Music: Popular Music and Recording | University of Salford

Course summary

Serious about a career in the music industry? Ready to join a course that’s produced Mercury Prize nominees, award winning entrepreneurs, and professional film and television composers? If so, our popular music degree is the right choice for you.

When you join this course, you’ll embark upon your personal journey towards professional musicianship, developing your performance, composition and recording skills while deepening your knowledge of how the industry works. You’ll receive musical tuition in the instrument of your choice, get to grips with the essentials of studio recording, and expand your experience of performing in both solo and ensemble settings. Added to all that, you’ll take part in masterclasses led by established professionals, providing you with invaluable insight into what it’s like to work in the music industry.

As an undergraduate music student studying at Salford, you’ll have access to a vibrant local music scene with links to local venues and musical institutions. We’ll be providing you with the chance to regularly contribute to concerts and gigs, as well as to engage with like-minded creative artists.

Our popular music recording degree is well known for producing successful recording artists such as members of the British art rock band Everything Everything (Mercury Prize nominees 2018); recording artist and award-winning entrepreneur Caroline Redman Lusher (Founder and Creator of Rock Choir); Film and television music composer Louis Dodd (Love and Hate Crime, EMMY nominated Strike Back: Retribution, Amazing Hotels and BAFTA winning Long Lost Family), and songwriter/producer Rick Boardman (member of indie dance band Delphic and co-writer of hit singles including ‘Back to You’ performed by Louis Tomlinson and Bebe Rexha; ‘Real Love’ Clean Bandit/Jess Glynne and ‘Love On Me’ Galantis).

You will:

Be taught by practising music professionals on a course with a reputation for producing graduates in the popular music industry
Be able to fully explore your creative ideas and passions through specialist portfolio work
Work on projects in our industry-standard music recording studios
Graduate with a portfolio of work that can be used for future employment or further study.

Visit our Popular Music and Recording degree CourseFinder webpage https://bit.ly/3iCRHIf
Explore all of our Music courses and read our helpful FAQs https://bit.ly/391SUG6
Sign-up to an Open Day or Campus Tour https://bit.ly/2MchZVA

Modules

Year one

Musicianship Skills
Fundamentals of Composition, Arranging and Technology
Popular Music Style and Genre
Performance Studies (PP&R)
Applied Composition and Technology
Interpreting Popular Music

Year Two

Professional Development in the Creative Industries
You will choose three of the following options:
Advanced Musicianship Skills
Compositional Practice
Studio Composition
Audio for Media
Studio Recording and Production
Popular Music and Identity
You will then choose two of the following options:
Creative Compositions and Arranging
Advanced Performance Studies
Advanced Studio Composition
Advanced Studio and Location Recording
Music Journalism
Sound, Music and Society

Year three

Project Scope
Professional Practice
Negotiated Major Project

Visit our Popular Music and Recording degree CourseFinder webpage https://bit.ly/3iCRHIf

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.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

Peel Park Campus

Study options

BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years

Start dates

September 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:: J931
Institution code:: S03
Campus name:: Peel Park Campus
Campus Code:: -
Points of Entry:: Year 1

University of Salford 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:: J931
Institution code:: S03
Campus name:: Peel Park Campus
Campus Code:: -

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

Year 1

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
72 points

This is the minimum UCAS tariff for consideration. Additional entry requirements may also apply. Please call our Clearing line on +44(0)300 555 5030 for the latest requirements and availability.

A level
BBB

UCAS Tariff Points 120 with minimum of 2 A Levels to include a Music subject.

General Studies not accepted.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DDM

To include a Music subject.

Access to HE Diploma

Pass Level 3 QAA approved Access Diploma to include music. 120 UCAS tariff points.

Scottish Higher

120 UCAS tariff points to include Music.

AS

AS levels are accepted in combination with Level Three qualifications; including A-levels and BTECs.