Music

Throughout this music degree you’ll study practical performance in areas such as classical music, jazz and contemporary styles, instrumental and vocal studies, composition and musical contexts from medieval through to the present day. 

You can also study areas such as music psychology, community music, world music and issues within the music industry.

We currently have over 20 ensembles open to all students, including numerous choirs, symphony and chamber orchestra, wind band and jazz big band, jazz small groups, our own Javanese Gamelan, brass, wind and string ensembles, folk, and experimental music groups.

Year one
You’ll study performance, including regular one-to-one instrumental/vocal lessons, composition in a wide range of styles and genres, music technology in our industry-standard labs, world music lectures and practical workshops, musicology lectures and seminars, research and study skills.

Year two
You’ll develop skills in teaching and in the area of music management and promotion through the professional module, and have the option to undertake a placement in a musical organisation. You'll continue to develop your musical skills, and increasingly specialise in areas of particular strength and interest.

Year three
You’ll have the freedom for creative output in a wide range of specialisms, depending on your career aspirations and goals. You'll also choose from a wide range of supporting modules designed to prepare you for the professional world of music.

You’ll be assessed through coursework, including creative artefacts, written and spoken presentations, and through practical assessments such as recitals and public ensemble performances.

The Music course is taught through workshops, masterclasses, lectures, seminars, individual tutorials and instrumental/vocal lessons.

You’ll be taught by, and work alongside, a creative community of experts. Full-time staff are all practising performers, composers and researchers.

You’ll also be taught by visiting staff, many with international reputations.

• Performance 1
• Composition 1 (Technology)
• Musicology 1 (Historical Contexts)
• Performance 2
• Composition 2 (Instruments)
• Musicology 2 (Global Contexts)

• Professional Musician
• Performance 3
• Composition 3 (Methods)
• Musicology 3 (Specialist Study)
• Jazz Studies 1
• Stage Skills for Singers 1
• Performance 4
• Composition 4 (Collaboration)
• Music Analysis
• Music Psychology
• Jazz Studies 2
• Community Music Practice
• Opera Project 1
• Work placement
• Song Production
• Professional Placement Year

• Independent Study 1
• Independent Study 2
• Performance 5
• Composition 5 (Contexts)
• Musicology 4 (Specialist Studies)
• Stage Skills for Singers 2
• Jazz Studies 3
• Community Music - Professional Music Leader
• Performance 6
• Composition 6 (Event)
• Jazz Studies 4
• Opera Project 2
• Music Psychology - applied and experimental
• Composition for Media

There are opportunities through the Erasmus scheme to study abroad for a term or longer in year two – we have links with university music departments and schools in Europe, particularly Germany and the USA.

We give regular performances throughout the year in Bath as well as beyond. Each year we fully stage opera and musical theatre productions.

In years two and three, you'll have the opportunity to engage with field trips and music projects in the community.

During the course you’ll explore the constantly changing needs of the employment market, and you can choose to take a placement in year two.

Recent placements have included the Bath International Music Festival, the BBC Proms, Welsh National Opera, Glyndebourne, Royal Opera, BBC Music Magazine, Dorling Kindersley and Real World.

You’ll benefit from masterclass sessions from leading international musicians, composers and performers, as well as experts from the music industry.

We offer three cash prizes in performance, composition and ensemble to students in their final year.

Graduates from BA (Hons) Music at Bath Spa go on to successful careers in a range of roles including those in education, special needs and community music, performance, composition, promotion, publishing and other aspects of the music business.

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

Based at the Michael Tippett Centre, we have excellent facilities including:

• A purpose-built concert hall with superb acoustics
• 17 practice rooms, three with electronically variable acoustic
• A wide range of medieval, renaissance and baroque instruments, and a large collection of percussion and orchestral instruments
• A Javanese Gamelan
• A high spec music technology laboratory
• Five recording studios
• Two band rehearsal rooms
  
• Large, well-stocked Music Library and a wide range of online music resources.