Buckinghamshire New University
UCAS Code: NJ24 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
UCAS points can be obtained through qualifications such as A levels, T levels, BTEC or an Access to Higher Education course in a relevant subject. Please list all your qualifications on the application form as you will be asked to provide copies when we receive your application. A minimum of 2 A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.
UCAS Tariff
UCAS points can be obtained through qualifications such as A levels, T levels, BTEC or an Access to Higher Education course in a relevant subject. Please list all your qualifications on the application form as you will be asked to provide copies when we receive your application. A minimum of 2 A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.
About this course
Discover your future in music with Music Production and Business at BNU. This course blends hands-on audio production with key business skills, preparing you for a wide range of careers in the music industry. You'll work in high end facilities and learn from industry experts, making sure you're ready to start your career with confidence. Join us and turn your love for music into a successful career.
In the Foundation Year of this four-year course, you’ll build essential academic study skills. This year will help you gain confidence in your abilities. You’ll also identify your strengths and areas for development. Together, these will prepare you for progression to the undergraduate degree.
**Why study Music Production and Business at BNU?**
**Comprehensive and Diverse Curriculum**
You'll get a well-rounded education that combines technical skills with business acumen. Studying everything from Audio Production Technologies to Entertainment Law means you'll be prepared for various roles in the music industry. This diverse curriculum lets you explore both the creative and business sides of music, making you a versatile professional. You'll gain a deep understanding of how the industry operates, from the studio to the boardroom.
**Hands-on learning**
Our course emphasizes hands-on learning through real-world projects. Covering topics like Live Audio and Recording & Mixing Techniques, you'll gain practical experience that employers value. You'll work on live briefs, manage recording sessions, and develop marketing strategies, ensuring you're ready to tackle the challenges of the music industry from day one.
**Industry standard facilities**
At BNU, you'll have access to top-notch facilities, including a Dolby Atmos certified sound lab. This means you'll be working with the same equipment used by professionals, giving you a real edge in the industry. Our studios are equipped with the latest software and industry standard hardware, giving you a head start and ensuring you stay ahead of the curve. You'll also have access to a variety of recording spaces, from our Dolby Atmos certified sound lab to our full analogue recording studio.
**Industry relevant content**
Our curriculum is regularly updated to reflect the latest trends and practices in the music industry. Modules like Industry Issues and Moshpit Politics ensure you learn the most current skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today's dynamic music business environment.
**Diverse career options**
With a degree in Music Production & Business from BNU, you'll graduate ready for a variety of careers. Whether you want to be a music producer, sound engineer, artist manager, or music marketer, our course provides the skills and knowledge to pursue your passion. The comprehensive content ensures you're well-prepared for the diverse opportunities in the music industry. You'll be equipped to adapt to various roles and thrive in a competitive field.
**What will I study?**
Combine your love of music with sound business practice. You’ll develop relevant management skills and a firm understanding of the music business. You'll study the importance of intellectual property and develop a solid understanding of how to negotiate contracts, learn about the unique nature of dealing with recording artists and how to maximise the potential of compositions with a variety of recording techniques. You'll also spend time on a number of DIY approaches to the music business.
At its core, our Music Production and Business programme aims to produce creative graduates with the necessary technical, theoretical and professional skills for employment within the creative industries. You’ll gain comprehensive training in key elements of music and audio production: studio production, music performance and composition, immersive audio techniques, critical listening and analysis, sound design, and live audio production techniques.
Modules
**Foundation Year**
Live Performance Practice
Introduction to Popular Music
Introduction to Composition
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Professional Skills Review
Final Project
**Year one**
Audio Production Technologies
Entertainment Industry Framework
Live Audio
Sound Design for Moving Image
Recording and Mixing Techniques
**Year two**
**Core Modules**
The Music Entrepreneur
Research Methods
Creative Audio Production
Music Business Project
**Option Modules**
Live Production Technology
Location Sound and Post-Production
Live Event Management and Experience Design
Music Publishing
**Year three**
**Core Modules**
A & R
Professional Production Project
Dissertation/Independent Work
**Option Modules**
Creative Audio Project
Immersive Audio Techniques
Mosh Pit Politics
Digital Marketing
Assessment methods
You’ll also engage with our dynamic programme of visiting lecturers and can benefit from live project briefs, master classes, and plenty of networking opportunities.
Previous live-industry briefs have seen students work at Glastonbury, Dolby and Pinewood Studios. You'll also get the chance to work with up and coming music artists. Previous artists have included the Ting Tings, Jake Bugg, and Florence and the Machine.
You’ll study in a close-knit tutor group where everyone’s input is recognised and valued. Not only will you be able to make friends for life, you’ll also make important connections that could last through your career, and you’ll form a network, just like you’d find in the working-world.
A variety of assessment methods will be used as appropriate to the modules you take, including essays, reports, portfolios of creative audio content, written evaluations, presentations, and some continuous assessment on practical tasks. Assessments will be appropriate to the task, achievable, motivating and vocationally focussed, forming a constructive part of your learning process.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
There are several ways you can fund your studies, including sponsorship and student loans. You may be able to use ELCAS credits for some of our courses. We also have scholarships and bursaries to help support our students.
The Uni
High Wycombe Campus
School of Creative and Digital Industries
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Music
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Music
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Music
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£20k
£25k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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