Name: BA (Hons) Music Business
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BA (Hons) Music Business

UCAS CODE: N290 (Full-time) or N294 (Foundation Year)

TARIFF: 88 - 112 (Full-time) or 32 - 56 (Foundation Year)

This degree is ideal for anyone looking to work in the music industry. Whether you’re interested in managing artists, working for record labels or the business of songs, you’ll learn exactly what it takes to build a successful career in music.

The course covers a broad range of music industry areas allowing you to develop your knowledge to help you gain employment across a variety of music business roles. It will also equip you with many key entrepreneurial skills to give you the option of building your own business from scratch. Whatever your ideal career path, this degree course will give you a comprehensive overview of the music business.

No. 1 in the UK for Student Satisfaction*

*Positivity ranking amongst registered students (NSS 2024)

No. 1 Students' Union in the UK*

*Based on responses from registered students (NSS 2024)

Why study Music Business at BNU?

Learn from industry experts

You'll learn from seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in the music industry. Their insights and real-world knowledge will help you understand the nuances of the business and prepare you for a successful career. You'll benefit from their personal anecdotes and practical advice, making your learning experience both informative and engaging.

Comprehensive Curriculum

Our course covers a wide range of topics, from artist management to music marketing and promotions. This broad curriculum ensures you gain a well-rounded understanding of the music business, equipping you with the skills needed for various roles. You'll also explore emerging trends and technologies, keeping you ahead of the curve in this dynamic industry.

Hands-on learning

You'll engage in practical projects and real-life scenarios that simulate the music industry environment. This hands-on approach helps you apply theoretical knowledge and develop essential skills for your future career. You'll work on real-world assignments, such as organizing events or managing artists, giving you a taste of what to expect in the professional world.

Career Support

You'll benefit from dedicated career services that offer guidance on job placements, internships, and career planning. Our support team is here to help you navigate the job market and achieve your professional goals. They provide personalized advice, resume workshops, and interview preparation to boost your confidence and employability. Additionally, you'll connect with industry professionals and fellow students through events, guest lectures, and collaborative projects. Building a strong network during your studies can open doors to exciting career opportunities, including internships, job offers, and valuable mentorships that will support your career growth.

Entrepreneurial Skills

You'll learn how to start and manage your own music business. Our course includes modules on entrepreneurship, giving you the confidence and knowledge to launch your own ventures in the music industry. You'll develop business plans, learn about funding options, and understand the legal aspects of running a music business.

Being taught by some amazing music industry professionals with tonnes of experience to offload was one of the course’s major strengths. I was also able to network and collaborate with other creatives across the uni, this created a kind of micro industry simulation. This ecosystem encouraged us to begin nurturing the networking and social skills used every day in the real music business.

Benjamin Akpojaro

I got to chat to lecturers, as well as students, about the life at BNU, the lectures and the opportunities that come with studying here. It is a perfect course for people with passion for music that want to develop their knowledge in various areas of the music industry. It just felt like the right place to be!

Tymoteusz Holysz

Music studio

Audio studio

Equipment

Microphone

What facilities can I use?

Our state-of-the-art recording studios give you access to the space and technology you need, from individual edit rooms up to large Pro Tools HD studios with attached live rooms and vocal booths.

Studios 1 and 2 boast Avid D-Command control surfaces and 24 channels of Focusrite ISA828 microphone preamps.
Studio 2 features an Audient ASP8024 Mixing desk, with outboard equipment by Neve, Universal Audio, Teletronix, Focusrite, Tegler, Maag, Manley and others. It also has monitoring by Genelec and Adam Audio.
Studios three and four (Edit 6) are based around Digidesign C|24 surfaces.
The edit booths are equipped with microphone preamps from Digidesign (HD Omni).
Our microphone stock includes Sennheiser, Neumann, AKG, Shure, Rode and Electrovoice.
Studio monitoring includes 5.1 systems by Genelec and stereo systems by KRK.

All studios feature a full range of plug-ins including RX3, Ozone6, Komplete and Speakerphone.

How will I be taught and assessed?

Our teaching staff have a wealth of professional and academic experience, with many still actively working in the music business. You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops with one-to-one and small group teaching, as well as written assignments and practical exercises. Regular guest speakers are invited in to BNU to share their knowledge and experience with you on subjects such as the art of songwriting, social media marketing and music publishing.

A variety of assessment methods will be used as appropriate to the modules you take, including creative projects (both recorded and performed), presentations and written coursework. Assessments will be appropriate to the task, achievable, motivating and vocationally focussed, forming a constructive part of your learning process.

