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21 Mar 2026, 10:00
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Popular and Commercial Music
- BA (Hons)
- 3 Years
- Full-time
- 22/09/2025
- Undergraduate
- Cardiff
- Awarded by:
- University of South Wales (Prifysgol De Cymru)
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
Apply by
29 January
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
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Entry requirements
UCAS Tariff
96 pointsTo include a relevant subject such as as Music
A level
CCCTo include a relevant subject such as as Music
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
MMMTo include a relevant subject such as as Music
Access to HE Diploma
Pass the Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject such as Music with a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
C - A*We accept the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma in lieu of a third subject.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
The University normally requires Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C/4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
T Level
Pass (C and above)Passing the T Level with Pass (C or above in the Core) to include a relevant subject such as as Music
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
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