Nadeline
University of Northampton
Bsc Accounting & Finance
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Popular Music
- BA (Hons)
- 3 Years
- Full-time
- 21/09/2026
- Undergraduate
- Waterside Campus
- Awarded by:
- The University of Northampton
Course summary
By studying Popular Music with us you'll develop your performance skills, music industry know-how, music technology abilities, theory and musicianship knowledge, learn how to record in the studio, as well as traditional academic proficiently.
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We offer one-to-one instrumental/vocal tuition to all of your first year students, and we offer masterclasses with international top musicians
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We are accredited by Joint Audio Media Education Support (JAMES) meaning we have their industry seal of approval
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Our lecturers and tutors are predominantly professional musicians still working in, and with many years in the music industry
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Fantastic resources, including contemporary rehearsal booths, industry standard equipment recording studio, Mac Suites, software and hardware equipment to use in your music
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Students have the chance to audition for Northampton Music Festival and other local festivals.
When you graduate you will be more than a performer and engineer, you will understand why music is important culturally and economically and understand how the music industry fits together. With the changes to music distribution and marketing that have taken place over the past ten years, musicians need to be a part of this change rather than pursuing old ideas of labels and deals.
UON’s Music degree was ranked 13th based on overall student positivity out of all universities in England, according to the latest 2025 National Student Survey (NSS)*
Our Popular Music course has been successful in the Guardian University Guide in the Music subject grouping:
Ranked 14th for Satisfied with Feedback for Music**
By studying at the University of Northampton, you can be sure that:
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Our expert academics teach in small groups supported with one-to-one assistance. Our academics and students form a tight bond, providing individualised support and guidance whilst challenging students academically.
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Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study, you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd.
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At UON we guarantee a room in our Halls of Residence for all new full-time, first year students who apply and accept their room offer by June 2026 - and we won't ask for a deposit for September 2026***.
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Students enrolling on this course at Northampton will be provided with their own brand-new laptop**** to keep at no additional cost. All sports clubs and societies are free to join at Northampton and every essential course textbook is available via the library, meaning you won’t have to purchase copies. For more information on this visit our website (northampton.ac.uk/benefits).
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You will experience student life at the University’s £330 million Waterside Campus. Come along to an Open Day and find out more.
The Northampton Employment Promise
- In fact, we’re so confident in our careers and employability support that If you achieve at least a 2:2 degree and complete either our Employability Plus Gold programme or achieve a Changemaker Gold Certificate during your time studying with us, but still haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating, we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you or support you into postgraduate study.
✱ Calculations are based on Office for Students (OfS) data from the average positivity score across all NSS questions for this subject area across all modes and levels at UK Universities.
✱✱ Data taken from the 2026 Guardian University Guide Music Subject table, filtered by Satisfied with Feedback
✱✱✱eligibility criteria apply. See northampton.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/ for more information
✱✱✱✱ eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. See northampton.ac.uk/benefits for more information
Modules
STAGE 1:
• Computer Music Techniques (Compulsory)
• The Recording Studio (Compulsory)
• Composition and Theory (Compulsory)
• Creating Popular Music (Compulsory)
• Performance and Practical Musicianship (Compulsory)
• Professional Music Studies (Compulsory)
STAGE 2:
• Sound for Screen (Compulsory)
• How Music Works (Compulsory)
• The Creative Practitioner (Compulsory)
• Creativity and Technology (Compulsory)
• Developing Popular Music (Compulsory)
• Industry Briefs for Performers (Compulsory)
STAGE 3:
• Professional Project (Optional)
• Popular Music Dissertation (Optional)
• Music and Sound Design for Media (Compulsory)
• The Professional Music Educator (Compulsory)
• The Professional Performer (Compulsory)
• The Creative Musician (Compulsory)
Module information is quoted for 25/26 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly. 26/27 entry modules will be released in June 2026.
Assessment method
The course is assessed in a number of ways:
• Performances and gigs
• Solo performance
• Practical performance assessments, tests and exams
• Creative Project Work
• Vlogs/podcasts
• Formal academic writing
• Presentations
• Creative portfolio work
Ways to study this course
Campuses
- Waterside Campus
Study options
- BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years
Start dates
- 21/09/2026
Apply by
14 January
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W340
- Institution code:
- N38
- Campus name:
- Waterside Campus
- Campus Code:
- -
- Points of Entry:
- Year 1
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
University of Northampton has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
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:
- W340
- Institution code:
- N38
- Campus name:
- Waterside Campus
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Chat to student ambassadors
Discover what it's like to study Popular Music at University of Northampton: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.
