Course name
University name or location
Topic or category
Find a course
Search, shortlist and compare thousands of courses to find that perfect one.
Where to study
See what makes a university special and discover where you belong.
Find a university
Search by name or city.
Get Advice
Get tips, tricks and wise words from students and experts at each stage.
Browse advice
A-level choices
Accounting personal statement examples
Law degree
Revision help
Oxbridge applications
Ucas application
Student life
Student finance
Browse all advice
Popular right now
A-level results day 2026: what to expect
Btec results day 2026: what to expect
Clearing and results day 2025: prepare your back-up plan
Clearing 2025: four things you might not know about Clearing and results day
Finding accommodation after getting a university place in Clearing 2025
A guide to Ucas Clearing 2025: how to find your university place
Clearing 2025: how to call universities
What happens if you miss the grades for your university offer?
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance
University of Lancashire
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance course at University of Lancashire.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
64 points at A2.
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: J281
Here's what University of Lancashire says about its Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance course.
From songwriting to the stage, producing tracks in the studio, to branding and marketing, this comprehensive course covers everything you’ll need to excel as a versatile artist in the modern music industry.
Our brand new Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance course brings together theory and practice, allowing you to explore music creation and production, songwriting and stagecraft, while gaining a solid understanding of how the music business works. You’ll learn the fundamentals of music theory and analysis, exploring various genres, styles and approaches in popular composition and songwriting. You’ll gain hands-on experience with our industry-standard facilities and equipment in our venue and studios, learning current trends and techniques in live performance and music production. You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of the music industry, helping you develop strategies to promote yourself and your music.
Whether you’re an artist looking to develop your own style, a producer wanting to record songs to a professional standard, or a songwriter looking to work with other artists, this course will equip you with the practical skills, knowledge and creativity to break into the industry.
About Spirit Studios
Spanning over four decades of iconic music history in Manchester, our early days as a commercial recording studio and rehearsal space saw the likes of local legends The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Simply Red and many more passing through our doors. Spirit Studios then became the first music production and sound engineering school in the UK (formerly known as School of Sound Recording), and since then we’ve continued to nurture the next generation of producers, engineers, artists and business owners.
Our purpose-built facilities, expert insight, professionally active tutors and creative partnerships enable us to offer the most up to date and relevant training and provide you with real career opportunities.
Assessment method
We pride ourselves on providing a variety of assessment methods; these are balanced between industry standards and an academic range that is aimed at varied student profiles and abilities. Some modules may include an overall portfolio, others may have several varied assessments that encompass practical and written elements. Students may work on a solo project or also have the opportunity to work collaboratively in class or within external partnerships. All portfolios and written material are submitted electronically via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), practical exams are undertaken within studio or venue settings on a live basis. Feedback is delivered electronically directly to the student in a written and matrix format. There is an opportunity to discuss your feedback in a one-to-one tutorial. We use a variety of the following assessment methods:
? Portfolios ? Practical coursework ? Practical Exams ? Presentations ? Written Tests ? Written Reports ? Written Essays ? Professional Discussions ? Viva Voce
Source: University of Lancashire
Course details
Qualification
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Department
School of Arts and Media
Location
Spirit Studios | Manchester
Duration
3 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Music
• Music production
• Popular music performance
• Popular music
• Popular music composition
Start date
14 September 2026
Application deadline
14 January 2026
University of Lancashire reviews
Showing 359 reviews
Foundation year student
Uni life is a roller coaster ride and is great
1 year ago
Foundation year student
Rates are pretty good
1 year ago
Foundation year student
Support is great
1 year ago
Foundation year student
Facilities are awesome from library to a huge student centre and a student union
1 year ago
Foundation year student
Course is really great with a lot of opportunities
1 year ago
Foundation year student
University is really nice with a lot of student support and the staff is really helpful
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 University of Lancashire students who took the Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
82%
low
Teaching on my course
82%
low
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
86%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
90%
low
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
90%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
62%
low
Learning opportunities
75%
low
Learning opportunities
75%
low
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
67%
low
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
86%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
71%
low
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
81%
low
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
71%
med
Assessment and feedback
71%
low
Assessment and feedback
71%
low
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
90%
med
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
71%
low
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
62%
low
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
62%
low
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
71%
med
Academic support
83%
low
Academic support
83%
low
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
76%
low
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
90%
med
Organisation and management
36%
low
Organisation and management
36%
low
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
29%
low
How well organised is your course?
43%
low
Learning resources
88%
med
Learning resources
88%
med
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
95%
high
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
94%
med
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
86%
med
Student voice
49%
low
Student voice
49%
low
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
33%
low
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
67%
low
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
48%
low
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
50%
low
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
76%
low
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
86%
med
Student information
The Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance course at University of Lancashire features content from more than one subject area. Choose an option below to find out about the students taking courses in each of those subject areas at this uni.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| History | D | |||||
| Geography | D | |||||
| Music Technology | C | |||||
| Business Studies | C | |||||
| Media Studies | C | |||||
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| Music Technology | C | |||||
| History | B | |||||
| Geography | D | |||||
| Media Studies | C | |||||
| Chemistry | A | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
We have no information about graduates who took Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance at University of Lancashire.
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Lancashire graduates who took Popular Music, Songwriting and Performance - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£17.5k
First year after graduation
£19.7k
Third year after graduation
£23k
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, Songwriting and Performance.
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
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Lancashire on The Student Room.
Chat with University of Lancashire
We've proudly changed our name to the University of Lancashire
Hi and welcome to the University of Lancashire's student room profile! Zac is your official representative and is around to answer any of your questions about studying at the university.
Zac is a member of the university digital team and lives in Preston so has a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the local area. Sophia and Siobhan study at the university so have first hand experience of what it's like to be a student here.
University of Lancashire open days
Are you thinking of applying to this university?
Before you do, it's a good idea to go to an open day. You can have a good look around campus, getting a better idea of what it's like to study there. You'll meet current students and staff and get the chance to ask them questions.
Universities will list upcoming open days on their websites. Most will also have virtual open days; these are a great alternative if you really can't get there in person. For tips on preparing for open days, check the advice section here on The Uni Guide.
