Open University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Through this degree, you will explore how music is created and expressed across diverse genres, including Western art, jazz, popular and non-Western traditions. You will develop technical expertise in analysing and composing music, alongside critical skills to discuss its cultural meanings. The course supports practical growth in performance, collaboration and technology, including recording and production. Travelling through three stages of study, you will engage with research-informed materials and partnered teaching, for example, at Trinity Laban, for grounded musical practice. By completing this BA, you will not only earn a respected qualification but also cultivate a passionate, lifelong engagement with music. Key features of the course
- Study a wide range of musical repertoires and practices, informed by world-leading research.
- Create, analyse, perform and study the social contexts of music.
- Develop practical music making and performance skills at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
- Open to musicians working in any tradition and at any stage of their musical development.
- Relevant to a wide variety of musical and non-musical careers including teaching, arts administration, community music, and sound recording.
Modules
This degree has three stages. In Stage 1, you'll encounter a variety of musicians and musical works and practices alongside fascinating insights from across the arts and humanities. This broad foundation will help you develop the academic skills and confidence necessary for studying music at Stages 2 and 3. At Stage 2, you'll engage closely with musical materials in audio and notated forms and use your study of these as the basis for creating your own music with the help of specialist computer software. At Stage 3, you'll study music in a broad range of cultural and historical contexts, as well as developing critical and reflective skills to apply to your practice as a musician.
How to apply
To apply for this course you will be taken to the provider's website, where you can find out more information and make an application.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
There are no qualification requirements for this course.
Before starting Stage 2 of this degree it would be useful to have some knowledge of music theory equivalent to ABRSM Grade 3 level, as the modules begin at a basic level and quickly progress to more advanced musical concepts and techniques. If you have not yet learned music theory or notation, we recommend studying the OU’s free online course, Introduction to music theory. When studying the Stage 3 module The practice of music making (a module offered by our partner institution Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance) you are expected to be actively involved in some form of practical collaborative music making for the duration of that module. You will also be required to attend a residential learning week at Trinity Laban in Greenwich, London. Students at any level of practical musical skill are welcome to take the module.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
2026/2027 academic year fees are not yet available.
Provider information
Open University
Student Recruitment Team
PO Box 197
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BJ