Hereford College of Arts - Degree Level Open Day - Saturday 18th April 2026
18 Apr 2026, 09:00
Hereford
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Popular Music (Top Up)
- BA (Hons)
- 1 Years
- Full-time
- 09/2026
- Undergraduate
- Main Site
- Awarded by:
- University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant)
Course summary
Follow in the tradition of some of the UK’s greatest musicians and start your creative music career at an art school. We nurture students to develop their own voice and practice and then connect them to the ever expanding opportunities in the world.
Popular Music at HCA is a one-year top-up degree course designed for performers, songwriters and producers who wish to graduate with all the creative skills, knowledge and experience needed to have a successful career in the music industry. From mainstream to underground, this degree embraces music in its many forms – from rock, pop, folk, urban, jazz and to the experimental. Study on an industry-focused program in an inspiring art school environment.
This dynamic, innovative, industry-facing course is designed for students whose ambition is to work in the music industry. The course will prepare you to be a versatile, resilient portfolio musician with a host of transferable skills. You will learn through being involved in stimulating live briefs relevant to current 21st century music industry practices. With an emphasis on the production of original work, you will learn how to collaborate with your fellow students in performance, songwriting and production, whilst acquiring a detailed knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the contemporary music business.
Our recording studio runs the latest Apple Mac Pro and Logic Pro Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). All machines feature Logic Pro as well as a multitude of software necessary for a career in the creative music technologies, while our team of technical demonstrators will assist you in the production of professional quality music and sound, web design, video editing and with a range of software for use with digital and printed media.
What we provide
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You will be taught by a strong team of industry focused lecturers combined with regular masterclasses from professionals that are designed to educate, stimulate, and motivate.
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Access to rehearsal rooms, acoustically designed and fully equipped. Whether it be high-end digital or retro analogue, you will be able to produce and create a diverse range of professional sound recordings.
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Develop an expertise in a business relevant to your musical interest and discover opportunities for industry based internships and graduate placements.
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Small class sizes provide highly personalised levels of supervision and support. This will enable you to develop your own specialist practice you need for working within this dynamic sector.
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Opportunities to collaborate with other creatives in a dynamic arts school environment.
Entry Requirements
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Successful completion of a UK based level 5 qualification such as a Foundation Degree (FdA) or HND in a related subject (evidence of prior learning will need to be provided).
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Portfolio submission or audition (as applicable) and successful interview.
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Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer this course to international applicants (including EU/EEA).
Modules
YEAR One/Level 6: Specialist Practice (40), Practice in Context (20), In The City (20), Professional Portfolio (40).
How to apply
Apply by
14 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W342
- Institution code:
- H18
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
We are unable to offer this course to international applicants (including EU/EEA).
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - Not accepted
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - Not accepted
Access to HE Diploma - Not accepted
Scottish Higher - Not accepted
Successful completion of a UK-based level 5 qualification such as a Foundation Degree (FdA) or HND in a related subject (evidence of prior learning will need to be provided).
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- Hereford College of Arts invites all Popular Music applicants to submit an audition video. You should prepare one solo song or piece: 2-3 minutes that you feel confident and enjoy performing. This may be an original piece or a cover. You will receive an email with full guidance on this after we have received your application. In some cases, we may contact you to arrange a further chat. Don’t worry, this will be an informal meeting either face-to-face or online, to find out more about you and your work.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9000* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9000* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9000* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9000* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9000* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9000* | Year 1 |
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
In addition to the degree fees, the nature of creative arts practice means you'll need to allow for additional costs, such as the materials you choose to use in your work and for trips to external events & exhibitions. The courses at HCA have been designed to minimise the impact of additional costs; all course leaders have an annual budget with some trips & materials fully funded by the College or heavily subsidised. Typically, a student will choose to spend an additional £400 in their top-up year, depending on the nature of their work and the materials chosen.
We appreciate that not all students can invest the same money in their work, and staff assessing it will not judge work by the cost of resources. The college shop includes many specialist materials at good value and digital equipment can be borrowed from the media stores at no cost to students.
Students are offered an optional Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for use outside of college. In the 2023-24 academic year this cost £16.24 per month. NB: Adobe Creative Cloud is provided free to use for any student working within the college.
Students on all courses may also have the chance to take part in optional trips that require payments towards their costs. Again, non-attendance will not incur assessment penalties, though trips are designed to help students develop their practice. There is an optional annual cross-course residential trip abroad. In the 2023-24 academic year, the trip was a four-day visit to Paris at a cost to students of £425. This fee included a shared dorm room and all travel costs from Hereford to Paris including Eurostar tickets.
Support Available from Hereford College of Arts
The HCA Cash Bursary: is designed to benefit students who are starting Higher Education for the first time; are ordinarily resident in England; the student must be liable to pay the full £9,000 tuition fee for their course and be from a low-income family (£25,000 a year or less). The student must also be in receipt of the full Higher Education Maintenance Loan. Each cash bursary is £1,000 which students receive in their first year only.
Care Leaver Bursary
Care leavers will be offered free accommodation with City Heart at Station Approach accommodation for their first year only. Care leaver students will be able to stay there until the end of their first year (not over the Summer) and will also receive the Cash Bursary of £1,000. Care leaver students will also receive a Care Leaver Bursary of £1,000 in both their second and third year. Evidence of being a care leaver must be in the form of an original letter showing Care Leaver Status from your local authority.
Partner Colleges Progression Bursary
Top-up Students from progression colleges will receive £250 for full-time study or £125 for part-time study in year one only.
*Partner Colleges: Bath College, Belfast Met, Bourneville, South & City College, Cirencester College, City of Bristol College, Coleg y Cymoedd, Dudley College, Evesham College, Gloucestershire College – ALL Campuses, Gower College, Grantham College, Halesowen College, Heart of Worcestershire College, Hereford College of Arts, Herefordshire & Ludlow College, Hereford Sixth Form, Malvern Hills College, Newent Sixth Form, NWRC Derry, NPTC group, Plumpton College, Shrewsbury College, South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Stratford Upon Avon College, Swindon College & Worcester Sixth Form.
Please note, we are currently unable to offer top-up courses to international students.
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At Hereford College of Arts
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