Popular Music Practice MMus

Start date

22 September 2025

Duration

1 year full-time
2 years part-time

About the course

Reasons to study

Knowledge and Expertise - Music staff are active across diverse professional contexts, including as songwriters, performers, producers, sound recordists, performers, and publishers of scholarly articles and books.
Professional Links - You’ll be part of a large community of pop music researchers and practioners, including staff looking at heavy metal, creative process, amplification and pop music performance.
Hands-On Teaching - You will benefit from our regular research seminars and workshops and will be a member of theâ¯Centre for Research, in Music and it's Technologies (CRMT).

This course aims to develop you as a pop music practitioner, and allows you to develop your performance alongside study in either songwriting or production. You’ll have the opportunity to perform alongside a wider community of musicians in all styles, as well as to create your own original music.

This Master’s level course is designed for both music and music technology graduates, but also for learners from alternative industry or practitioner backgrounds who are looking to develop their popular music practical skills and knowledge, allowing everyone to explore new ways of creating and performing popular music.

Our aim is to combine the essential qualities of what it means to be a successful pop musician; adaptable, creative and not afraid to push the boundaries of current practice in the pursuit of innovative artistic goals.

Performing Arts at the University of Huddersfield has an international reputation, and hosts one of the largest postgraduate music communities in the UK. You will benefit from our regular research seminars and workshops, and will be a member of the Centre for Research in Music and its Technologies (CRMT) which provides a focus for popular music research in the department.

Course detail

Modules

Core modules:

Researching Music

On this module you will be introduced to a range of significant and contemporary scholarship relating to the study of music, including that pertaining to music production, composition and sonic arts, and all kinds of performance. You will learn about diverse approaches to music research, and receive training in managing research professionally and ethically. Central to the module is the development of research skills appropriate to postgraduate level work and to your own research interests and creative practices. Attendance at research seminars will offer diverse models for your own research in performance, musicology, or creative music production.

Performance 1

On this module, you will explore and perform a range of repertoire and skills appropriate to your instrument/voice or specialist route. You will identify areas of performance that are innovative, or which explore a particular dimension of the specialism, such as ensemble performance, performance utilising particular techniques or approaches to  style, use of electronics, and many others. Example performance specialisms might include: Historically Informed Performance, New Music Performance, Brass Band Performance, Popular Music Performance, and more. You will identify appropriate research questions relevant to your specialism and design a recital which addresses  one or more of these.

Creative Project

On this module, you undertake a substantial independent creative production project. You can undertake work in any area of creative music production that interests you and guidance will be available through staff supervision. Examples of the kinds of projects that would be relevant are an EP/album length production of one or more artists, a collection of your own songwriting or compositional work, a substantial live production (or portfolio of live work) from either mixing or performance perspectives, or a set of music videos (of your own creative work or that of others). On this module, you will undertake a substantial independent creative  musical project involving composition, performance and/or production work. You can may undertake work in any area of creative music production that interests you and guidance will be available through staff supervision to ensure that the project has an appropriate scope for the time available.  Examples of the kinds of projects that would be relevant are an EP/album length production of one or more artists, a collection of your own songwriting or compositional work, a substantial live production (or portfolio of live work) from either mixing or performance perspectives, a devised performance work or a set of music videos (of your own creative work or that of others). Alongside the practical element of the project, you will produce a critical commentary contextualising your work, the length of with will be determined according to the nature of your project, as agreed with your supervisor. Projects are also encouraged in which the written/research element is foregrounded, provided that there is also a practical element to the project.

Optional modules:

Advanced Desktop Music Production

On this module you will professionalise techniques in computer-based music. Focusing on modern approaches to music production, the module will deepen your skills in sound design using original synthesis and sampling as well as recording in a digital environment. This will involve multi-software workflows, the expressive use of hardware controllers and hybrid techniques combining digital and analogue processing  that combine both an ‘inside the box’ approach with outboard dynamics and effects units. You will develop advanced skills in digital audio project data management required for collaborative professional work. Furthermore, you will learn sophisticated editing, mixing and mastering techniques unique to digital music production. As a critically informed production expert you will analyse production concepts using critical listening, and research and apply various information on contemporary music production found in manuals, tutorials, instructional videos and mix-throughs or derived from in-depth case studies.

