Popular Music BA Welcome Pack
Welcome to Popular Music BA – September 2026.
Welcome to the University of Northampton’s Popular Music course!
It’s a real pleasure to officially welcome you, and for many of you it is lovely to reconnect after meeting during your interviews. Thank you for choosing to join our creative and supportive community here at UON.
We have planned a range of informative, engaging, and enjoyable activities throughout Welcome Week, designed to help you settle in, meet others, and start exploring your popular music calling!
Everything begins with your Orientation session, so please make every effort to arrive on time, as this will give you all the essential information you need for the rest of the week.
You’ll also be supported by a Personal Academic Tutor, known as a PAT, who will guide you throughout your studies. And, I’m delighted to let you know that I will be your PAT. My name is Dr Stace Constantinou, and I am looking forward to working with you, supporting your development, and helping you make the most of your time on the course.
Your first session is on Monday 21 September, I’ll provide you with your timetable, and give you a orientation on the online space you’ll be using called NILE, as well as the physical campus.
Your Course Leader
Dr Stace Constantinou
Senior Lecturer in Music
Stace.constantinou@northampton.ac.uk
I will be your PAT, and main guide through the course.
Additional staff
- Michael W. Bell
- Yoshe Watson
- Mark Thursby
- Adam Jones
Preparing for your course
Please ensure you know where the Creative Hub is. It’s on Waterside campus. The first session will be in Creative Hub (CH) room 206.
Monday 21 September
Session: Course Orientation
- Time: 11.30am – 1.30pm (BST)
- Location: Room 206, Creative Hub, Waterside campus.
Session: Library Induction
- Time: 2.30 – 3.30pm (BST)
- Location: Drop-In-Area, 2nd floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus.
Tuesday 22 September
Session: ULT Talk
- Time: 2.45pm-3.15pm (BST)
- Location: Engine Shed, Waterside Campus
Session: Bandeoke (optional)
- Time: Evening
- Location: The Charles Bradlaugh Live Music Venue
Wednesday 23 September
Session: Meet your Personal Tutor
- Time: Individual Timeslots throughout the day.
- Location: Room 023, Development Hub
Thursday 24 September
Session: Meet Your Lecturing Team
- Time: 12 – 1pm (BST)
- Location: Room 023, Development Hub
Thursday 24 September
Session: Buddy Up – meet 2nd and 3rd year students on your course.
- Time: 1 – 3pm (BST)
- Location: Room 023, Development Hub
Equipment
- A musical instrument. We have a supply of guitars, basses and keys, but we recommend you get your own. (Price varies).
- Vocal microphone. We have a good supply of microphones, but we recommend you get your own. (Price varies but from around £90).
- Headphones (approximately £60-100). Please avoid AirPods and ‘Beats by Dre’.
- Pen, paper and rubber!
- You don’t need to buy a laptop to succeed on our course as we have Mac suites, but you can obviously use your own laptop if you have one.
- External portable hard drive (approximately £100 – 200).
- Batteries for portable recording equipment – not needed immediately though so hold off buying for now.
- SD cards/USB Flash drives (£20 – 30 for two) – not needed immediately though so hold off buying for now.
- Core textbooks and sheet music (approximately £80).
- Consumables for individual instruments: Jack leads, capos, plectrums, drum skins, drumsticks, reeds, strings, mutes, patch leads etc. (Price varies).
Reading Lists
Each module has its own reading list. These will be available to you when you enroll and join us on the course.
