About this course
This degree is delivered at our London Campus in Whitechapel.
This course gives you the opportunity to develop the advanced skills, knowledge and technological understanding necessary to succeed as a multifaceted music business practitioner in a music industry where creative technologies continue to transform the creation, production, performance and distribution of music.
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Creative technologies - study music at a specialist institute where creativity and cutting-edge immersive technologies combine to produce content rich events and experiences -
Practical and aligned to the music industry – as a music student you will work together with student vocalists, songwriters, sound engineers, producers and music business and events students to create, perform, record, market and release music in a way that mirrors today’s music industry -
Cross course collaboration – students on all courses across music, content and events work together to perform in an annual large scale, content rich, immersive festival of music for the public with external acts as headliners -
Industry partnerships and mentoring – our partnerships with the UK music industry give you access to live briefs, work experience, networking events, industry-based mentors and regular guests from the music business
What you’ll study
To sustain a career in the music business, you must have a broad scope of knowledge across the different sectors of the industry and how they interact with each other and generate revenue. New technologies continue to merge the various functions of the recording, publishing and live industries into a range of artist services. This continually advancing technological revolution enables today’s industry practitioners to fulfil the traditional roles of manager, label, distributor, publisher, promoter and marketeer themselves.
In addition to these wide-ranging skill sets and bodies of knowledge, to be a successful industry practitioner, you must also understand how contemporary music is made. You need a working knowledge of how to use DAWs, sample packs and plug-ins, and experience how musicians and producers work in the recording studio. The use of technology to gain insights into demographics, markets, fan engagement and the performance of projects is essential, in addition to the ability to create marketing assets and spreadsheets. It is important to develop soft skills and the ability to manage many projects simultaneously. Having a compelling professional identity and an understanding of how to market yourself effectively is essential.
This course aims to give you an education that encompasses all these facets. It offers the broad technical education you need to thrive in all the key areas of the music industry and the knowledge you need to sustain a successful career in the music industry.
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) Skills
(20 Credit Points)
Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) have become a key tool for all music practitioners. As recording technology has become smaller and more affordable, more people than ever can create music and audio content using a DAW. Regardless of whether you want to produce commercial records, quickly sketch song or audio ideas or create backing parts to practice over, being able to use a DAW to the level you want is an essential skill for today’s professional music practitioners.
In this module, you will learn and apply different DAW techniques to create audio projects through a series of set tasks. This module will give you the base level skills and knowledge needed to support your studies as your progress through your course.
Live Music Product
(40 Credit Points)
Live music events play a pivotal role in the music business. They are the life-blood of the industry, helping to develop artists, grow fanbases and generate revenue. Be it live bands or DJs, a single gig in a venue or a multi-day festival, live performance events are products that need clear brand identities. Whether they are highly commercial or grassroots, a live event is a product with an audience and a set of interrelated legal, commercial, financial and logistical elements.
In this module you will explore live music products from all these perspectives. You will research different products and brands to develop your understanding of the underlying elements including finance, marketing, ticketing, contracts, rights, revenue streams, touring and logistics to deliver both viable concepts and detailed delivery plans.
Movements in Music 1
(20 Credit Points)
Music is ubiquitous in human culture. Be it for entertainment, ceremonial, social or cultural purposes, it is notable how important music is to the human existence. The popular music industries and particularly those emanating from the UK and the US in the 1950s continue to exert a huge influence on global music and the vast industry that surrounds it.
In this module you will explore a wide range of game-changing people from the world of contemporary popular music. Be it artists, bands and producers to the founders of influential record labels and publishers, you will start to understand who these significant figures and organisations are and so recognise how the industry continues to be shaped by the work of these founding individuals.
Music Business Practice 1
(40 Credit Points)
Discovering and developing talent is the foundation of the music business and one of the most exciting and rewarding areas of the music industry. Talented performers, songwriters and producers all need help to turn their creativity into music products that can generate sustainable revenue streams.
