Course summary
The Popular and Commercial Music degree encourages you to develop your own voice and musical identity. Your studies will embrace popular and commercial music in its many forms and subgenres, from electronica to folk, urban, rock and cutting edge-pop. With an emphasis on original work, our music degree will teach you how to collaborate with your fellow students in performance, songwriting and production. We welcome diversity, collaboration and experimentation. So whatever your musical interests, you can extend your practice to gain skills relevant not only to employment in the music industry, but also to the wider creative industries. Staff are experienced and high-profile professionals in their own right and many have worked as producers and songwriters. You’ll also learn from regular visits and masterclasses from high-level music industry professionals such as Greg Haver, producer of Manic Street Preachers; Amy Wadge, Ed Sheeran’s co-writer; Gruff Rhys, Super Furry Animals and Steve Sidelnyk, Madonna’s drummer. Studying Popular and Commercial Music in Cardiff, you will develop links with studios, record industry professionals and music companies in this thriving capital city.
Modules
Through a stimulating collection of modules, you’ll have to be innovative and engage with ideas that will enhance your creative vision and critical thinking. You’ll understand form and content in popular music, songwriting, the business of music, and artist development and imagery. You’ll also gain studio and musicianship skills, know how to network and adapt your skills to the market. Through live briefs linked to music industry practices you’ll understand what it takes to be a professional musician. Modules include: Year One •Inside the Music •Getting Plugged In •Words and Music •Artistic Development and Performance •Studio Production Year Two •The Creative Musician •Sound and Vision OR Understanding Music •Professional Performance •Your Music: Your Business Year Three •The Professional Musician A •The Professional Musician B •Immersed in the City •Industry Ready
Assessment method
Course assessment is through regular coursework submissions, in addition to examinations in some areas.
How to apply
31Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- A8C2
- Institution code:
- W01
- Campus name:
- Cardiff
- Campus code:
- B
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 96 points
A level - CCC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMM
Access to HE Diploma
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024) - C - A*
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level - Pass (C and above)
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
https://www.southwales.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-popular-and-commercial-music-/
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £9000 | Year 1 |
| England | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9000 | Year 1 |
| International | £12600 | Year 1 |
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
Students have access to a wide range of resources including textbooks, publications, and computers in the University’s library and via online resources. In most cases they are more than sufficient to complete a course of study. Where there are additional costs, either obligatory or optional, these are detailed on the University website (on individual course pages). Of course students may choose to purchase their own additional personal resources/tools over and above those listed to support their studies at their own expense. All stationery and printing costs are at a student’s own expense.
Students from Wales and the EU may be eligible for a means-tested Welsh Government Learning Grant. Please visit the University website for full details.
Provider information
University of South Wales
Llantwit Road
Treforest
Pontypridd
CF37 1DL