Source african man listening to music with headfones

two men looking at two screens in a music studio

What will I study?

During your degree, you will develop solid business, marketing and management skills, allowing you to pursue many careers in this rapidly evolving industry. Key business modules will look at music publishing, the global music industry and the consumption of popular music. Key marketing modules will cover digital marketing, social media marketing and public relations.

Management skills will be addressed by modules covering classic management theory, how to develop as a music entrepreneur and how to manage creative talent. You'll also spend time focusing on legal issues such as intellectual property and music industry contracts. You will also be encouraged to develop other key skills such as communication and negotiation to allow you to demonstrate a portfolio of relevant skills to equip you to successfully enter the music business.

If you’re looking for a way into the music and entertainment industry, Music Business here at BNU is the way to go. All your teachers have the best ‘on-hands’ knowledge, giving you an advantage with all the recent changes within the industry, as well as contacts to some of the most well-known industry professionals. Here at BNU not only do they focus you on your degree, but they get you ready for the next steps once you have graduated.

Rachael Andrews

BA (Hons) Music Business Programme Specification

What are the course entry requirements?

A typical offer will require a UCAS tariff score of: 88 - 112 (Full-time) or 32 - 56 (Foundation Year)

UCAS points can be obtained through qualifications such as A levels, T levels, BTEC or an Access to Higher Education course in a relevant subject. Please list all your qualifications on the application form as you will be asked to provide copies when we receive your application.

A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.

For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.

Those with no previous study, work experience, or who do not meet the specified entry requirements, including demonstrating the necessary knowledge and understanding, are welcome to apply for the 3-year BA (Hons) degree, however may be offered the four-year programme which includes a Foundation Year.

Modules

This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.

Foundation Year

Core Modules

Professional Skills Review

In this module, you’ll reflect on and develop professional skills through project production. You’ll enhance your reflective writing, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking, gaining insight into your strengths and areas for growth.

Final Project

In this module, you’ll collaborate with other students on a project within your subject’s themes, honing vital professional skills like leadership, interpersonal relations, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving, essential for teamwork in real-world scenarios.

Introduction to Popular Music

This module will introduce you to the history of post-World War 2 popular music. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of the evolution of the music and associated industries, synchronic and diachronic networks of music genres, and the people and organisations that shaped their development.

Introduction to Entrepreneurship

In this module, you will be introduced to the principles, functions and practices of management. Such approaches will subsequently be applied to key areas of the creative industries. In addition, you will gain an understanding of how different aspects of the creative industries interrelate.

Principles of Management

In this module, you will be introduced to the principles, functions and practices of management. Such approaches will subsequently be applied to key areas of the creative industries. In addition, you will gain an understanding of how different aspects of the creative industries interrelate.

Introduction to Marketing

Here you’ll be exposed to the foundational concepts of marketing, with a focus on understanding the broader marketing landscape. You’ll identify and understand the importance of market segmentation, targeting, and positioning in effective marketing strategies. The module also touches on the role of consumer behaviour and market research.

Year 1

Core Modules

Credits

Introduction to Artist Development

20

Credits: 20

You'll be taught to evaluate processes around the creation & development of contemporary music. You'll learn about the management of creativity and explore the legal framework surrounding artists and the interaction of managers with the industry. You'll examine current methods of establishing an artistic brand prior to products entering the market.

Entertainment Industry Framework

20

Credits: 20

You'll be taught how to examine the range and role of music & entertainment organisations responsible for the management and administration of the industry, and key issues they currently face. You'll look at artist management, record & publishing companies, copyright & collection societies, retail, streaming, broadcast, social media and DIY culture...

Principles of Marketing

20

Credits: 20

You'll be introduced to the principles of marketing theory in the context of the event & entertainment industries & explore links between identifying event attendees’ needs & wants and event marketing. You'll study how these principles can offer an understanding of the market, including how marketing impacts fans, events and other facilitators.

Managing Your Brand

20

Credits: 20

This module looks at branding and the creation of identity across multiple platforms, both on and offline, with a focus on managing a personal brand in the context of the mainstream and independent music and entertainment industries. You'll also be introduced to fundamental principles of management, both self and in the context of organisations.

Creative Practice

20

Credits: 20

This module aims to encourage strategic thought in contemporary music & events. You'll study strategic management and international issues faced from the globalisation of the industry. You'll have the chance to reflect on moral dilemmas in the music & event sector and develop your philosophical appreciation of the role of music & events in society.

Industry Issues

20

Credits: 20

You'll examine a range of issues, trends and problems facing today’s music, events and entertainment industries. Lectures will be given by a different member of the teaching team or a guest lecturer each week, introducing you to a wide variety of topics and different teaching styles and to areas of the industry outside your particular area.

