Introduction to Music and Popular Music BA (Hons)

The Music and Popular Music BA (Hons) program at the University of Liverpool offers students a comprehensive education in music, covering both classical and popular music genres. This program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of music theory, history, and performance, as well as the skills necessary to succeed in the music industry.

Program Structure

The program is structured over three years, with each year building on the previous one to provide a progressive and in-depth education in music.

• Year one: Students take two compulsory modules and choose from a range of optional modules, including Foundations of Music Theory, Introduction to Classical Music History, and Introduction to Popular Music History.
• Year two: Students choose from entirely optional modules, which balance classical and popular music topics, ensuring coverage of repertoire, contexts, and praxis.
• Year three (final year): Students undertake a major independent project in research, performance, composition, or technology, alongside optional modules that allow for specialization, including advanced analysis, performance, or composition modules.

Modules

The program includes a wide range of modules, such as:

Year One Modules

• MUSI130: Introduction to Classical Music History
• MUSI140: Introduction to Popular Music History
• MUSI150: Music as an Industry
• MUSI181: Foundations of Music Theory
• MUSI102: Classical Performance 1
• MUSI104: Popular Performance 1
• MUSI105: Writing for Instruments
• MUSI106: Classical Composition 1
• MUSI107: Popular Composition 1
• MUSI108: Introduction to Sound Recording and Production
• MUSI109: Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations
• MUSI121: Making Music in Culture
• MUSI170: Introduction to Sound and Music in Audiovisual Media
• MUSI171: Introduction to Sound and Technology

Year Two Modules

• MUSI201: Classical Performance 2A
• MUSI202: Classical Performance 2B
• MUSI203: Popular Performance 2A
• MUSI204: Popular Performance 2B
• MUSI205: Composition for Film and Television
• MUSI206: Composition for Digital Games
• MUSI207: Classical Composition 2
• MUSI208: Foley and Sound Design
• MUSI209: MAX and Ableton Live
• MUSI210: Popular Music Composition 2
• MUSI213: Sampling and Remixing
• MUSI216: Orchestration
• MUSI217: Live Improvisation with Ableton
• MUSI219: Early Musical Cultures from the Islamicate Court to the English Reformation
• MUSI220: Music, Gender, and Sexuality
• MUSI232: Opera and Politics
• MUSI241: Sound, Technology, and Society
• MUSI243: Sound Recording and Production 2
• MUSI252: Working in Music Industry
• MUSI260: Professional and Career Development
• MUSI261: Global Pop: Popular Musics of the World
• MUSI263: Contemporary Genres
• MUSI270: Music in World Cinema
• MUSI273: Music in Gaming
• MUSI274: Musical Theatre
• MUSI280: Exploring Harmony, Chord Progression and Pitch
• MUSI290: Introduction to Music Psychology
• MUSI291: Music and Human Experience

Year Three Modules

• MUSI308: Composing Electronic Music
• MUSI310: Popular Music Composition 3
• MUSI314: Record Label Recording, Production and Project Planning
• MUSI315: Record Label Management, Marketing and Distribution
• MUSI316: Advanced Live Sound
• MUSI318: From Hardware-Hacking to Hyper-Instruments
• MUSI319: Self-Management for the Music Industries
• MUSI320: Aesthetics of Music
• MUSI332: Between Romanticism and Modernism
• MUSI341: Jazz
• MUSI353: Curation and Heritage
• MUSI370: The Film Music of John Williams
• MUSI380: Exploring Rhythm, Form, and Musical Time
• MUSI394: Independent Project: Popular Composition
• MUSI395: Independent Project: Classical Performance
• MUSI396: Independent Project: Creative Music Technology
• MUSI397: Independent Project: Composition
• MUSI398: Independent Project: Popular Performance
• MUSI399: Independent Project: Research

Teaching and Assessment

The program employs a range of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, masterclasses, and online tasks and projects. Assessment methods vary by module but include coursework, written papers, tests, recitals, composition or technology portfolios, presentations, and examinations.

Careers and Employability

Studying music opens up many career opportunities, not only in music performance, composition, and production but also in teaching, music therapy, community arts, and other sectors that value the transferable skills gained through studying music. The School of the Arts has its own placements and employability officer, providing support for students to maximize their employability from day one.

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the program vary depending on the student's residency status. For the academic year 2026/27, UK fees are ｣9,790 for a full-time place, with international fees set at ｣27,000. There are also fees associated with a year in industry and year abroad programs. The university offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to help with tuition and living expenses.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are normally required to attend an Applicant Interview and Music Experience Day, which may include an interview or a short audition with an academic member of staff. The standard entry requirements include ABB at A level, with a grade B in Music or ABRSM Grade 8 in Music Theory at Pass. International students must also demonstrate competence in the use of English language, with IELTS 6.5 overall, or equivalent, being the typical requirement.

Global Opportunities

The University of Liverpool offers various global opportunities, including spending a year in China at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), a year or semester abroad at one of the university's partner institutions, or a summer abroad on a study placement or research project. These opportunities are designed to broaden students' horizons, enhance their employability, and provide them with a unique cultural and academic experience.

University of Liverpool