Program Overview

English and Music BA

The English and Music BA is a dual honours degree that allows students to pursue their creative and critical passions across the arts. Through English, students will study literature, language, theatre, film, creative writing, and more. In music, students will be free to explore seven subject areas: performance, composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, music psychology, musical industries, and music technology.

Course Description

This course cultivates a deep understanding and a true love of the creative arts. Students will become skilled researchers, persuasive writers, and critical thinkers, whilst also becoming independent musicians. The course includes 18 hours of instrumental tuition with a distinguished professional teacher in the first year. Students will also gain practical industry experience through the "Work in Music" module and build a network of professionals who can advise on their career.

Modules

The course structure includes:

• First year:
  • English Literature Pathway core modules:
    • Renaissance to Revolution: Early Modern Literature
    • Writing Revolutions: Restoration to Romanticism
  • English Literature Pathway optional modules:
    • Contemporary Literature
    • Hybrid Forms: Reading Genre
    • Wonders, Warriors, and Werewolves: Intro to Medieval Literature and Language
    • Reading Theatre and Film
    • Myth, Scripture and Story: Biblical and Classical Sources in English Literature
    • Introduction to Creative Writing
    • Darwin, Marx, Freud
  • Linguistics Pathway core modules:
    • Sounds and Structures of English
    • Linguistic Theory
  • Linguistics Pathway optional modules:
    • History of English
    • Early Englishes
    • Language and Creativity
    • Living Englishes
    • Style in Language
  • Core music modules:
    • Digital Skills for Music
    • History of Western Music
  • Optional music modules:
    • Composition
    • Popular Music Studies
    • Music in a Global Context
    • Performance
    • Music Analysis
    • Psychological Foundations of Music
• Second year:
  • Students will deepen their understanding of both English and Music, continuing to specialise in either Linguistics or Literature.
  • Example core modules:
    • Musicology
    • Work in Music
    • Romanticism to Modernism
    • Phonetics
    • Language Acquisition
  • Optional modules:
    • Performance and Improvisation
    • Shakespeare
    • Phonology and Sociolinguistics
• Third year:
  • Students will hone their skills and become experts in their chosen English pathway and Music.
  • Example core modules:
    • Minor project - composition / performance
    • Research Project
  • Optional modules:
    • Sound and Moving Image
    • Renaissance Literature
    • Modern Crisis
    • Historical Pragmatics
    • TESOL
    • Orchestration and Arrangement
    • Psychology for Musicians

Learning and Assessment

Students will learn through a mix of lectures and smaller group discussions (seminars). On the music side of the degree, teaching ranges from academic to hands-on, including lectures, seminars, interactive classes, and tutorials. Instrumental lessons are available in the first year and throughout the rest of the degree if students choose to take assessed performance modules.

Entry Requirements

• Standard offer: ABB, including Music
• Access Sheffield offer: BBB, including Music
• Other requirements:
  • Music Technology acceptable in lieu of Music
  • Grade 8 Practical (ABRSM/Trinity/Rockschool or equivalent) or Performance (ABRSM/ARSM/Rockschool/Trinity) + Grade 5 Theory (ABRSM/Trinity) is acceptable in lieu of Music
  • Evidence of interest in language and literature, demonstrated through the personal statement is also required
• English language requirements: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification

Graduate Careers

The academic aptitude and personal skills developed on this degree will make students highly prized by employers, whatever their chosen career path after university. Graduates will have excellent oral and written communication skills, independent working, time management, and planning and researching written work. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study, research, and an academic career, while others work in journalism, the charity sector, marketing and communications, theatre and television production, PR, copywriting, publishing, teaching, web development, accountancy, and speech and language therapy.

Department

The School of English at the University of Sheffield is one of the largest English departments in the UK, with 90% of its research rated as world-leading (REF 2021). The Department of Music is an All-Steinway School, providing students with access to pianos of the highest quality.

University Rankings

The University of Sheffield is a world top-100 university (QS World University Rankings 2026) and has been ranked number one in the Russell Group for teaching on its courses (National Student Survey 2025).

Student Profiles

Students have praised the support and encouragement to find their own musical voice from the staff, as well as the flexibility of the music degree, which allows them to pick modules to suit their interests.

Fees and Funding

• Home students: £9,535 (2025 annual tuition fee)
• Overseas students: £26,820 (2025 annual tuition fee)
• Additional costs:
  • A set text at Level 1 to cover all three years of the programme, which will be covered by the tuition fee
• Funding:
  • £2,500 per year scholarships for international students
  • Music scholarships in partnership with local music organisations
  • Bursaries donated by alumni to help support students with their studies

Placement and Study Abroad

• Placement: Students may have the opportunity to add an optional placement year as part of their course, converting the three-year course to a four-year Degree with Placement Year.
• Study abroad: Students can apply to extend this course with a year abroad, usually between the second and third year, with over 250 University partners worldwide.