About This Course
Our Music degrees provide the opportunity to studying, create and perform music in a lively, creative environment. With a well-established Music School that embraces both the traditional and the modern in the study of music, our exciting course allows you to explore music through a variety of subject areas including: musicology, analysis, performance, composition, critical theory, genre and more.
Our Music (with Foundation Year) BA option is a four-year course with an integrated foundation year which leads to the same qualification as our three-year honours degree. It has been specifically designed for those wanting to undertake degree-level study but who may not meet the entry requirements or have traditional qualifications.
The Foundation Year (Year 0) offers you the chance to expand and strengthen your confidence, skills and knowledge – ensuring that you are well-prepared and qualified to progress into Year 1 of the undergraduate degree.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- We offer a wide range of options, allowing you to shape your course to reflect your interests and strengths.
- Music Performance Scholarships are offered to the most promising instrumentalists and/or vocalists.
- We have a fully equipped theatre, 2 fine concert halls, and 2 building of our own – with state-of -the-art teaching rooms, rehearsal space, study areas, social learning spaces, and a number of sound-proofed individual practice rooms. There is a full complement of grand and upright pianos, harpsichords, organs, harps, percussion and world instruments. Our 5 studios are equipped to international standards for recording, research and composition. The Library contains over 3,000 CDs and over 30,000 scores.
- Our enthusiastic staff comprises active composers, musicologists and performers, whose expertise covers all angles of musical study. Staff work at the cutting edge of research in music and all have international reputations in their fields
- Much teaching is in small groups, providing a stimulating and supportive learning environment.
- Concerts at Bangor feature chamber music (including residences by Ensemble Cymru and the Allegri Quartet, who also give masterclasses), recitals by leading singers and instrumentalists, acousmatic music from Electroacoustic Wales, and regular visits by both the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, there is an annual Music Festival concentrating on contemporary music (tickets are available to students at greatly reduced prices).
- University ensembles include a symphony orchestra and a large choir (Bangor University Symphony Orchestra and Chorus), a chamber choir, and an opera group. Student performers have the opportunity to play concertos with the University Symphony Orchestra; and visiting professionals frequently perform pieces composed by our students.
- The University Music Society also runs an orchestra and choir; other Students’ Union societies include a brass band, a jazz band, and a musicals society.
- We subscribe to an extensive range of online resources, including Naxos Music Library and Grove Music Online. There are also fully-equipped open-access computers, with Sibelius and other music software installed.
- Bangor University is proud to be the world’s leading centre for the study of Welsh music. We are home to the Archive of Traditional Welsh Music (with many original sources and recordings for the study of music in Wales), the Welsh Popular Music Archive (which houses a significant collection of recordings), and the Crossley-Holland Collection (which includes over 600 unique world instruments).
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Careers and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. Read more about the work experience opportunities that may be available to you or, if you have any questions, please get in touch.
This course is available with an International Experience Year option where you will study or work abroad for 1 additional year. You will have ‘with International Experience’ added to your degree title on graduating.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see a different way of life, learn about new cultures and broaden your horizons. With international experience of this kind, you’ll really improve your career prospects. There are a wide variety of destinations and partner universities to choose from. If you plan to study in a country where English is not spoken natively, there may be language courses available for you at Bangor and in your host university to improve your language skills.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option at any time during your degree at Bangor and make your application. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.
Read more about the International Experience Year programme and see the studying or working abroad options on the Student Exchanges section of our website.
Watch - It Began at Bangor - Jojo Arvanitis
Course Content
You will have around 12 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials each week. Solo Performance is taught through an innovative combination of individual tuition, workshops and masterclasses. You will also spend time on background reading, listening to music, completing essays and coursework and preparing for seminars as well as rehearsing and performing in ensembles, choirs and orchestras.
Several modules include field trips, for example to concerts, record companies and music publishers, and we have excellent links with leading organisations in the UK, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Sain (Records) etc. Others involve short placements outside the University (for example Music in the Community). You may expect to spend between one-third and two-thirds of the final year working on independent music projects.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Music (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Facilities
Music facilities
- Two dedicated Music buildings.
- Two professional standard concert halls.
- Rehearsal spaces.
- Practice-room suites with 24-hour access.
- Instruments including a full-size organ, chamber organ, harpsichords and grand pianos.
- Four state-of-the-art electroacoustic composition and recording studios, with 24-hour access.
- Access to performance and rehearsal spaces in the magnificent Pontio Arts Centre.
General University Facilities
Library and Archive Services
Our four libraries provide a range of attractive study environments including collaborative work areas, meeting rooms and silent study spaces.
We have an extensive collection of books and journals and many of the journals are available online in full-text format.
We house one of the largest university-based archives not only in Wales, but also the UK. Allied to the Archives is the Special Collections of rare printed books.
Learning Resources
There is a range of learning resources available, supported by experienced staff, to help you in your studies.
The University’s IT Services provides computing, media and reprographics facilities and services including:
- Over 1,150 computers for students, with some PC rooms open 24 hours a day
- Blackboard, a commercial Virtual Learning Environment, that makes learning materials available on-line.
Course Costs
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
- The fee for all integrated study abroad years is £1,385 (2025/26).
- The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).
More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
For all Music courses the ability to read staff notation is required. Points from grade examinations are taken into consideration where appropriate, but are not normally included in the offer.
Offers are tariff based, 48 -88 tariff points, from Level 3 qualifications* e.g.
- A Levels (including: AS-levels, General Studies)
- International Baccalaureate
- Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
- BTEC Diplomas and Certificate are accepted and Cambridge Technical Diplomas / Certificates
- Cambridge Technical Diplomas and Certificates
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted
- Scottish Highers
- Irish Leaving Certificate is accepted
- T-levels: considered on a case-by-case basis
We also welcome applications from mature learners. Mature students and/or those with other qualifications are considered on individual merit
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
For all Music courses the ability to read staff notation is required. Points from grade examinations are taken into consideration where appropriate, but are not normally included in the offer.
Offers are tariff based, 48 - 96 tariff points, from Level 3 qualifications* e.g.
- A Levels (including: AS-levels, General Studies)
- International Baccalaureate
- Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
- BTEC Diplomas and Certificate are accepted and Cambridge Technical Diplomas / Certificates
- Cambridge Technical Diplomas and Certificates
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted
- Scottish Highers
- Irish Leaving Certificate is accepted
- T-levels: considered on a case-by-case basis
We also welcome applications from mature learners. Mature students and/or those with other qualifications are considered on individual merit
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
While many graduates pursue careers in the area of music, these degrees are also good preparation for a wide range of employment in administration, commerce, management, and other professions. Our graduates have become professional performers, composers, university lecturers, researchers, teachers, arts administrators, music therapists, music publishers, librarians, concert managers, community arts officers, stage managers, recording and broadcasting producers, and sound engineers. Many former students have followed these degrees with further musical training, as performers, scholars or composers, and there are opportunities for all these at Bangor.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
