Music and Audio Production BSc (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
Student using recording studio

Have a passion for creating and producing music? This course covers the skills needed to record, compose, produce, mix and master your own music.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

Course code

W374

Start date

September 2025


Course overview

This course is ideal for those who have a passion for music and sound, and wish to explore the technical skills involved in these creative practices.

  • On this course you’ll explore the principles of music and audio production including writing, arranging, producing, and recording music in the studio, using live sound, sound design, sound effect, synthesis and interactive sound design (e.g. computer game audio).
  • Our facilities include 5 recording studios (including Audient, Yamaha Nuage, Neve and SSL mixing desks) many live rooms and performance spaces and an iMac music tech suite running Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, Max/ Msp, Sibelius and Dorico4.
  • We promote music business careers and employability. Upon completion of this course, you may have the opportunity to become a music producer, sound engineer, composer; audio post-production and game audio technician working in extensive related fields such as radio and television sound.
A star in the centre of a rosette.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

City buildings next to a tree.

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

The course is designed to reflect the range of areas that make up the subject of music technology. The course comes with the following benefits and opportunities:

  • Access to our fantastic facilities: 5 recording studios, large microphone stock, large venue PA systems and dedicated computer labs4.
  • A vibrant and creative environment, you may have access to professional practices, new research and graduate support.
  • Dedicated, experienced and qualified teaching staff with a mixture of commercial, academic and research related expertise at an international level (staff may be subject to change).
  • We are a certified Steinberg training centre1. As part of the course you may have the opportunity to go to Rock Field Studio (where Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody) for a week of master classes in recording and mastering2.

Accreditation and professional recognition

This course is recognised by the following bodies for the 2025/2026 intakes:

Steinberg certified training logo

Steinberg Certified Training Centre

Steinberg Certified Trainers and Training Centers help you get the most from Steinberg products. We use the latest Steinberg software and have extensive current product and systems knowledge.


AF Audio Fusion logo

AudioFusion

AudioFusion develops forward-thinking training tools for audio engineers and musicians to further their careers in the sound related arts. The first software, Soundcheck, is an AES Student Design Winner and is now used in courses across the globe. Since launching, AudioFusion has taken their pro audio simulations to different platforms such as 3D, Virtual Reality and continues to advocate the benefits of virtual simulations in education.


Music at Coventry University.

School of Media and Performing Arts Showcase

A celebration of the creative, collaborative and innovative work of our students across multiple sites and using mixed media.

Find out more
Media Arts and Performing banner

What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, and subject to meeting progression requirements, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year.

Common first year courses

  • Music and Audio Production BSc (Hons)
  • Popular Music Performance and Songwriting BA (Hons)

In the first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, in the second and third years, to specialist modules in your chosen field.

Modules

In year two, you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your:

  • Technical skills – digital fluency, backed with the right academic knowledge
  • Study skills – to be an adaptive, independent and proactive learner
  • Professional skills – to have the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career
  • Global awareness – the belief and ability to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen

You will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with: sound design, mixing, and game audio, amongst others.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

Your final year aims to get you job-ready. Your studies could culminate in a dissertation, the production of a documentary film, or in launching a curated exhibition based on your independent research of an area of interest to you. 

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

In our course, we use an immersive learning path where you will study using a focused teaching method, focusing on one subject at a time for a few weeks before moving to the next study. We give free time and space for students to experiment.

You will be taught through lectures, workshops and tutorials, as well as through industry recognised artists and professionals (subject to availability). Previous speakers have been music producers, composers, sound engineers, label, artists and tour managers2.

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods may include:

  • practical or project work
  • coursework
  • tests
  • essays
  • presentations/posters.

Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

The course offers an international field trip to students. Students in the past have been to Berlin to visit Ableton Labs and spent time in Hansa Studios where classic David Bowie and Depeche Mode albums were recorded. Students have travelled to Hong Kong to take part in a pop-up show. You may also have the opportunity to go to Rock Field Studio for a week of master classes in recording and mastering.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed2.


Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 120
A level BBB
GCSE Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 including English and Maths
BTEC DDM
IB Diploma 31 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 / C or above.

Portfolio

You may be required to attend a portfolio showcase, activity session or audition or submit a portfolio via email (as is appropriate to your course), either virtually or face to face, as is practical to arrange. Invites for these sessions will be sent directly to your contact email.

Each application will be considered on its merits.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Chat with us

Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Portfolio

You may be required to submit a portfolio via email or alternatively attend a showcase activity session or audition (as is appropriate for your course) which can be virtual or face to face, as is practical to arrange. Invites to send in your portfolio or attend these sessions will be sent directly to your contact email.

Each application will be considered on its merits.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5. Pre-sessional English is available if required.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Chat with us


Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year
Not available
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year
Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip
  • any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

At Coventry, students benefit from superb facilities4 so they can build on their practical talent. Facilities include:

  • Several recording studios (including SSL and Neve mixing desks)
  • Various live rooms and performance spaces
  • An iMac music tech suite plus further state-of-the-art recording studios running Pro Tools, Logic, Live, Max and Sibelius on Apple macs.
Recording studios

Recording studios

We have five superb recording studios, instrument storage, and an iMac music tech suite. We also have modern recording studios running Pro Tools, Logic, Live, Max and Sibelius on Apple macs.
 

A drumkit in a studio

Performance spaces

Our Ellen Terry Building has a dance performance space, two dance studios and a theatre workshop. It also has dressing rooms and storage with around 3,500 costume items and 1,500 accessories.
 

Student playing trumpet on stage accompanied by a pianist.

Music seminar room

A great space for our budding musicians, our specialist music seminar room comes with a grand piano, PA, amplifiers, a drum kit and 5.1 surround sound system, all directly linked to a control room for recording.
 

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.


Careers and opportunities

On successful completion, you should have knowledge of:

  • Concepts of professionalism within music technology (including composition, recording techniques and technology, Live sound, music production) and related disciplines and their relationship to music technology within a global context.
  • The skills, processes and techniques required for the creation, realisation, presentation and management of work as a music technologist, working within the digital age.

You should be equipped with the skills to:

  • Demonstrate technical skills relating to a range of recording, mastering, Music production, live sound and music composition.
  • Apply technological and music related skills creatively to a brief to a high standard of aptitude, demonstrating the appropriate breadth and depth of conceptual development.
  • Apply creative solutions to a brief, using technical means and appropriate application of materials, processes and technologies to develop a coherent body of work that reflects the particular characteristics of your own creative perspective.

There is a strong emphasis within the course on your future career, not only helping you to discover your potential chosen career path but also aiming to ensure that you have the professional level of business skill and knowledge to thrive in this demanding industry.

Where our graduates work

Previous examples of employment include music producers, sound engineers, composers; audio post- production technicians together with work in extensive related fields such as radio and television sound.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with:

You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

Two students sat at a desk working on a laptop

Discover Phoenix+

Phoenix+ brings you together with other students to learn, experience and develop essential knowledge and skills. Whatever destination you choose, it's about preparing you for life after university.

Learn more about Phoenix+

How to apply

You may also like


Discover Uni stats