Stace Constantinou
Senior Lecturer in Music
level:UG;top_up:false;international:true;foundation:true;clearing:true;full_time:true;part_time:true;start_month:September;location:Development Hub (Waterside)
Music Production and Performance BA (Hons)
Key Facts
-
UCAS Code
BA: W374
BA with Foundation: W375 -
Duration
Full Time: 3 years
Full Time with Foundation: 4 years
Part Time: 4 years
-
BBC at A-Level or,
DMM at BTEC -
Full Time: £9,790
Part Time: £1,630 (per 20 credits)
Integrated Foundation Year: £9,790
Get in touch
UK STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
Updated 06/10/2026
Music Production and Performance brings together creative practice, technical expertise and industry awareness to prepare you for a range of careers across the music sector. You’ll develop your skills as a performer, producer and songwriter while exploring composition, recording, mixing, musicianship and creative music technologies.
Working in our specialist music facilities, you’ll gain hands-on experience with industry-standard software and studio equipment, creating, recording and producing original music both independently and as part of collaborative projects. You’ll also explore sound design for games and media, broadening your understanding of how music and audio are used across contemporary creative industries.
Throughout the course, you’ll build a professional portfolio of work, develop your performance and production practice, and work on live briefs and creative projects that reflect current industry expectations. Whether you aspire to work in music production, performance, composition, sound design or the wider creative industries, you’ll graduate with the practical skills, experience and confidence to take the next step in your career.
Accreditation
This Music Production course is Industry Accredited by JAMES representing APRS, MPG and associate industry bodies. Accreditation of a course by relevant industry bodies provides assurance to students and employers of its potential and value.
Highlights
- Accredited by Joint Audio Media Education Support (JAMES)
- Opportunities to work in real-world situations across Northampton
- Extra-curricular masterclasses in music production
- One-to-one coaching sessions on your main instrument/voice in Year 1
- Industry expertise from experienced music team with published academic research
- Learn how to use a professional-grade recording studio
- Contemporary specialisms in many areas of EDM
- Industry software and hardware: Ableton 12, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, FMOD, Audient, Oberheim
- Field Trips to events such as BBC Music Introducing Live, and visits to professional recording studios
- Chance to specialise in areas including music production, composition, live sound and sound design for media and the games industry
- Guaranteed paid internship with the Northampton Employability Promise.
- Laptop and software included with this Music Production and Performance course. Terms and Conditions apply
Vocalist singing into a microphone.
A list of the gig running order written on a4 paper for the 2025 popular music gig.
A student on stage performing at the picturedrome.
A pianist playing the keys at the Picturedrome.
A guitarist and ukelele player at the Picturedrome, Northampton.
A close up of a guitarist playing a Fender.
Three students working at a large audio mixing console in a recording studio, adjusting controls and handling cables
Entry Requirements
A typical offer for a Music Production and Performance course with us is:
- BBC at A-Level or,
- DMM at BTEC/Cambridge Technical or,
- Merit at T Level
You may also be invited to attend an audition and chat with us.
All qualified applicants will be invited for interview. We welcome international applications and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications.
We welcome applications from students with a mix of A levels and BTEC/Cambridge Technical qualifications.
For more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.
If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.
The University of Northampton now offers on a range of our courses an alternative route to study; the integrated foundation year (IFY). Admission to this foundation programme is normally:
- DEE at A-Level or,
- MPP at BTEC or,
- Pass (D or E) at T Level
However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the programme you wish to study.
Once your application has been reviewed, you may be invited to attend a chat with us.
Prior to your interview, you will be required to send in a video of yourself, which will serve as your audition. The video should be footage of you making music in a DAW of your choice. For example, Logic Pro, Ableton. Alternatively, you could send footage of you DJing, making live music using software etc. We’ll review your video during your interview.
Your chat will include a discussion with a member from the programme team, a chance to interact with some of the technology and a tour of the music facilities.
The chat is in a group setting with other applicants, and you should expect to be with us for 1-2 hours.
We’d love to see you face-to-face for our chat, but if you need a virtual option instead, this can be arranged.
All International and EU students applying for a Music Production course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:
- IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands for study at undergraduate level.
For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.
For information on how to apply to study with us as an International student, please see our How to apply for International Study page.
Of Sound Mind Exhibition
Music Production students run the experimental sound installation “Of Sound Mind” at Waterside campus
What You'll Learn
You’ll develop a broad understanding of contemporary music practice, building skills in performance, composition, recording, production and creative technologies. In your first year, you’ll establish a strong foundation in musicianship, music theory and studio practice while gaining experience of music production software and recording techniques.
As you progress, you’ll explore more advanced areas of music production and creative practice, including recording and mixing, sound design for games and apps, and audio production for screen. You’ll examine the relationship between creativity and technology, developing the technical and artistic skills needed to create engaging musical experiences across a range of media.
In your final year, you’ll apply your knowledge through professional projects and industry-focused briefs, working on music and audio content for games, media and commercial contexts. Alongside this, you’ll develop an understanding of professional practice within the creative industries, helping you refine your individual interests and prepare for opportunities across the music sector.
At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.
If you join this full time degree at Northampton, you will receive a laptop when your course begins*. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.
Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your Music Production and Performance course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employability Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.
To check out the full list of student perks, visit our Student Perks page or dedicated International Perks page.
*UK fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details).
The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.
If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements, we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year music production course which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need to successfully progress to the full award.
Our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.
How will I learn on the Music Production and Performance BA degree?
The Music Production and Performance degree is significantly practical. You will spend lots of time using our studios and equipment to hone your skills. We offer significant amounts of time outside of lectures to further explore and refine your skills. All this learning is underpinned by an academic ethos – you will improve your reasoning skills and explore the ideologies of culture and further improve your critical thinking.
