactful decisions.
The course challenges you to think critically and creatively about the evolving industry landscape, with opportunities to conduct in-depth research in your chosen area of interest. You’ll also build a personalised entrepreneurial portfolio, integrating your business ventures with the programme’s academic and practical insights.
You'll have the unique opportunity to take a leading role running our very own record label, Denizen Records, and collaborate with students studying courses in music performance, sound, production, and events.
You’ll be paired with an industry mentor, matched to your project and/or specialism. They’ll work with you throughout your studies, acting as an external source of advice, support, contacts, and possibly employment opportunities
NTU’s virtual learning platform provides a comprehensive education from the comfort of your home, while fostering collaboration within the NTU x Tileyard community. Through on-demand resources, regular virtual one-to-one mentoring sessions, and interactive workshops, you’ll remain fully engaged and supported.
The programme positions you as a future leader in the music industry, equipping you with the skills, knowledge, and network to shape its next generation.
Student Spotlight: Aaron's Online Learning Experience
Discover how Aaron, a recent graduate of the NTU x Tileyard online MA, benefited from the flexibility and industry connections offered through online study. In this video, Aaron shares his insights on balancing studies with personal commitments and how the industry mentorship scheme helped him advance his music production career.
What you’ll study
About the Tileyard community: Tileyard is home to 200+ creative businesses. Tileyard’s vibrant business ecosystem includes record labels, digital agencies, and more, offering unparalleled networking opportunities. Tileyard’s global network extends online, connecting you with their vibrant community of artists, producers, and music professionals.
Benefits of the NTU x Tileyard partnership: Enjoy the best of both worlds — NTU’s outstanding online resources, plus exclusive access to Tileyard’s range of experts and events
- Access to Music Business camps and workshops
- Personalised mentorship from current leading industry professionals
- Weekly live industry briefs
- Exclusive access to Tileyard’s Discord Server for feedback, networking and collaboration
- Remote access to networking events with industry-active professionals
- Monthly A&R surgeries with expert feedback
- High-profile speakers and masterclasses
- Collaboration with an online songwriting community
- Mentorship and funding opportunities through NTU’s Denizen record label
Creative Entrepreneurial Approaches
(60 credit points)
This module is designed to reflect the interdisciplinary collaborative and entrepreneurial nature of music sector working practices. You will critically examine the current music sector practices most applicable to your own journey as a music industry professional, whether that’s as an employee, a business owner, or a freelancer with one or more business activities: you’ll look for your place in the sector and work towards finding a home there during your studies.
You’ll work on relevant real life projects and these will provide you with the opportunity to examine key music sectors, industry stakeholders, and critically examine the work environment to identify relevant professional opportunities to support your development to give you the best chance to thrive. You will have an assigned mentor from industry to give you a vital insiders perspective, and you will also have the opportunity to work for and with Confetti’s own label and publishing arm Denizen.
You will ultimately form an output plan and will pitch for a ‘Confetti Employability Grant’ to help you on your next steps.
Music Business Practice
(60 credit points)
This is your Music Business playground! We all have our specialisms, but have you ever thought how you can apply those skills in related fields? The key to your development is going through the ‘doing’ process in a number of scenarios and examining how you can use what you learned in your own practice.
Through a series of workshops and projects you’ll explore and enhance your processes and skills in these related areas. You’ll experiment and see how related competencies can be developed to increase your employability across the music business sector: You might experiment mapping your ear for spotting a good song to trying your hand at some music supervision for media projects, or your organisational skills to support the release strategy on our record label, Denizen : you’ll work to personalise and apply these techniques to your own practice to enhance what makes you, you!
The key in this module is in the process and reflection, but assets related to your intended employability journey can be honed to completion for use in your ‘Creative Entrepreneurial Approaches’ module to show you at your very best.
Research Project
(60 credit points)
In an ever-shifting and more complex creative industry, the need to source, analyse and process knowledge has never been more important. Research is an essential skill in the toolbox for any creative practitioner wanting to have an extensive and rewarding career in a brave new world of opportunity and challenge.
The Research Project module enables you to collaborate with other creative cohorts and formulate life-long robust research practices. You will learn the essential skills necessary to investigate and synthesise information in order to develop informed conclusions and new and exciting practices. The module will enable you to take a deep dive into your own specialist areas of interest to deliver a large research project.