You will develop an understanding of the foundations of the music business, specialist jargon used in each industry and the skills to curate talent. There will be a focus on identifying your personal strengths and identifying goals for improvement in addition to benchmarking the essential professional qualities required for a successful career in the industry.
This module will see you partner with artists and use their analysis of the music creator’s genre, strengths and goals to create essential assets. These assets are used to promote and pitch the artist within the industry, gaining gig bookings, label deals, brand partnerships and media coverage to develop a career.
The Music Industry in Numbers
(20 Credit Points)
The global music industry is a vast ecosystem of related businesses. In turn, the global music industry forms part of a wider global creative economy. Companies in this vast network range in scale from multi-national and multi-functional organisations such as Sony, Universal, Apple or Amazon to those specialising in a single business area such as talent management, publishing or marketing. These organisations now rely more heavily on data than ever before. Understanding how to analyse, interpret and use numerical information has become a vital part of any management role in the music and creative economy whether this is in planning a tour, marketing or releasing products.
In this module you will explore the breadth of this creative industries landscape and then focus on a specific business area in detail. You will analyse market data and other information to devise a creative project and pitch it to an expert panel. Working collaboratively, you will learn how to use a range of tools to analyse and present your findings in a group presentation which will include slides, infographics and a concise persuasive paper to substantiate your argument.
Recorded Music Product
(40 Credit Points)
The recorded music industry has been revolutionised by a new range of technology-based companies that have made the distribution of tracks more accessible than ever before. There are a bewildering array of platforms and formats available to music creators and their business partners and the barrier to entry is extremely low, resulting in a mind-blowing amount of new music available every day.
This exciting module will take you through the process of releasing recorded music by looking at all aspects of the process, including contracts, music rights, distribution methods, platforms, marketing and revenues. You will work with music creators and use industry tools to develop suitable strategies and assets to cut through the noise and reach your audience.
Movements in Music 2
(20 Credit Points)
Music is ubiquitous in human culture. Be it for entertainment, ceremonial, social or cultural purposes, it is notable how important music is to the human existence. Technology has and continues to play a pivotal role in the evolution of the popular music industry.
In this module you will explore a range of the game-changing technologies that have and continue to transform the world of contemporary popular music. Be it AI, the MP3 or the “45 single” new technologies have and will continue to disrupt the business of music. You will research different transformational technologies over the decades and start to recognise what changes and what remains the same from a political, economic, social and technological perspective.
Music Business Practice 2
(40 Credit Points)
This dynamic module will enable you to collaborate with artists to create a bespoke plan to manage, market and develop a career.
You will learn and develop a range of essential business skills – effective collaboration, networking, a deeper understanding of IP, contracts and law, negotiation and project management. The module will also appraise the tools and technology used by the industry to provide insights to performance, engagement and audience.
The module will enable you to create business analysis documents and use them to develop detailed marketing and sales strategies for music projects.
Professional Identity
(20 Credit Points)
The notion of ‘brand’ is fundamental to all professional communications. Whether we are referring to an artist, a freelance professional or a globally recognised household-name business, the ability to present an offer that engages and converts its target audience is fundamental to success.
Building on the analytical and presenting skills developed at level 5, in this module you will explore brand, identity, the psychology of communications and marketing. Through the analysis of both corporate brands and individual public profiles, you will create your own professional identity across web and social media be it for you as a musician, freelancer, label or other artist services business.
Music Product Campaign
(40 Credit Points)
What makes a successful campaign? Music products require integrated and complex campaigns across physical, online live, recorded and multimedia. An artist’s business partner must also manage a range of competing priorities and assemble a team of specialist partners to meet the goals of the music product.
This module requires you to go to the next level by working autonomously to create and manage integrated campaigns that require a range of gigs, releases, multimedia, merchandise, marketing strategies and a huge range of supporting assets. You will develop the skills to plan and manage multiple products effectively across an extended timeline, collaborating with a music creator and specialist business partners to deliver industry-ready campaigns across a range of platforms, media, and spaces.