Year 2

Core Modules

Credits

The Music and Events Entrepreneur

20

Credits: 20

The module aims to give you the knowledge to become self-employed in the music/events/entertainment industries. You'll study concepts and techniques relevant to content-driven businesses, such as marketing, promotion and potential income streams, to evaluate the success of contemporary small business practices. You'll also consider approaches to co...

Music Business Project

20

Credits: 20

You'll need to understand and analyse the processes for planning, managing & co-ordinating all aspects involved in the staging of a professional live event. The finished event will be evaluated in the context of the initial aims and objectives as well as design and creation of an experience using appropriate music business and management theories.

Fan Cultures

20

Credits: 20

You'll study social and cultural theory in the context of the music & event industries and explore the links between audiences, media & industry in a societal context. You'll study how social & cultural theory gives a unique perspective on the relationship between fans, industry and media and look at theories of fandom, subcultures & audiences.

Artist Management

20

Credits: 20

This module builds on the foundations of the Level 4 Introduction to Artist Development module, focusing now on concepts pertinent to contemporary artist management. Teaching sessions will be delivered by members of the academic team and, where appropriate, guest speakers from industry.

Research Methods

20

Credits: 20

The aim of the module is to provide you with an introduction to research methods and the skills necessary for planning and conducting research and enquiry within their field of study, discipline or professional contexts.

Optional Modules

Credits

Music Publishing

20

Credits: 20

You'll study historic & current developments of publishing practice & legal principles underpinning today's music industry, including examining the creative, financial & business roles within music publishing. You'll study collecting societies, copyright law and publishing contracts with practical application to the music & entertainment industry.

Music Publishing (Placement)

20

Credits: 20

This placement offers you the chance to gain hands on real-life experience of the workplace, where you can connect and expand your academic knowledge to develop and enhance your employability skills and practice a professional work ethic.

Year 3

Core Modules

Credits

Extended Independent Project

40

Credits: 40

This module will give you a thorough understanding of the fundamental topics needed to manage projects within a complex and ever-changing environment. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of project management and gain the essential skills necessary to plan, monitor, control and deliver successful projects...

A&R: Artist & Repertoire Content for the Music Industry

20

Credits: 20

You'll study the role of Artists & Repertoire Managers in content focused music business, including how they acquire, deliver, control and develop the content. You'll look at how these considerations are governed by the commerce vs creativity contradictions in commercial cultural industries and examine case studies of A&R across the music business.

Mosh Pit Politics

20

Credits: 20

You'll investigate, analyse and critically evaluate a range of social issues related to the production and consumption of music from a criminological, sociological, and cultural theoretic perspective. This module is updated each academic year so that present social issues affecting music are included.

Digital Marketing

20

Credits: 20

You'll study digital marketing management in the context of the music, event & entertainment industries. You'll look at current and future challenges presented by new & emerging technologies as they apply to marketing management, and consider how to apply an integrated marketing approach to promotion in the music, event & entertainment industries.

Entertainment Law

20

Credits: 20

This module introduces intellectual property law and how critical it is to the economic structure of the music and entertainment industries. Set against the framework of the legal system in the UK, you'll study copyright, trademarks, design rights and allied areas of intellectual property law, as well as the Copyright Designs & Patents Act 1988 and...

What are the tuition fees

Home

Home Foundation Year, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £9,535 *
Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £9,535 per year *

International

Overseas/International Foundation Year, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £15,150 *
Overseas/International, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £15,150 per year *

Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes.

Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.  

Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.  

Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.  

We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU.

The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.

Additional course costs and financial support

Most courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees.
You could benefit from financial support through a bursary or scholarship during your time as a student. For more details visit our financial support, bursaries and scholarships section.

What are my career prospects?

Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. We also help you find employment after graduation. Have a look at our Careers and Employability pages to find out more.

Our BA (Hons) Music Business course will help prepare you for a range of career possibilities in areas such as:

Record label management
Artist management
Marketing
Promotions
Music publishing
Royalty collection and organisation.

Graduates can also choose to study for a postgraduate course.

The interactive and relevant teaching on BA (Hons) Music Business at BNU allowed me to gain experience of the music industry. All the lecturers have first-hand experience in the music industry, with real life examples being brought into the teaching. The modules cover various areas so there is always something for everyone, whether that’s marketing or intellectual property law. The course team always puts students’ teaching to the front of everything. Additionally, the closeness to London is a bonus.

Chloe Hayes Class of 2024 Graduate