The project can be delivered in media that most closely align with your creativity, with outputs that could include a whole range of audio, visual or webspace artefacts.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
How you're taught
Studying an online course with the Nottingham School of Art & Design means having full flexibility when it comes to your environment. The main delivery platforms you will be using are Microsoft Teams, Bebop and our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) NOW.
Our online study community is very close-knit and we recommend that students who live in similar geographical areas organise meet ups regularly in order to support collaboration.
Campus and facilities
This course is also available for online delivery. If you have chose this pathway certain facilities and resources available on our physical campus may not be accessible to you due to the nature of remote learning.
As part of our degree, you'll be working in the studio, collaborating with musicians and producers. And you're in for a treat, with world-class facilities...
We’ve worked closely with industry partner and leader, SSL, on creating a bespoke-built console. TriniTy is the first-of-its-kind system, delivering SSL’s SuperAnalogue sound, digital production power, and seamless integration.
Check out SSL’s announcement on their website.
You’ll find SSL ORIGIN consoles in all edit suites as standard. The studio mixing console has a traditional analogue studio workflow at its heart whilst providing the perfect partner for a modern DAW-driven ‘hybrid’ production studio.
Audio monitoring throughout the music facilities is provided by PMC and Focusrite Rednet interfaces throughout, allowing for audio recording to be captured remotely.
Metronome London is a purpose-built multi-discipline events and production space with the versatility built-in to function as a 600-capacity live venue, or a virtual production studio complete with LED volume.
Similar to our Nottingham venue, Metronome it's here where you'll gain valuable work experience and access world-class facilities.
Entry requirements
UK students
Academic Entry Requirements:
This programme is open to graduates with a degree from any discipline and does not require music songwriting study to be completed at undergraduate level, but you need previous related experience and a passion for putting together high quality compositions.
- A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or an appropriate equivalent, i.e. a professional qualification, from a recognised British or overseas institution, in a related subject, such as Music Performance, Music Production, Audio Production, Commercial Production, Composing for Media.
- If you don’t hold a suitable degree, you should include a link to streamable recordings and/or compositions made with and state your role in their writing and production. Write a short statement on the techniques you used to create the songs that illustrate your suitability for the course along with any industry related experience
- Non-standard applicants with at least three years’ industry experience are also welcome to apply.
- Applicants who do not fully satisfy the general criteria will be considered if they are able to demonstrate that they are capable of successfully undertaking and completing the programme at the required standard. Eligibility may be determined by means of an interview for some applicants.
Additional requirements for UK students
Personal statement
You should include in your personal statement why you want to study this course and what career in the music business you are aiming for. Please also include:
- Evidence of knowledge of the music industry
- Any experience of management (of people or projects)
- Any details of organisational skills (for example in modules or in your work)
- Any experience of marketing skills (in your course or in your work)
Other qualifications and experience
We welcome applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds and work experience. We consider credit transfer, vocational and professional qualifications, and any work or life experience you may have.
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.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic Entry Requirements:
This programme is open to graduates with a degree from any discipline and does not require music songwriting study to be completed at undergraduate level, but you need previous related experience and a passion for putting together high quality compositions.
- A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or an appropriate equivalent, i.e. a professional qualification, from a recognised British or overseas institution, in a related subject, such as Music Performance, Music Production, Audio Production, Commercial Production, Composing for Media.
- If you don’t hold a suitable degree, you should include a link to streamable recordings and/or compositions made with and state your role in their writing and production. Write a short statement on the techniques you used to create the songs that illustrate your suitability for the course along with any industry related experience
- Non-standard applicants with at least three years’ industry experience are also welcome to apply.
- Applicants who do not fully satisfy the general criteria will be considered if they are able to demonstrate that they are capable of successfully undertaking and completing the programme at the required standard. Eligibility may be determined by means of an interview for some applicants.
- Applicants who have been taught and assessed in languages other than English should have an English language equivalent to IELTS 6.5.
- We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
Additional requirements for international students
Personal statement
You should include in your personal statement why you want to study this course and what career in the music business you are aiming for. Please also include:
- Evidence of knowledge of the music industry
- Any experience of management (of people or projects)
- Any details of organisational skills (for example in modules or in your work)
- Any experience of marketing skills (in your course or in your work)
English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
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.
Other qualifications and experience
We welcome applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds and work experience. We consider credit transfer, vocational and professional qualifications, and any work or life experience you may have.
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.
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Getting in touch
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.
