Newcastle University

Contemporary and Popular Music BA Honours
UCAS Code: W301 (3 Years)

• Course Overview
• Modules
• Entry Requirements
• Careers
• Finance

This degree allows you to specialise in some form of contemporary music performance or composition, ranging from acoustic singer-songwriting through to experimental electronic forms. 

At each Stage, we encourage you to look beyond formulaic commercial music forms to explore more contemporary ways of making music, including music from other cultures.

We place strong emphasis on creativity, experimentation and artistic risk-taking. There are also plenty of opportunities to develop your performance skills, helping you to grow as an accomplished musician.

As well as developing your practical music skills, you also study a broad range of historical and cultural topics. This will open up your education to more diverse musical experiences, from Irish traditional music to opera, black music to jazz.

Quality and ranking

Newcastle is ranked in the top ten UK universities for music in The Times/Sunday Good University Guide 2014.

Teaching and assessment

The International Centre for Music Studies has an international reputation for its research in two areas in particular:

• musicology
• creative practice

Different forms of music need different approaches to study so some of our modules are based around lectures and seminars, often with set reading or listening assignments, and other modules take the form of smaller specialised study groups. Performance modules are usually taught through a combination of individual one-to-one tuition, group workshops and specialist masterclasses. 

Assessment includes examination, written assignments, submission of dissertation or portfolio (of compositions, harmony, recordings, counterpoint or music analysis exercises), and through live musical performance. Teaching and assessment methods may vary from module to module; more information can be found in our individual module listings.

Performance opportunities

Music students at Newcastle enjoy excellent performance opportunities. We have over 100 professional instrumental and vocal tutors who deliver free one-to-one tuition.

The International Centre for Music Studies runs its own free professional concert series every Thursday lunchtime during term-time. This is followed by a Student Performance where you have the chance to perform for, and listen to, your colleagues from all of our music degrees.

Facilities

You will have access to excellent facilities to support your studies. Our purpose-built Music Studios give you access to a wide range of state-of-the-art facilities, including:

• rehearsal spaces accessible 24 hours a day
• a large band practice room with full PA system and lighting rigs
• four acoustic instrumental tuition rooms with personal recording facilities

Our base in the Armstrong Building offers a further range of facilities, including:

• music studios and recently refurbished teaching facilities
• practice rooms and performance spaces
• a PC suite running specialist music software
• a large, recently refurbished student common room

The International Centre for Music Studies (ICMuS)

Study at Newcastle and you will join a supportive community in the International Centre for Music Studies. We have an excellent collection of instruments for you to use, including:

• orchestral percussion and drum kits
• guitar amplifiers and PA equipment
• several Steinway grand pianos and an organ
• harpsichord
• fortepiano
• a number of other early music instruments including sets of consort viols and baroque bows

Our online archives include excellent resources for African-American music, classical music recordings, North East folk music, music from America’s past, and world musics. Find out more about our resources on the International Centre for Music Studies' homepage.