Events Festivals and Venue Management

BA (Hons) Music Business

UCAS CODE: N290 (Full-time) or N294 (Foundation Year)
TARIFF: 88 - 112 (Full-time) or 32 - 56 (Foundation Year)
  • Study Mode: Full Time
  • Location: High Wycombe
  • Duration: Three or Four Years
  • Start Date: September 2024

This programme is ideal for anyone who wishes to gain the relevant expertise to work in the music business. 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 the music industry.

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.

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No. 1 in England for Student Satisfaction*
*Measured by % of positivity across all questions within the larger providers only: taught or registered population (NSS 2023)
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No. 1 Students' Union in the UK*
*As ranked among taught students at non-specialist HEIs (NSS 2023)
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Top for our response to the cost-of-living-crisis*
*Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023
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5th for learning opportunities*
*NSS 2023
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Top 10 for student support*
*Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023
Recent Graduate success stories...
Source Musician Having Band Rehearsal In Comfortable Living Room

Each week, Music Week profiles the brightest new talents in the business and it has put Jamie Leeming, digital agent at United Talent Agency, who graduated here at Buckinghamshire New University, under the spotlight.

Nadina leaning on a table with large pink and purple flowers behind her

BNU graduate Nadina Edouard counts herself lucky as she thrives in her career as a private events manager and artist booker at ALR Music - having taken a bold and exciting career path.

A head and shoulders shot of Lara Baker stood with her arms crossed wearing a black jumper and looking directly into the camera

Lara owns her own music events, marketing and diversity consultancy, and is part of the team behind the International Live Music Conference which welcomed singer/songwriter Dua Lipa as a guest speaker.

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
Ben Akpojaro head and shoulders picture

Why study this subject?

Could you combine your passion for music and your head for business?

The UK music industry contributed £5.8bn to the UK economy in 2019, (Music By Numbers UK Music) and employed an estimated 315,000 people in music, performing and visual arts (DCMS 2020) so the opportunities open to you are great.

If you are interested in a career in working for a record label, managing artists, music marketing and promotions or music publishing then a degree in Music Business could be for you.

This course is also offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme. 

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

All our music degrees at Buckinghamshire New University come with membership of UK Music’s Music Academic Partnership (MAP).

UK Music is the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry. We represent all sectors of our industry – bringing them together to collaborate, campaign, and champion music. The members of UK Music are: AIM, BPI, FAC, The Ivors Academy, MMF, MPA, MPG, MU, PPL, PRS for Music. UK Music also has an informal association with LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment).

MAP is a ground-breaking collaboration between educational institutions and UK Music, and is designed to maximise the relationship between the industry and educational institutions in order to inform the next generation of industry professionals.

MAP does this by nurturing collaborative projects, such as research and careers events, panel events, various education and skills work, policy work, and career opportunities. Fundamentally MAP provides extra opportunities to individuals who want to build careers out of their passion for music. This helps to future-proof the music industry by ensuring new entrants have the right mix of experience and skills.

Stay updated with all our latest BNU Audio and Music news by following us on Instagram @bnu_music.

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

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.

 



 

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in your first year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers.

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
Racheal Andrews DA Photo

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.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course, can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year; find out more.

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.

This course has Opportunity modules.

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in your first year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers. Find out more.

What are the tuition fees

Home

Home, Academic Year 2024 - 2025

£9,250 per year

International

Overseas/International, Academic Year 2024 - 2025

£15,150 per year

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.

Questions about fees?

If you have any questions about the fees above, contact our Enquiries team by calling 0330 123 2023 or emailing advice@bnu.ac.uk.

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.

 

I’m now excited to finish my university year and go on to new and exciting things. I would advise anyone starting out on my course to take advantage of every opportunity and experience.
Dana Okeke
Dana Okeke on graduation day stood outside the gateway buliding

Course leader

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Paul Fields
  • Senior Lecturer
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Bryan Mace
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Paul Martin
  • Senior Lecturer
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Benjamin Akpojaro
  • Associate Lecturer
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Dave Cronen
  • Lecturer
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Dr Christopher D. Lewis SFHEA
  • Director of Education (Creative and Digital Industries)
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Paul Cartlidge
  • Senior Lecturer
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BA (Hons) Music Business
BA (Hons) Music Business with Foundation Year