COURSE CURRICULUM

Popular Music Practice is divided into winter, spring, and summer trimesters, each with a distinct focus. Part-time students complete one module per trimester. The course begins with Popular Music Practice and Research, which helps students connect theory with practice through research training, specialist lectures, and individual mentoring, laying the groundwork for the final Major Project. The You and the Popular Music Industry module supports students in refining their professional direction by auditing their existing skills, researching markets or audiences, and engaging with current industry stakeholders. Popular Music and Technology explores how technology influences music creation and entrepreneurship, offering mentoring, workshops, and interdisciplinary sessions to build both practical and theoretical knowledge. Exploring Collaborative Practice invites students to engage in group projects or curate events, developing skills in leadership, negotiation, and teamwork while producing creative or entrepreneurial work with peers. The course culminates in the Major Project, an extended piece of independent work based on the student’s chosen area or areas of specialism. Drawing on insights and skills gained from the previous modules, the project is designed to contribute to the evolving field of practice-informed research in popular music, preparing students to engage at a professional level within the industry.