Advanced Song Writing

On this module you will develop your knowledge and voice as a songwriter and create fully realised arrangements of new songs. We will explore advanced approaches to songwriting via in-depth case studies, as well as through practical work supported by lectures and seminars. You will also develop analytical and evaluative skills, in order to situate your songs in a wider context, draw on inspiration from the works of others and critically reflect on your songs. Over the course of the module, you will not only develop your technical skills in handling the elements of lyrics, musical materials, arrangements and song structure, but also your personal artistic voice, aiming to deepen your understanding of how words and music can support one another to realise a coherent artistic vision

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching takes a number of different forms on this course, and you will benefit from a lively curriculum taught by

leading performers and academics in their field.

Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your

course.

Teaching excellence

Triple proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.
We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 23 since 2008 (2024 data).
We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Entry requirements

You are required to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree from a recognised University or equivalent institution. Your application materials (or previous qualifications) and live audition (or documentation of your performance) should be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of performance and instrumental/vocal/other technique. Auditions should comprise of two contrasting pieces, one of which should relate to the your proposed specialism in performance.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum of IELTS 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Student Work

At the University of Huddersfield we have a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate students studying songwriting, music production, music performance, recording, classical music, composing, film music, sound design for image and much more, all showcased on our Youtube Channel

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Postgraduate Open Days

Learn more about Postgraduate Study at one of our upcoming Open Days

Come along to an on-campus Postgraduate Open Day and discover all there is to know about our wide range of postgraduate taught courses, research degrees and professional development options at the University of Huddersfield.

Book now

Your career

The top five job titles advertised in the UK for graduate roles associated with Popular Music Practice (MMus) courses are: Audiovisual Technician; Video Editor; Video Producer; Broadcast Engineer; and Creative Producer.*

*Source: LightcastTM data – job postings from December 2023 to December 2024 showing jobs advertised associated with a selection of relevant graduate roles.

**Percentage of the University’s postgraduate students go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating. (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2021/22, UK domiciled, other activities excluded).

93.4%** Graduates employed

Professional links and accreditations

Music staff are active across diverse professional contexts, including as performers, editors, and in publication. The department is actively involved with a number of ensembles such as Academy of Ancient Music, Apartment House, Boxwood and Brass, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Meiningen Ensemble and the Rose Consort of Viols, and numerous other ensembles and performers are invited regularly through each year for performances and workshops. Record labels with whom members of staff have recorded include Another Timbre, HatHut, Resonus Classics, Sub Rosa. The department also publishes on its own labels Huddersfield Contemporary Records and Pennine Records. Members of staff perform regularly at festivals and concert halls, including all the major London venues, and often feature on BBC Radio 3 as performers and guest speakers. We regularly host conferences and events in partnership with scholarly societies, such as the Performance Studies Network, and the Royal Musical Association.

Career support

On graduating from this course you will have developed advanced skills required in a range of careers in professional music making. The course will prepare you for a career in which performance might play a part, such as portfolio careers that might include performing, teaching and other pedagogical contexts, public engagement events, arts administration, music promotion, and further scholarly work.

Professional links and accreditations
Career support

Career support

Student support

The school has dedicated Academic Skills Tutors (AST) who deliver a range of generic skills. The AST offers help and advice with general study skills, IT, literacy and numeracy as well as research skills. The AST may also refer students for specialist support and assessment e.g. for Dyslexia.

In line with the Equality Act 2010, the School will make reasonable adjustments in order that disabled students can fully access their course. The University's Disability Services provide information and advice to disabled students about the support available and liaises with members of staff on disability related issues.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate students on this course will be £8,900 (Band 2).

Tuition fees for UK students will cover the cost of your study at the University. For more information about funding, fees and finance for UK students, including what your tuition fee covers, please see our Fees and Finance. Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).

If you are an EU or international student coming to study at the University of Huddersfield, please visit the International Fees and Finance pages for full details of tuition fees and support available.

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate students on this course will be £8,900 (Band 2).

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.