Music: Production, Performance and Business BA Honours

Our Music Production, Performance and Business BA degree will equip you for a successful career in all areas of the commercial and popular music industries.

Our course will inspire you to develop expertise and experience in the key fields of commercial music: music production, music performance and music business/enterprise. In today's industry, only by having knowledge and understanding of all three specific areas will you be sufficiently prepared for employment and a career in music.

Whether you aspire to be a music artist, producer, performer, songwriter, composer, musicologist, journalist, DJ, technologist, entrepreneur, a business specialist or educator, our course will nurture your aspirations and ensure you develop a broad range of transferable, music-related skills.

We incorporate a strong focus on reflective practice and contextual studies, meaning that our graduates are positioned to become innovators and thought leaders for the future of the constantly evolving music industry.

Our music industry links in the thriving London community allow us to provide guest lectures from leading professionals and maximise opportunities for you to network and begin your career while on the course.

Based at Harrow Campus, the course also offers unique opportunities to collaborate with students from other academic disciplines, including film, TV, radio, fashion and media, and provides networking opportunities with relevant professional societies and organisations. As a result, our graduates have excellent employment opportunities and the ability to build successful careers in many diverse areas of the creative industries.

Top reasons to study with us

• A flexible course – Our course allows you to follow the path that most suits your future career while learning about the key fields of commercial music and gaining a broad range of skills.
• Easy access to Central London – Based in Harrow, in northwest London, you'll be just a 20-minute tube ride from the heart of the city and its vibrant music scene, career opportunities and industry events. You'll also benefit from a range of guest speakers, thanks to our industry links.
• A track record of success – Our graduates enjoy successful careers across the music industries, including in music synchronisation (Theodore, Wake the Town and Big Sync Music), music management (East City Management, Solar Management), media production (the BBC'S Banks and Wag, Aidan Lavelle, and Roll7's Stephen Bennett, and as artists and producers (Sigala, Bree Runway, Emmy the Great, Jamie Woon).

Why study this course?

• Easy access to Central London
  Based just a 20-minute tube ride from the heart of the city, you'll be perfectly placed to get involved in London's thriving music scene.
• Music industry links
  We have strong links with various record labels, publishers, writers and managers, as well as the music rights organisations PRS and PPL, and regularly invite industry professionals to speak at events on campus.
• Learn in a creative environment
  You’ll study alongside students from film, photography, music, fashion and journalism in a creative and collaborative environment.

Our graduates have gone on to have huge and diverse success. Our alumni include members of the bands Rudimental, The Feeling, Plan B and Arctic Lake as well as successful artists such as Jamie Woon, Tom Baxter, Emmy The Great, globally established trance act Above and Beyond, and Grammy Award-winning Al Shux.

• Successful graduates
  Our graduates enjoy successful careers across the music industries, including in music synchronisation, music management, media production, and as artists and producers.
• Play and perform at our masterclasses
  You'll get the opportunity to perform and play your music to industry guests, including publishers, artist managers, A&R and other songwriting and production specialists.
• Employers around the world
  The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.

Work experience

We have strong links with various record labels, publishers, writers and managers, as well as the music rights organisations PRS and PPL. We encourage as many students as possible to attend industry events to grow their contacts and seek work opportunities by providing many students with free passes to attend industry conferences, workshops and expos.

We invite industry professionals to speak at events on campus, providing students with additional opportunities to extend their networks and to ask key questions.

Our students have completed internships for various record labels and artist management companies, which in the past have included:

• AEG
• All Points East
• Beggars Banquet
• Big Sync Music
• British Summer Time Festival
• East City Management
• Full-Time Hobby
• Mute
• Solar Management

Job roles

Our course equips you with diverse career opportunities, allowing you to follow a specific career path while also gaining the transferable skills needed for employment in all areas of the music industry.

You'll be encouraged to develop your professional status while studying on the course and to incorporate professional and industry-focused activities into your academic work.

University of Westminster music graduates has gone on to have successful careers as:

• Academics
• Artist managers
• Branding and marketing experts
• Entertainment lawyers
• Film sound designers
• Freelance musicians
• Live music promoters
• Music artists
• Music educators
• Music journalists
• Music producers
• Music publishers
• Music therapists
• Music venue managers
• Record label executives
• Social media managers
• Songwriters
• Studio engineers

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study in this course.

Year 1

Subjects of study include:

• Artist Development in Practice
• Artist Management and DIY Releasing
• Creativity and Collaboration
• Introduction to Music Publishing
• Introduction to the Music Industries and Entrepreneurship
• Music Production Fundamentals
• Producing Music
• Songwriting Track and Topline
• The Performing Artist Online and Onstage

Credit Level 4

Year 2

Subjects of study include:

• Composing and Performing for Games, Brands, Film and TV
• Creative Identities and Making Digital Content
• Music Marketing Technologies
• Music Production Studio and Live
• Synchronisation: Music and Brands
• The Artist Performer Studio and Live
• The Business of Live Music
• Work-based and Placement Learning

Credit Level 5

Placement Year

Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in the industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award of Bachelor of Arts with Honours – Music Production, Performance and Business with Professional Experience.

Year 3

Subjects of study include:

• Advanced Audio Production
• Artistry, Innovation and Technology
• Data and Analytics in the Music Industry
• Final Major Project
• Music Contracts and Intellectual Property
• Planning a Career in the Music Industry
• Research Project
• Starting a Business in the Music Industry

Credit Level 6

International Opportunities

Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.

Opportunities could include:

• Taking part in a semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
• Attending an international summer school or field trip
• Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad

International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.