Popular Music Performance and Songwriting BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
Two students playing guitar and singing

Learn how to compose, write songs, work in the studio, record, produce, and perform to a public audience. Ultimately learn how to position yourself in a global music market place.

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

Course code

W315

Start date

September 2025

How to apply
Book an Open Day
Download a prospectus
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Course overview

This is a practice-based, ‘outward-facing’ course that seeks to prepare you to be versatile, flexible and adaptable within the 21st century music industry.

  • We are looking to create critically astute musicians who are confident performers and songwriters, working with today’s technologies to make, reproduce, and disseminate music, and who understand the different income streams available to them in the profession.
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

  • Focus on creative-based music skills in performance and songwriting in a vibrant and creative environment which gives you access to professional practices, new research and outstanding graduate support.
  • Engage with a range of technology in the creation, performance and recording of music, including recording studios and live performance. Develop your own personal website which by the later stages of the course, is intended to be a professional-looking, outward-facing website that demonstrates the breadth of your learning and professional experience.
  • Visiting masterclasses are embedded within the course and have included: Black Sabbath founder Tony Iommi, singer/songwriter Emma McGann, guitarist John Connearn, award-winning gospel vocalist Lurine Cato, the Ben Holder Jazz Trio, award winning gypsy-jazz guitarist Remi Harris, songwriter Hannah Wilson, Orchestra of the Swan and jazz keyboardist and music production composer, Andy Quinn. Masterclass visitors are subject to availability and may change each year.
  • There are opportunities to showcase your performing and songwriting talent in a public context throughout your studies. On-site performance spaces include a large room with two grand pianos which is suitable for small recitals, and The Hub’s Square One, a large performance space kitted out with PA, amplifiers, drums and a grand piano4. You may have the opportunity to perform in one of the city's live music venues (subject to availability), which has previously included: Studio 54, The Herbert Art Gallery, Kasbah, The Phoenix, The Cross, Drapers, The Cottage, The Tin, The Litten Tree, Ego Arts and Nexus.
  • You will have access to our extensive specialist facilities4 such as our music seminar room which houses a grand piano, PA, amplifiers, a drum kit and a 5.1 surround sound system directly linked to a control room for recording. Other facilities include music practice rooms with pianos, drums and PA, three band rooms, a 5.1 studio and live room, instrument storage, an iMac music tech suite and modern recording studios where you can access Pro Tools, Logic, Live, Max and Sibelius on Apple macs.

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, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Common first year courses

  • Music and Audio Production BA (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 to specialist modules in your chosen field.

Modules

In your second year 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 – become an adaptive, independent and proactive learner
  • professional skills – develop the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career
  • global awareness – become a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen

You will develop more advanced knowledge and skills including: band musicianship, writing about popular music, and music in television and film, among 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.

Modules

Your final year prepares you to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from your first and second years. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor.

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

We seek to provide you with the opportunity to develop a solid foundation of knowledge, practical experience and a professional portfolio with which you can launch a career within the global field of popular music, related industries, or postgraduate study.

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. The assessment methods may include:

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

This course is predominantly assessed by coursework.

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

International experience opportunities

Music is an international industry. We explore a diverse range of musicians, musical styles and cultures. We have also been fortunate enough to attract a number of guest speakers, including the New York ‘cello innovator’ (Time Out NY) Madeleine Shapiro and Martin Atkins of cult band, Public Image Ltd. (Guest speakers are subject to availability).

Students have previously travelled abroad for a year in Cyprus, Spain, Finland, South Korea and Canada. We also try to organise an optional annual overseas fieldtrip (which may be subject to additional costs, availability, application and meeting any applicable visa requirements). Recent students were able to go on a three-day music cultural trip to Vienna, where students took in concerts and the Mozart and Schoenberg museums. We have previously visited Prague and New York, which included seeing the Broadway show Chicago plus a workshop with some of the cast, as well as going to Carnegie Hall2.

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 112
A level BBC
GCSE GCSE English at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards
BTEC DMM
IB Diploma 29 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE English 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.

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:

Africa

Americas

Central Asia

East Asia

Europe

Middle East

South Asia

South East Asia


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 will 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: Applicants must possess a minimum IELTS of 6.0 overall (with no component part lower than 5.5).

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.

Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,535 per year Not available
EU £9,535 per year with EU Support Bursary**
£19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary**		 Not available
International £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 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. Students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2027/28 will pay £1,500 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,800 if they are paying international fees.

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.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2027/28. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above 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. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

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).

*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 University, students benefit from our superb facilities so they can build on their practical talent4.

Facilities include:

  • several recording studios (including SSL and Neve mixing desks)
  • various live rooms and performance spaces
  • an iMac music tech suite plus further modern 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 of this course you will be able to: 

  • demonstrate a professional approach to music making in the areas of performance, songwriting and music production in an international context
  • evaluate and utilise established and experimental approaches to music-making within an international context
  • demonstrate professional competence in a variety of performance, music-creation, re-creation, and presentation modes and contexts, both conventional and unconventional
  • apply analytical, reflective and critical skills to the evaluation of your own work, and to that of others in the global music industry
  • manage your own professional development and profile in the music industry
  • demonstrate that you are an enterprising, creative, innovative, and flexible practitioner, able to work with diverse communities within a global context
  • work in a professional manner so you can effectively function in a range of roles and responsibilities.

There is a strong emphasis within the course on future career paths. This is to help you explore what your chosen career path might be while developing a professional level of business skills and knowledge.

Having developed a broad range of skills and knowledge across the spectrum of music performance and songwriting, this degree prepares you to carve an exciting career in a dynamic and creative industry, where passion meets profession. Our students have gone on to successful careers as performers, sound designers, composers and lyricists across the spectrum of the performance industry. Imagine the possibilities...

Where our graduates work

Examples of what previous graduates have gone on to achieve include being a leading professional guitarist, an author of a series of advanced guitar handbooks, a successful recording artist, a YouNow live-streamer and songwriter, an examiner for Rockschool and completing a PhD in composition.

Further study

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.

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