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Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY)

Entry requirements

Here's what you will need to get a place on the Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY) course at Southampton, Solent University.

Select a qualification to see required grades

A level

104-120 from a minimum of 2 A Levels

You may also need to

Attend an audition

Tuition fees

LocationFees
England£9,535 per year
Scotland£9,535 per year
Wales£9,535 per year
Northern Ireland£9,535 per year
Channel Islands£9,535 per year
Republic of Ireland£9,535 per year
EU£17,750 per year
International£17,750 per year

Course summary

What this course is about

UCAS code: MPPR

Here's what Southampton, Solent University says about its Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY) course.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A COURSE WHICH WILL BE STUDIED AT RESONANCE

Are you interested in a career as a music performer, songwriter or producer? Would you like to be involved in artist development? Suitable for both schooled and self-taught musicians, this course combines creativity and technical learning with in-depth academic and research skills.

In partnership with Solent University, Resonance’s popular music performance and production programme offers a broad range of creative and technical learning in music and production carefully balanced with the acquisition of academic skills involving research and critical thinking. Students will gain experience both specific to the music industry and relevant to other careers.

The course features extensive study of the music industry including copyright, contract law and career pathways. Students are also expected to develop transferable skills in research, IT, presentation, teamwork, creative thinking, communication and project management.

You’ll study in our state of the art industry-standard facilities. Resonance offers industry-quality, full-size recording and production studios giving students a wealth of opportunities to hone your skills and give full rein to your imagination. You will have access to sizeable rehearsal, practice and performance spaces giving you all the room you need to practise and perform as a band. The largest of our performance spaces can even accommodate a large audience

The curriculum is delivered by an experienced course team, many of whom are active industry experts with professional experience in performance, studio and live sound, electronic sound design and the business and culture of music production. All of our Staff are actively engaged industry practitioners.

Thanks to the Resonance’s close links with industry, you will have the opportunity to attend weekly guest lectures from visiting industry professionals. Speakers have recently included: John Waugh (The 1975), Dexter Wansel (Grammy award winning artist), Sheena Sear & Mark Stuart (M2 Studios), Tim Carrol (CEO Focusrite), John Daily (DeFacto Marketing), Richard Taylor (Musical Director for Boyzone, Ronan Keating, Emin, Nile Rogers and many more…), Sam Dorrance (Touring Artist), Brendon Riley (Touring Backline Technician) Steve Smith (Marshall), Creative Technology, Alex Hutchings (Touring Session Musician at Composer), Genevieve Little (Touring Artist), Jamie Franklin (Artist Relations at Roland) and many more…

Resonance is based at the Evolve Campus, part of the Dudley College of Technology estate, situated in the heart of Dudley Town Centre, just over half an hour from Birmingham City Centre. Featuring a combination of established and brand-new, purpose-built facilities that are outstanding, providing everything an ambitious musician, producer, composer, teacher and entrepreneur would need to excel in their studies. Our local live music venues include; Red By Night, KK Steel Works, The Robin 2, Symphony Hall, Birmingham O2

What does this course lead to?

This course may lead to work in diverse areas such as professional performance, songwriting, artist development, live sound, online mixing, sound engineering, teaching and technical support.

Who is this course for?

Resonance’s popular music performance and production course is suitable for both schooled and self-taught musicians. Applicants should be interested by both performance and technical production, as well as music history and academic theory.

Applicants should aspire to careers as session musicians, producers, artists, songwriters, music journalists or promoters.

Course details

Qualification

Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Department

Department of Art and Music

Location

Resonance | Dudley

Duration

3 Years

Study mode

Full-time

Subjects

• Music

Start date

September 15, 2025

Application deadline

January 29, 2025

The modules you will study

YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES Performance Techniques 1 Introduction to Studio Recording 1 Creative Music Industries Creative Performance 1 Creative Music Production 1 Theory and Listening Skills

YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES Performance Techniques 2 Advanced Studio Recording 1 Music Portfolio Careers Creative Performance 2 Creative Music Production 2

YEAR 2 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year) Songwriting Techniques Creative Sound Design

YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES Music Collaboration Advanced Music Production Entrepreneurship and Artist Development Major Project

YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year) Experimental Music Performance Surround Mixing

How you will be assessed

This course is assessed via performances, recordings, presentations, written assignments, music theory exercises, music portfolios, and a website or blog. There may also be video presentation or other forms negotiated with your tutor.

Southampton, Solent University reviews

(3.8)
Based on 62 reviews from Southampton, Solent University's students and alumni
5 star
35%
4 star
26%
3 star
27%
2 star
10%
1 star
2%
All reviews

Showing 62 reviews

3rd year student

Three stars: Good

(3)

1 year ago

3rd year student

Three stars: Good

(3)

1 year ago

3rd year student

Two stars: Could be better

(2)

1 year ago

3rd year student

Two stars: Could be better

(2)

1 year ago

3rd year student

Four stars: Great

(4)

1 year ago

3rd year student

Our lecturers are very 50/50 on the good to bad scale

(2)

1 year ago

National Student Survey (NSS) scores

The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.

Here you can see ratings from Southampton, Solent University students who took the Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY) course - or another course in the same subject area.

Music

Select an option to see a detailed breakdown

How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?

91%

high

How good are teaching staff at explaining things?

99%

med

How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?

88%

med

How often is the course intellectually stimulating?

87%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?

93%

high

How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?

90%

med

How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?

90%

high

To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?

91%

med

To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?

86%

high

How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?

93%

high

How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?

91%

high

How often does feedback help you to improve your work?

90%

high

How often have you received assessment feedback on time?

91%

high

How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?

94%

high

How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?

93%

med

How well have teaching staff supported your learning?

94%

med

How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?

82%

med

How well organised is your course?

83%

high

How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?

91%

high

How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?

92%

med

How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?

93%

high

How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?

81%

high

To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?

90%

high

To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?

86%

med

How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?

78%

med

During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?

83%

low

How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?

82%

med

Student information

See who's studying at Southampton, Solent University. These students are taking Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY) or another course from the same subject area.

Music
Mode of study
Full-time94%Part-time6%
Gender ratio
Female36%Male64%
Where students come from
International21%UK79%
Student performance
2:1 or above66%
First year dropout rate5%
Number of students435
Most popular A-levels studied
SubjectGrade
Music TechnologyB
Media StudiesB
Business StudiesC
PsychologyC
MusicB
Source: HESA

Graduate prospects

What graduates do next

We have no information about graduates who took Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY) at Southampton, Solent University.

Earnings after graduation

Earnings from Southampton, Solent University graduates who took Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY) - or another course in the same subject area.

Performing arts

Earnings

£15.7k

First year after graduation

£19.3k

Third year after graduation

£21.2k

Fifth year after graduation

Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Popular Music Performance and Production (RESONANCE -DUDLEY).

Source: LEO

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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