BA Hons Music

at Bangor University

Your Music degree programme at Bangor is flexible: you will shape your degree course to reflect your interests and strengths. You will begin your study of music in a genuinely all-embracing way, engaging with musical theory and practice from modal polyphony to electroacoustic composition, via every genre in between. You will use this broad framework as a launch pad for developing your own expertise in one of several fields of musicology, performance or composition, including 20th-century music, musical editing, classical or popular music performance, music in health and well-being, and all styles of composition. You also have the option to pursue studies in other subjects as part of your degree, or to focus exclusively on music.

Teaching is primarily carried out in small groups, providing a stimulating and supportive learning environment. You will have around 12 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials each week. Solo Performance (optional) is taught through an innovative combination of individual tuition, workshops and masterclasses. In addition, you will 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 may include field trips, for example to concerts, archives, recording studios and composition workshops. We have excellent links with leading organisations in the UK, including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (with whom we have an annual composition workshop), the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Sain (Records) etc. Others involve short placements outside the University (for example, the Community Arts Placement module). You will also spend either one-third or two-thirds of your final year working on independent, supervised music projects.

Year 1

Compulsory Modules
20 credits from:

• WXM-1004: Intro - Harmony & Counterpoint (20) (Semester 1) or
• WXC-1004: Cyflwyniad Harmoni/Gwrthbwynt (20) (Semester 1)

20 to 40 credits from:

• WXM-1300: Music since 1850 (20) (Semester 1) or
• WXC-1300: Cerddoriaeth Ers 1850 (20) (Semester 1)
• WXM-1301: Music 1550 -1850 (20) (Semester 2) or
• WXC-1301: Cerddoriaeth 1550 - 1850 (20) (Semester 2)

Optional Modules
60 to 80 credits from:

• WXP-1016: Solo Performance Year 1 (20) (Semester 2) or
• WXC-1016: Perfformio Unawdol Blwyddyn 1 (20) (Semester 1 + 2)
• WXK-1113: Composition and Sonic Art A (20) (Semester 1)
• WXK-1114: Composition and Sonic Art B (20) (Semester 2)
• Students may take up to 40 credits from modules offered outside the School in place of optional modules. Speak to your tutor about this if you wish to do so.

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.   

Home (UK) students

• The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
• The fee for all placement, international, and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
• More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
• International (including EU) students

International Student Tuition Fees

• International Student Living Costs and Scholarships

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).

A degree in Music offers you excellent employment prospects and the skills developed will allow you to excel in a wide range of music careers. As well as working as composers, performers, songwriters, editors, lyricists and conductors, many of our graduates take up posts with music publishers, orchestras, opera houses, or arts centres as music directors, creative coordinators, or administrators. Music graduates are always highly sought after in media and recording companies as technicians, producers, programme-planners, and writers. Other possible career paths include specialist music journalism, music publishing, music librarianship, and arts marketing. Several of our graduates have gone on to become distinguished academics, composers, and performers, many others are teachers, at all educational levels (up to and including university).