Music’s role in culture is critically and philosophically examined throughout our music production course. Using musical examples, you will learn to engage with esoteric and difficult concepts around inter alia genre, gender, race, politics, capitalism, culture, power, evolution, and science.
How will I be assessed?The taught modules are assignment-based which means that projects are worked on throughout each semester, culminating in finished products that are submitted for assessment. For example, you will be required to demonstrate your skills within our recording studio by recording a band and then mixing the audio. Elsewhere, you will be required to demonstrate your skills and creativity within the DAW, by making tracks that demonstrate industry focused trends.
What equipment do I need?None as such because we have Mac Suites and recording studios that are available outside of lecture time. That said, students often have their own laptops. We run Logic Pro (Mac only), Ableton and Pro Tools, and a breadth of well-known plugins. You will need a quality external hard drive for your work, and a pair of good headphones.
Is a music degree worth it in the UK?Studying music at degree level will enhance your knowledge on theory, composition, and performance. You will have the chance to combine and develop your technical skills with artistic expression.
This subject area also contains many valuable and transferable skills, including critical thinking, project management, team collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. All of these skill sets will improve your future employability.
Joshua's Story
“I particularly enjoyed the teaching style and the freedom of the programme. Music being an art means that it should allow for artistic licence and provide the opportunity for students to explore more, and I found that studying this course provided me with the tools and support to enable me to take my music in whatever direction I wanted to once I’d finished.”
Fees and Funding
2026/27 Tuition Fees
Full Time: £9,790
Part Time: £1,630 per 20 credit module
Integrated Foundation Year: £9,790 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 2026/27 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years. UON will adjust UK fees annually in line with Government Policy.
When assessing an applicant’s eligibility to pay home fees, we use the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) which sets out the regulations that have been decided by the UK Government Department of Education.
Full Time New Students: £17,000
Full Time Continuing Students: £16,300
Integrated Foundation Year: £17,000 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
Tuition fees quoted for International Students apply only to the 2026/27 academic year. These fees may increase in future years in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to reflect rising delivery costs. Any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 5% of the previous year’s tuition fee. Updated tuition fees will be published on the UON website at least three months before the start of the next academic year.
Additional Information
- 1TB portable hard drive (approximately £50)
- A good pair of closed back headphones (approximately £60-100)
- core texts for first year modules: Bennett et al. The Popular Music Studies Reader – £28.99
John Storey, Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction – £27.99 - Consumables for individual instruments (jack leads, capos, plectrums, drum skins, drum sticks, reeds, strings etc.)
- USB Flash drives (data sticks) for submitting coursework (£10-20 for two)
- £50 towards travel costs across three years
For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.
For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 25/26 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- UK Full Time: £9,535
- UK Part Time: £1,585 per 20 credit module
- UK Integrated Foundation Year: £9,535 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
- International Full Time: £15,700
- International Integrated Foundation Year: £15,700 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
Staff
Yoshe Watson
Lecturer in Music
Michael Bell
Lecturer in Music
Anna Jaichner
Associate Lecturer (Music)
Dave Crawford
Associate Lecturer (Music)
Mark Smith
Associate Lecturer (Music)
Gavriel Rubin
Associate Lecturer (Music)
Careers and Employability
This course is an excellent foundation for careers in all parts of the music industry including musician, performer, producer, songwriter, artist liaison and more. Studying this course will also provide you with transferable skills that employers find highly valuable.
From critical thinking to creativity, you will be armed with the skills you need to secure employment in a range of different sectors if you don’t want to go into the music industry, including:
- Musician
- Sound designer in the Games industry (huge sector growing year by year)
- Media/content creator in the media/online industry
- Teaching/lecturing in schools and colleges
- Self-employed/freelance work
- Live sound engineering
- Sound in theatre and dance
- Mixing and mastering services
- Composer for film, TV, media, apps
- Writer, academic, or critic.
You will also have the opportunity to progress on to further study should you wish to do so. Check out our list of postgraduate courses to get an idea of the options available to you if this is a pathway you are interested in.
Facilities
This degree is taught at the Development Hub.
Specialist facilities include:
- Two Mac Suites: running Logic Pro, Ableton 12, Native Instruments Komplete 12, Pro Tools, iZotope, FabFilter
- Two recording studios: running Pro Tools and Audient 8024 mixing console, Neve 1073LB preamps, SSL VHD preamps, Apollo 8P, Apollo Satellite Octo, Rupert Neve Designs 5043, SoundToys bundle, Arturia V studio, Universal Audio Ultimate, Spitfire Audio Hybrid, Steven Slate Drums
- Microphones: U87 condensers, AKG414s, Telefunken FET M60s, AKG 451s, Radial DI boxes, Radial SGI and re-amp boxes, and a full range of other industry mics
- Hardware synthesisers:Oberheim OB6, Arturia DrumBrute, Novation Circuits, Roland TB303, Behringer Deepmind 12, Roland Juno DS, Novation Bass Stations, Ableton controllers – Launchkey 49s, Launcontrol XLs, Launchpad Mark 1 and Mark 2
- Three fully kitted rehearsal rooms
- Live performance hardware: Vox amps, Marshall MG 4×12 amps, Orange Crush Pro amps, Peavey Amps, Ampeg PF500 Bass amplifiers, Yamaha Stage Custom kits, Gretsch Drum Kit, Studio AAX, full PA, three rehearsal rooms
- Two grand pianos: Bechstein Boudoir Grand, Steinway Studio B, two Yamaha upright pianos
Special course features include:
- Performance, musicianship and theory training
- Learning to use music technology
- Research and academic writing skills
- Exploring the music industry in the digital age
- Using a professional grade recording studios
- Top-notch facilities and equipment.
