Students on this course:
Original music and audio-visual content for a variety of platforms and contexts. They become songwriters and develop their own sonic identity, work on industry briefs, and compose for TV, film, games, and advertising.
On lineups and stages across Cheltenham, the ‘Festival Town of the UK’, and beyond. Guided by staff that are actively touring artists, including Mike Smith, live performer with Blur and Gorillaz – our students forge confidence and gain an abundance of on-stage experience as the driving force of the local music scene.
With industry professionals and organisations spanning the entire music industry, with recent guest speakers including: Sentric Music Publishing, Sony Music, International Talent Booking, Glastonbury, Dark Arts, Cooking Vinyl, Live Nation, PRS, Warner Chappell, Mindsong, Brownswood Recordings, The Music Works, Good Soldier, Squidsoup, and many more.
With peers across the School of Creative Arts on interdisciplinary projects. From scoring films and animations to creating soundscapes for games and theatre, students expand their professional network and build links across the wider creative industries.
Through practical workshops, group seminars, and focused lectures on our Creative Arts campus, located in a vibrant community green space. With access to state-of-the-art facilities – including rehearsal rooms, recording studios, a Dolby Atmos dubbing theatre, and a 22.2 immersive audio lab – students are equipped with the tools to innovate and excel.
Graduates leave as ambitious and forward-thinking professionals, ready to build diverse and sustainable careers. They are confident communicators, critical thinkers, and global citizens who are prepared to navigate and shape the creative industries.
In lectures and workshops, you’ll hear from professional content creators and taste-makers who tour, record, design and produce music and media projects. You’ll be assessed 100% by coursework.
In Year 1 you’ll explore composition, performance and creative music production. With a market-focused approach you’ll write and record songs, develop audio-visual content and play gigs as part of a vibrant community of musicians. You’ll also examine music’s place in cultural, economic and political contexts.
In Year 2 performance continues with regular live events on and off campus. You’ll explore the potential of web and broadcast technologies as a live performance platform, as well as music for moving image. You’ll also develop expertise in business relevant to your musical area. This includes licensing and royalties, label management, live event management, marketing and global music opportunities. You’ll be able to choose from a range of optional modules to match your interests and career goals.
In your final year you’ll demonstrate your creative, commercial and academic expertise, creating a product and live performance in your final year – as well as undertaking a placement and dissertation.
We’re part of the Music Academic Partnership (MAP) – a ground-breaking collaboration between educational institutions and the membership of UK Music. UK Music provides links and experiences that will help the employability of the students enrolled in those institutions.
Its focus is on linking industry and academia more effectively to: nurture collaborative projects such as research and careers events; inform and engage with the next generation of industry professionals; develop expert knowledge-base to feed into education & skills policy work, and; provide individuals who want to build careers out of their passion for music with extra opportunities.
Find out more about MAP.
The Music & Sound Graduate Futures Day was created to support final-year students as they prepare to take the next step in their careers. This annual gathering is designed to bridge the gap between education and the professional world, providing students with direct access to industry insights, expert advice, and networking opportunities.
The event continues to be hosted in collaboration with Dr Oliver Morris from UK Music, a key partner through our Music Academic Partnership, and features a diverse panel of professionals across music, sound, and related creative sectors.
Past panels have included representatives from BIY Talent, Production Futures, Nuclear Blast Records, and major organisations like Live Nation, Sony Music and Warner Music Group, alongside recent graduates who share their own journeys into the industry, such as Rebecca Rees at Parlophone, Jack David and Kenny Vaughan at Sony and Carla Kerslake at Festival Republic.
Each year, our discussions cover essential themes such as emerging job opportunities, professionalisation and the importance of building industry networks.
96 – 120 UCAS tariff points, CCC – BBB at A levels, MMM – DDM at BTEC, or a Merit in your T-Level.
Entry to this course is by interview. Check out our Interview Guide to learn what to expect and help you prepare.
English Language or Literature and Maths Grade 4/C in GCSE (or equivalent) are normally required.
We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants, although some entry requirements may still apply for Professionally Accredited Courses. We accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas and make offers on an individual basis.
Please read the entry requirements for your country – and contact our admissions team if you have questions.
Here's an example of the types of modules you'll study (the contents and structure of the course are reviewed occasionally, but it is unlikely that there will be significant change).
Module information is not available for this programme.
You're viewing fees for the course option. Choose a different course option to see corresponding course fees.
| Start date | Location | UCAS code |
Fee (UK) Fee per year |
Fee (international) Fee per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Park, Cheltenham | W300 | £9,535 | £17,425 |
| Sep 2026 | Park, Cheltenham | W300 | TBC | TBC |
|
International students can benefit from a range of scholarships and bursaries across many undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. |
Find out more | |||
At UoG we create a climate for bravery and growth. We instil confidence in all our students, so you can graduate career-ready and meet your ambitions.
95% of our graduates are in work or further study*, but if you’re not in a job 6 months after graduating we’ll guarantee you 6 months of free support, followed by the offer of a paid internship to kickstart your career – plus we’ll commit to lifetime career coaching. Eligibility conditions apply.
*Graduate Outcomes Survey published 2024 and based on 2021/22 leavers
Discover our promisesStudents of Popular Music take on a range of work experience opportunities and respond to live briefs set by our industry partners, including Reading and Leeds Festivals, BBC, Gloucester Guildhall, The Music Works and Gloucestershire Music.
And with 3 years of gigging experience, a refined creative identity and a public-facing portfolio of music projects, our students leave prepared to thrive in an ever-evolving creative industries.
Graduates from this course are equipped to pursue dynamic careers, taking on diverse, and often multiple roles. These can include, but aren’t limited to, any combination of the following: recording artist, live performer, session musician, songwriter, composer, music producer, community music leader, game audio designer, music supervisor, sync manager, sound technician, live music promoter, digital content creator, audience & community manager, educator/teacher, researcher.
Josh Rowe won a 2024 Royal Television Society (RTS) student award for his music composition for ‘I’ll Just Have Cats’.
Demi Marriner - Winner of the Whispering Bob Harris' Emerging Artist Award at the 2021 UK Americana Awards and Gina Larner - ‘Best Up and Coming Artist’ at the prestigious Boisdale Music Awards 2022.
You’ll work with musicians, artists and music producers to gain valuable experience, taking part in our annual European Capital City Showcase in cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam and Prague.
This includes industry-standard technologies and a digital suite. Using our ground-breaking Dante Audio Networking system, you’re able to compose, perform and record your work in a dynamic range of spaces that are suited to individual, small and large-group projects.
As a Popular Music student, you’re at the heart of a thriving live music sector that includes Cheltenham Jazz, 2000Trees and Wychwood festivals, as well as a host of venues across Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud.
If you’re wanting to build up your live performance experience – as a band, as a singer songwriter or with an electronica project – you’ll have 3 years of professional gigging experience to build up your stage presence, repertoire and creative identity.
Explore and collaborate with creatives from across the spectrum. We offer the perfect environment to practice your craft and prepare you to graduate career-ready.
In your final year you’ll gain experience through a work placement – which will also inform your dissertation, relevant to your career plans. Recent destinations have included EMI, Universal Music, ITV, Warner Bros and the BBC.
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