Course contact details
UHI Course Information Line
Phone:01463 279190
University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)
UHI House
Old Perth Road
Inverness
IV2 3JH
Popular Music
- Bachelor of Arts (with Honours)
- 4 Years
- Full-Time
- September 2027
- Undergraduate
- Perth
- Awarded by:
- University of the Highlands and Islands
Course summary
Let your musical ambitions take centre stage, on our acclaimed and well-established BA (Hons) Popular Music course. With expert advice from our team of professional performers, composers, and academics, find your voice and sing your heart out as you develop your creative and professional skills, in a positive and stimulating learning environment.
Enjoy excellent on-campus facilities including music production workstations (Pro-Tools and Logic), band rehearsal rooms, a professional performance theatre, and three state-of-the-art acoustically-designed Eastlake recording studios. Perform solo and with a band, in renowned venues and festivals around Scotland, and explore your full creative potential in all course work, from song writing and composition, to collaboration and research.
Modules
Module outline
Year 1 - HNC
Year one is the HNC Music.
Year 2 - DipHE
Core modules are:
-
Creative industries analysis
-
Creative project
-
First study 1
-
Applied music theory
-
Songwriting, composition and production
You will also choose one option module which may include:
-
Music industry touring
-
Second study 1
-
Recording technology for popular musicians
-
Audio for multimedia
-
Live audio production
-
Multitrack studio techniques
-
Digital music industries
Year 3 - BA
Core modules are:
-
Themed research project
-
Entrepreneurship
-
First study 2
-
Ensemble performance
You will also choose two option modules which may include:
-
Songwriting: context and process
-
Screen composition
-
Teaching and learning practices
-
Second study 2
-
Multitrack mixdown techniques
-
Transmedia applications
-
Managing and leadership
-
Music publishing and law
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
Core modules are:
-
Research paper or dissertation
-
Creative honours project
-
Personal employability strategy
You will also choose two option modules which may include:
-
Final composition project
-
Community placement project
-
Sound design for fixed media
-
Digital business
-
Performance practice lab
-
Social media campaign management
This outline reflects the modules as currently delivered and is subject to change.
How to apply
Apply by
13 January 2027
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:
- W310
- Institution code:
- H49
- Campus name:
- Perth
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 2
- Top up
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
UHI does not use Tariff points, and accepts a range of qualifications. Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis. https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/courses/ba-hons-popular-music/
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- You should prepare and perform a piece that demonstrates your skillset on your instrument or voice and, for writers, this can be an original composition or song. Your instrument or vocal ability should be equivalent to Associated Board grade 4/5.
- Interview
- The interview will give you the opportunity to see our campus, meet staff and learn more about the course, including the resources and learning opportunities we offer to support your development.
- Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland Check
- This course offers optional modules/units which may require PVG Scheme Membership (Disclosure Scotland)
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | with no element below 5.5 |
| PTE Academic | 59 | 59 average with 59 in each component |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 78 | Min 78 or above with min 18 in each section |
Our programmes are taught and examined in English. To make the most of your studies, you must be able to communicate fluently and accurately in spoken and written English in an academic environment and provide certified proof of your competence before starting your course. Please note that English language tests need to have been taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course. The minimum English language requirements to study at the University of the Highlands and Islands are detailed below:https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international/international-courses/eligibility/english-language-requirements/
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.
UHI is committed to achieving widening access, and achieving a fair balance of entrants to higher education. Widening access can be broadly defined as ‘ensuring fair access to higher education’. Widening access is principally about ensuring that those who have the ability and potential to benefit from a higher education, irrespective of their background or economic circumstances can do so.
Learn more on the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) website
International entry requirements
This course is available for international students (including EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK) requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK. Part-time study is not open to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.
Historical entry grades data
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.
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.
Historical entry grades report
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.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
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
This is a Top-Up Degree whereby Year 1 of the course comprises an HNC and in some cases Year 2 an HND. Courses which comprise an HN award as their first and/or second year will be charged the Higher National fee for the first and/or second year, increasing to the degree fee rate after this. Please see the course page for specific fees details.
For full information on fees please see our Undergraduate Tuition Fees page at https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/first-steps/how-much-will-it-cost/ug/
Sponsorship information
Scholarships, Bursaries, Awards and Discretionary Funds
Further information on funding, scholarships and bursaries can be found on our website.
Related courses
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