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.
We offer one-to-one instrumental/vocal tuition to all of your first year students, and we offer masterclasses with international top musicians
We are accredited by Joint Audio Media Education Support (JAMES) meaning we have their industry seal of approval
Our lecturers and tutors are predominantly professional musicians still working in, and with many years in the music industry
Fantastic resources, including contemporary rehearsal booths, industry standard equipment recording studio, Mac Suites, software and hardware equipment to use in your music
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.
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:
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.
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.
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***.
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).
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
✱✱ 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
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 26/27 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly. 27/28 entry modules will be released in June 2027.
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
This course is available in Clearing. If you have submitted an application, you can add this course. If you haven’t sent us an application yet, you can do this until 24th September 2026.
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
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?
The following entry points are available for this course:
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.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
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.
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course 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.
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.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
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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.
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Email:study@northampton.ac.uk
Phone:01604 214808
8.00 am to 5.00 pm
Email:study@northampton.ac.uk
Phone:0300 303 2772
The University of Northampton
Waterside Campus
University Drive
Northampton
NN1 5PH
At University of Northampton
