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Bachelor of Arts in Music

The BA Music is a globally conceived contemporary performance-based music programme. The BA Music welcomes students with or without previous formal music education from all musical backgrounds, including early music, western classical, pop, rock, metal, hip-hop, experimental music, jazz, folk, traditional musics, electronica, or others.

Key Information

• NFQ Level 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree
• Course code: LM135
• Duration: 4 Years
• Fees: See what fees may apply to students
• Subject area: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Course Director: Dr Matthew Noone

What is this Course About?

The aim of the programme is to enable students to navigate their own path as artists in the contemporary global creative sector. Throughout the four years of the course, students develop their performance skills by taking individual lessons on their own main instrument (including percussion and voice). Students study a wide range of music theory related to classical, popular, and other global traditions.

Group Playing and Ensembles

Group-playing is a core aspect of the course. Students participate in a wide range of ensembles, including Popular Music Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Javanese Gamelan from Indonesia, Electroacoustic Ensemble, Middle Eastern and Balkan Music, Early music, Ewe Drumming from Ghana, Indian Classical Ensemble, and an Inter-Arts Ensemble.

Why Study Music?

Students on the BA Music develop their scholarly and theoretical knowledge of music while also taking a number of vocational modules that will support them in the development of a fulfilling career. This course develops students' music skills and knowledge of their own current, chosen style(s) of music while broadening their musical horizons through playing and learning about music from around the world.

What You Will Study

Throughout the four years of the programme, you will develop your performance skills by taking individual lessons on your own instrument (or voice), and you will also receive individual lessons on a choice of world music instruments. You will be introduced to the academic study of a wide range of world musics, as well as classical music, popular music, and traditional musics.

Year 1 Modules

• MD4091: Irish World Academy Practicum C1
• MD4101: PERFORMANCE 1A
• MU4001: CRITICAL ENCOUNTERS WITH IRISH MUSIC AND DANCE
• MU4011: CRITICAL ENCOUNTERS WITH WORLD MUSIC AND DANCE
• Electives (choose one):
  • AW4001: ACADEMIC LITERACIES 1
  • CS4025: DIGITAL AUDIO FUNDAMENTALS
  • EH4141: ENGLISH LITERATURE 1: NOVELS AND SHORT FICTION
  • FR4101: FRENCH FOR BEGINNERS 1
  • GA4105: IRISH FOLKLORE 1
  • GA4115: IRISH LANGUAGE 1
  • GA4141: TEANGA, SOCHAÍ AGUS SAÍOCHT 1
  • GE4141: GERMAN LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY 1: INTRO GERMAN STUD 1
  • GE4211: GERMAN FOR BEGINNERS 1
  • JA4211: JAPANESE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND SOCIETY 1
  • MD4044: TRAVELLER MUSIC STUDIES
  • MD4121: INTRODUCTION TO VERTICAL DANCE AND WALL RUNNING
  • MD4131: HIP-HOP-DANCE ELECTIVE 1
  • MD4141: IRISH DANCE PERFORMANCE SKILLS
  • MU4021: INTRODUCTION TO SONGWRITING
  • MU4074: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 2
  • SP4131: SPANISH FOR BEGINNERS 1 (EUROPEAN STUDIES)
  • TE4011: ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1 (INTERMEDIATE)

Year 2 Modules

• MD4092: Irish World Academy Practicum C3
• MD4103: PERFORMANCE 3A
• MD4113: PERFORMING ARTS TECHNOLOGY
• MU4033: WORLD MUSIC AND DANCE SURVEY 1
• Electives (choose one):
  • CS4025: DIGITAL AUDIO FUNDAMENTALS
  • EH4007: LITERARY MODERNISM
  • EH4043: IRISH LITERARY REVOLUTIONS 1880 - 1930
  • FR4142: FRENCH LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY 2: INTRODUCTION TO FRE
  • FR4102: FRENCH FOR BEGINNERS 2
  • GA4105: IRISH FOLKLORE 1
  • GA4115: IRISH LANGUAGE 1
  • GA4143: TEANGA, SOCHAÍ AGUS SAÍOCHT 3
  • GE4213: GERMAN FOR BEGINNERS 3 (APPLIED LANGUAGES)
  • GE4622: GERMAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE 2: TEXT, WRITER AND READER
  • JA4213: JAPANESE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND SOCIETY 3
  • MD4044: TRAVELLER MUSIC STUDIES
  • MD4046: IMPROVISATION AND COMPOSITION (VOICE / MUSIC / DANCE)
  • MD4081: Irish Music and Dance Studies
  • MD4093: CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDIES
  • MD4094: MUSIC, LANGUAGE, SIGN AND TEXT
  • MK4045: DIGITAL MARKETING
  • MU4018: SECOND INSTRUMENT STUDIES TWO
  • MU4022: INTRODUCTION TO SONGWRITING 2
  • MU4054: MUSIC COMPOSITION 2
  • MU4063: SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT
  • MU4074: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 2
  • MU4076: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 3
  • MU4104: SELF DIRECTED PROJECT 3
  • TE4011: ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1 (INTERMEDIATE)