Movements in Music 3
(20 Credit Points)
Music is ubiquitous in human culture. Be it for entertainment, ceremonial, social or cultural purposes, it is notable how important music is to the human existence. The challenges today’s industry faces reflect those affecting society at large. Issues relating to inequity, diversity and sustainability are increasingly at the forefront of thinking. Is the music industry and wider global creative economy making tangible improvements in these areas, or is this progress more style over substance?
Building on your knowledge of the game changing people and technologies that have shaped the art and business of popular music since the early 20th century, this module will challenge you to explore the difficult issues affecting today’s industry and as the change-makers of the future, ask you to imagine the more equitable and environmentally responsible creative industries of tomorrow.
Music Business Practice 3
(40 Credit Points)
As you prepare to enter the industry, it is essential you identify your personal strengths and areas to develop within the context of the music business.
You will learn effective reflective tools to assist with continuous learning and development, in addition to a programme of employability skills and knowledge. The module will require you to apply for a work placement or work-like experience that will allow you to deliver on their developmental goals and analyse the business.
The module will appraise best practice for CVs, LinkedIn, personal webspaces, applications, interview techniques and fundamental practices.
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
This course forms part of a wider suite of music courses designed to work collaboratively with other courses in the London campus in Events, content and broadcast production technologies. Every course in the London campus works towards an annual large scale final live music event designed to replicate a professional work-like environment. External input from the industry will be included in its design and execution.
Industry visits, guest speakers and networking opportunities are provided at all levels of the course through extensive access to London-based music industry companies, individuals and organisations.
Career information guidance is embedded throughout the course and in the modules Music Industry in Numbers and Professional Identity in particular.
Assessment strategies and choice of assessment methods are designed to relate to the type of work students would be expected to undertake in related employment.
Students will develop and practice skills in industry relevant software, as well as looking at new and emerging technologies.
Course staff have worked extensively in the contemporary music industry ensuring current working practices are designed into every aspect of the course.
How you're assessed
The course provides you with a broad range of assessment opportunities designed to both challenge you and help you develop a broad range of skills and understanding relevant to the course outcomes. These assessment methods can include:
- Skills assessments
- Assessment of Performance
- Finished physical items
- Presentations
- Viva Voce
People excel in different ways, and we want everybody to have the best possible chance of success. On this course you will be assessed on a range of individual and group presentations, and your final year project. Your work in Year Two accounts for 20% of your final degree mark, and your work in your final year accounts for the other 80%
Careers and employability
Your time at Nottingham School of Art & Design doesn’t have to stop once you finish your undergraduate course. Choose to continue your studies on our postgraduate degrees that can help you further develop your skills and obtain the experience you need to get a head start in your career. Browse our postgraduate degrees.
Typical job roles in industry might include:
- Label services
- manager/representation
- distribution, promoter
- agent
- marketing and PR
- music rights
- data technology
- entrepreneur
- A & R
- music supervisor
- DIY artist.
YouFirst – working with our Employability Team
Studying a degree at a popular university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large employability team.
Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.
Campus and facilities
Whether you’re a songwriter, performer, producer or someone who wants to get into the live events industry, you’ll study and learn in the heart of a world-class venue – Metronome
By day, it’s an incredible place to study music performance, live events and audio technology. By night, Metronome transforms into a live events venue, hosting sell-out music gigs, comedy nights, theatre productions, esports tournaments, spoken word – the list goes on!
For our students, we can offer unrivalled facilities which include:
- 600 capacity live music venue
- 10 rehearsal spaces
- 4 recording studios
- Mastering, Atmos and post-production studio
- Live events production workspace.
Entry requirements
UK students
- Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
- Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Additional requirements for UK students
There are no additional requirements for this course.
Contextual offers
If you don’t quite meet our entry requirements, we might be able to make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and your individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer, and we get data from UCAS to help make these decisions. We do this because we believe everyone with the potential to succeed at NTU should have the opportunity to do so, no matter what barriers you may face.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
If you need help achieving the academic entry requirements, we offer a Foundation preparation course for this degree. The course is offered through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC) based on our City campus.
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
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
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.
