BA Music (W300)

2024 entry | view 2025 entry

Course summary

Our BA Music is a well-established and highly regarded programme. Our graduates go on to work in the music profession, the wider creative industries, and a host of other careers, from law and finance - via conversion courses - to civil service and non-governmental organisations, education and health professions, including music therapy. Some also choose to pursue postgraduate study.

We offer a broad range of units in musicology, composition, and performance, across diverse styles and genres. These are complemented by weekly concerts, regular masterclasses, workshops and performances in the department, and opportunities to get involved in the dynamic music scene in the city of Bristol. The department has a track record of international academic excellence and is exceptionally friendly and welcoming, with several of our staff running ensembles and performing with students.

You will be taught by internationally recognised and world-class musicologists and composers, working together to deliver research-led teaching of the highest quality, and by a team of professional instrumental and vocal tutors. Our teaching and music-making take place in the magnificent 19th-century Victoria Rooms, a familiar Bristol landmark with a 530-seat auditorium, a recital room, extensive studio facilities and a suite of practice rooms. Several organ and choral scholarships are available with our local churches and with Bristol Cathedral.

Course structure

The first year prepares you for advanced study in subsequent years, giving you a solid foundation in musicology and composition and, if you choose, performance.

Performance students receive one-to-one tuition with specialist tutors throughout their degree. In performance, we offer a wide range of instruments and vocal styles, but in the event that tuition on your particular instrument/vocal type is not currently offered in Bristol, you will be able to discuss options with the Department.

Years two and three enable you to tailor the curriculum to your particular interests. You might specialise in a specific area of music studies or explore a more varied selection, including composition (acoustic and studio-based), orchestration, performance, and musicology, covering topics such as editing, medieval music, opera, romanticism, music and war, aesthetics, film music, music and migration, and African-American music.

Your final year includes one major project (musicology dissertation or composition portfolio) or a 30-minute recital.

You will have the option to take units in other subjects and you may be able to spend part of your second year studying abroad at a partner university. To find out more about studying abroad, visit the Centre for Study Abroad.

Full details about the course structure and units for this course can be viewed in the programme catalogue.

Go to programme catalogue

Entry requirements

We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.

AAB including Music. Where a candidate is not taking A-level Music we will accept AAB plus Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity) at Pass.
BBB including Music. Where a candidate is not taking A-level Music we will accept BBB plus Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity) at Pass.

Find out if you are eligible for a contextual offer
DDD either in Music Technology BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma or in any Applied General BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma. All applicants must also meet our Music requirement (B in Music at A-level (or equivalent) or Grade 8 in a Trinity or ABRSM practical or theory exam).

Find out more about BTEC entry requirements
34 points overall with 17 at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in Music. Pass in Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity) can be accepted in place of Higher Level Music.
31 points overall with 15 at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in Music. Pass in Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity) can be accepted in place of Higher Level Music.

Find out if you are eligible for a contextual offer
80% overall, with 8.0 in Music.Where a candidate is not taking EB Music we will accept 80% overall plus Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity).
Advanced Higher: AB including Music, and Standard Higher: AAABB. Pass in Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity) can be accepted in place of Advanced Higher Music.
Access to HE Diploma in Humanities, Social Sciences, Law or History (or similar titles). The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include 24 credits at Distinction and 21 at Merit or above, plus either B in A-level Music or Pass in Grade 8 Theory or Practical (ABRSM or Trinity).

More about Access to HE entry requirements
Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.
Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/M2 is B, and M3 is C.
The University of Bristol welcomes applications from international students, and we accept a wide range of qualifications for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Search international qualifications
More about UK qualifications.