Year 3 Modules

• Cooperative Education Work Placement
• Core Modules:
  • MD4106: PERFORMANCE 5A
  • MD4116: IRISH WORLD ACADEMY PRACTICUM C5
  • MU4013: RESEARCH SKILLS: ETHNOMUSICOLOGY/ETHNOCHOREOLOGY/ARTS PRACTICE
  • MU4106: ARTS AND HEALTH
• Electives (choose one):
  • AW4001: ACADEMIC LITERACIES 1
  • AW4002: ACADEMIC LITERACIES 2
  • EH4036: IRISH LITERATURE 1930 - 1990
  • FR4146: FRENCH LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY 4 MODERN CONTEMPORARY
  • GA4105: IRISH FOLKLORE 1
  • GA4146: TEANGA, SOCHAí AGUS SAÍOCHT 4
  • GE4146: GERMAN LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY 4: GERMANY PAST AND PRESENT
  • JA4246: JAPANESE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND SOCIETY 4
  • MD4044: TRAVELLER MUSIC STUDIES
  • MD4093: CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDIES
  • MD4094: MUSIC, LANGUAGE, SIGN AND TEXT
  • MK4045: DIGITAL MARKETING
  • MU4018: SECOND INSTRUMENT STUDIES TWO
  • MU4022: INTRODUCTION TO SONGWRITING 2
  • MU4054: MUSIC COMPOSITION 2
  • MU4063: SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT
  • MU4074: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 2
  • MU4076: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 3
  • MU4104: SELF DIRECTED PROJECT 3
  • TE4011: ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1 (INTERMEDIATE)

Year 4 Modules

• Core Modules:
  • MD4137: PERFORMANCE 6A
  • MD4147: IRISH WORLD ACADEMY PRACTICUM C6
  • MD4157: IRISH WORLD ACADEMY FINAL YEAR PROJECT 1
  • MU4007: PROFESSIONAL SKILLS FOR THE PERFORMING ARTIST
• Electives (choose one):
  • AW4002: ACADEMIC LITERACIES 2
  • CS4025: DIGITAL AUDIO FUNDAMENTALS
  • EH4007: LITERARY MODERNISM
  • EH4008: BRITISH LITERATURE SINCE 1945
  • FR4147: FRENCH LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY 5 FRANCE, EUROPE AND B
  • GA4115: IRISH LANGUAGE 1
  • GA4147: TEANGA, SOCHAÍ AGUS SAÍOCHT 5
  • GE4147: GERMAN LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY 5: GERMANY EUROPE AND BEYON
  • JA4247: JAPANESE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND SOCIETY 5
  • MD4044: TRAVELLER MUSIC STUDIES
  • MD4046: IMPROVISATION AND COMPOSITION (VOICE / MUSIC / DANCE)
  • MD4087: ADVANCED ENSEMBLE
  • MD4094: MUSIC, LANGUAGE, SIGN AND TEXT
  • MD4108: CHOREOGRAPHIC SKILLS 1
  • MD4121: INTRODUCTION TO VERTICAL DANCE AND WALL RUNNING
  • MD4131: HIP-HOP-DANCE ELECTIVE 1
  • MD4141: IRISH DANCE PERFORMANCE SKILLS
  • MU4021: INTRODUCTION TO SONGWRITING
  • MU4027: INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPROVISATION 1
  • MU4037: SELF DIRECTED PROJECT 2
  • MU4053: MUSIC COMPOSITION 1
  • MU4063: SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT
  • MU4073: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 1
  • MU4076: CROSS-ARTS ENSEMBLE 3
  • MU4083: SECOND INSTRUMENT STUDIES THREE
  • MU4093: AERIAL DANCE 1
  • SO4118: SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER AND POPULAR CULTURE
  • SP4131: SPANISH FOR BEGINNERS 1 (EUROPEAN STUDIES)

Entry Requirements

• CAO points history: 348 (Audition required)
• Minimum grades: Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English
• Additional considerations: Auditions will take place on 11th and 12th April 2026. Applicants will be required to show proficiency in their own music style(s) at the audition.

How to Apply

• Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO.
• Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO.
• EU Students can apply to UL via the CAO.
• If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here.

Fees and Funding

• Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy, and Tuition Fees.
• EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant: HEA pays Tuition Fees (€4,762), SUSI pays Student contribution (€2,500), Student pays Student Levy (€104)
• EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant: HEA pays Tuition Fees (€4,762), Student pays Student contribution (€2,500), Student pays Student Levy (€104)
• Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant: Student pays Tuition Fees (€4,762), Student pays Student contribution (€2,500), Student pays Student Levy (€104)
• Non-EU Students: Student pays Tuition Fees (€22,596), Student pays Student Levy (€104)

Your Future Career

The programme prepares graduates for many different career paths in areas including professional performance, composition, project-based artist work, inter-disciplinary collaboration, academia, arts curation and management, media, archive work, music production, and combinations of these.

Career Paths

• Professional Performance
• Further Study (MA, PhD)
• Music/Dance Therapy
• Community Music/Dance
• Music/Dance teacher
• Arts administration
• Performance management and promotion
• Backstage work in performance theatre e.g. sound engineer
• Music Technology, e.g. recording studio producer/technician
• Media (TV, Radio etc.)
• Work in cultural institutions and archives

Follow-on Study

• Master of Arts Irish Traditional Dance Performance
• Master of Arts Irish Traditional Music Performance
• Master of Arts Contemporary Dance Performance
• Master of Arts Irish Music Studies
• Master of Arts Irish Dance Studies
• Master of Arts Ethnochoreology
• Master of Arts Ethnomusicology
• Master of Arts Ritual Chant and Song
• Master of Arts Community Music
• Master of Arts Music Therapy
• Master of Arts Festive Arts
• Master of Arts Classical String Performance in association with the Irish Chamber Orchestra
• Professional Master of Education in Music
• PhD Arts Practice
• PhD Research