BA (Hons) Music at University of Plymouth

Course Details

Explore music from different cultures and traditions and create your place in today’s rapidly changing musical landscape. Develop your own interests with specialist pathways in composition, performance, ethnomusicology and technology. With a focus on performance and creative practice, you will gain the practical, critical and technical skills to expand your understanding of music in all its forms. The breadth of this course will equip you for a variety of music-related careers.

We welcome musicians with mixed abilities and offer a wide range of opportunities for students to explore varied interests pertaining to music. Our optional extra-curricular musical activities are diverse: from classical to jazz, singing to West African drumming, gamelan, taiko and more.

Key features

• Take advantage of our unique professional development programme that provides invaluable work placement and performance opportunities. You'll get the chance to work in primary and secondary schools giving instrumental lessons, and running band development sessions and workshops. You can also use our local contacts to set up regular live mic and gig nights around Plymouth, or get involved in our University songwriters project.
• Customise your study and specialise in areas that really interest you within our specialist exit award pathways in composition, performance, ethnomusicology and technology.
• Stay ahead with a course designed in consultation with working musicians to ensure you leave ready for the rapidly changing music environment, including knowledge of the latest digital technology. Get exclusive insights into theory and practice with talks and workshops from visiting speakers and musicians.
• Give your creativity free rein in our rehearsal and recording facilities, including individual practice rooms, a professional recording environment, digital audio workstations and instrumental facilities ranging from Steinway and Bosendorfer pianos to guitar amps, electronic keyboards and midi-guitar synthesisers.
• Get involved in societies and groups, such as our gospel choir, concert band, ukelele society, gamelan group, orchestra and more.
• Enjoy a great lifestyle in the South West with its active live music and festival scene. Get involved in the wider musical life of the University with the annual Contemporary Music Festival and the music programme with The Arts Institute.
• Learn from teachers with world-class reputations for research expertise, many who have come from industry and are acclaimed in their field, and benefit from links with the University’s exciting Centre for Computer Music Research.
• We are one of the few music degrees in the UK who facilitate intercalated music degrees (where medical students join and enjoy our final year).