POWERED BY 
Hi! My name is Nadeline and I’m from Indonesia. Aside from being an Accounting & Finance student, I love to dance and have been a part of the UON Dance Team since last year. I also enjoy taking a walk in the outdoors, going to museums, and shopping! I look forward to helping new students as a Unibuddy Ambassador, so feel free to ask me anything! Christa
University of NorthamptonBsc PodiatryHi, I’m Christa and I’m currently studying Podiatry. I’ve always been passionate about healthcare and this course has given me the opportunity to explore that passion while making a real difference. Outside of my studies, I play for the university’s Women’s Rugby Union team and love staying active by going to the gym or enjoying walks in the open air. I’m here to help answer any questions you have so feel free to ask! Grace
University of NorthamptonBa International Relations & PoliticsHi! My name is Grace. I’m 19 and currently in my second year of my Politics and International Relations degree. Outside of my academic interests, I enjoy reading, watching films and television (particularly in the horror genre) and occasionally baking, alongside being a student ambassador. I am originally from the Midlands but have been living in Northampton throughout my studies. If you have any questions about student life or studies in general please feel free to message me! Jacqui
University of NorthamptonBsc PsychologyI am 50 years of age, originally from Glasgow in Scotland and left school in 1989, with 8 O' Grades (GCSE’s) and 5 Higher (A Levels). Desperate for a new adventure and to start working and earning, I applied for a job in Television Production in London. I successfully worked for an independent company in Soho, initially as a Production Runner, progressing finally to Production Manager. I returned to Glasgow for a year, to work for BBC Scotland as Production Manager, before taking time out to travel in 1999. I travelled throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and America for 2 years. On return, I moved to Brighton, East Sussex where I worked for American Express, a lifestyle magazine called Venus, and as a volunteer for the Brighton Unemployed Family project, between 2001 and 2012. Brighton is where I met my husband and went on to have two children, a girl, and a boy. Ava who is now 15 years old and Lochlan who is 13. 8 years ago, my Husbands job transferred to their other site near Leamington, bringing the family to the midlands. We now live in the village of Weedon, a half-hour drive, west of Northampton. Since living in Weedon I have completed 7 years working in primary education. I began working in Special Needs as a 1:1 and in my 5th year at Weedon Primary, I completed an HLTA course through Northampton University, qualifying me to teach years 1 to 6 in primary school. I have trained in Autism, Attachment Disorder, Dyslexia, Speech, and language among others. I ran nurture groups and introduced a kinaesthetic approach to a lot of my teaching, after researching its efficacy in primary schools. During my school career, I have been fascinated by how children learn. Some by doing, others by seeing. I have come to love the continual questions from children and the challenge and adventure of not always knowing the answers. Throughout my working life, I have loved interacting with people, obsessing over human behaviour and how the mind works and influences decisions. My favourite literature often tackles aspects of psychology and I find it an extremely exciting and alluring subject. Throughout the lockdown period, it became apparent that I was not fully satisfied with my career and felt I was ready to learn and take on a new challenge. My initial thought was to go into Educational Psychology but with more investigation, I decided it was time to move away from education and start something new. My next thought was counselling, which I am still very much keen on exploring and could see a possible future career. As a volunteer in Brighton Unemployed Centre Family Project, I assisted low-income families and homeless people, realising my ability to listen sensitively and offer solace. Completing a course for the British College of Journalism a few years ago, I gained skills in reporting and analysing as well as fuelling my curiosity in psychology. I wrote articles on social, biological, and cognitive psychology. From a piece on music and memory to another on psychology in pain management. Having completed a year of the single honours psychology course I now feel the career direction I want to go into is counselling psychology. I have recently secured a part-time job locally with the group of Northampton psychiatric hospitals (NHFT) and ideally, would love to complete my master's within the NHS but if not I will probably stay at the University of Northampton to complete my master's in counselling.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 112 points
A level - BBC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Access to HE Diploma - M: 45 credits
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 25 points
T Level - M
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
- We look forward to welcoming you to an interview or audition at the University of Northampton. Interviews and auditions are designed to be positive, supportive experiences and around 40% of our courses include one of these as part of the process. If you are invited for an interview or audition you will receive an email from us with all the details about what you need to prepare. You may also see an interview/audition notification via UCAS on your UCAS Hub account. Please note that school servers can block emails from us so make sure to use your personal email address in your application. This is also a good idea as it allows you to still have access to your UCAS account once you have left school/college. You can see the details about what will happen at the interview or audition for your subject area at www.northampton.ac.uk/undergraduate/applicant-interviews. If you have questions about the interview or audition process here at UON you can email interviews@northampton.ac.uk.
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
Every applicant to the University of Northampton is unique. We assess each application individually, considering qualifications, experience, and personal background. We welcome a wide range of qualifications and qualification mixes. Most UCAS applicants receive Conditional Offers, but Contextual or Unconditional Offers may be given based on factors like course choice, personal circumstances, interview performance, practical activities, GCSE results, and predicted grades.
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.
- Data from:
- This course and 3 other performing arts courses
- Date range:
- 2022-2024
Grades held by accepted students
- A*AA
- Highest grades
- DDD
- Lowest grades
Offer rate for UK school & college leavers
Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.
How do you compare?
See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
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
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton
Waterside Campus
University Drive
Northampton
NN1 5PH
Visit our website Visit our course page
Course contact details
Course Enquiries
Email:study@northampton.ac.uk
Phone:0300 303 2772
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