BA (Hons) Music (Business)

Study BA (Hons) Music (Business) at Leeds Conservatoire

If you’re interested in studying business but also have a passion for music, then our Music Business course is an ideal way of actively combining your interests. Whether you’re interested in promotion and branding, artist or events management, or copyright and the law, this course will prepare you for the modern music industry.

Starts: September 2024
Duration: 3 Years
UCAS Course Code(s): 4R5T
UCAS Institution Code: L30
Apply Via: UCAS Undergraduate (note: this course cannot be found under a 'Conservatoire' application)
Study Mode: Full time
Validated By: University of Hull

Course Overview

Graduate with your own business

Our Music Business degree is designed for entrepreneurs who are serious about getting their ideas off the ground. Your business plan is at the heart of the curriculum and we support you to generate your own work. Many of our students go on to graduate with their own fully-functioning business in addition to their degree.

Start your music industry career

Our students progress into the industry, employed in a wide range of roles from marketing to artist management, PR to publishing.

Industry mentors

You’ll spend time with industry professionals and experts who will mentor you on a one to one basis throughout your studies. You will learn how to raise funds, develop strategic plans, build confidence, manage tours, create merchandise, network and engage with decision-makers. Our business hub provides a dedicated space for developing your ideas, networking and meeting your clients.

A community of musicians

With a wealth of musical talent around you, you will easily find acts with commercial viability to work. You’ll coordinate musicians, producers and composers for your independent projects. In your second and third year you will have the opportunity to launch your own label with your course peers, offering guidance to student artists on copyright, promotion, marketing, legal affairs and distribution. You will be able to develop your own independent enterprise project in the final year.

Global scope

This course has been designed with global scope and benchmarked against institutions in the USA and Europe. Our connections with other European conservatoires have provided collaborative opportunities for our students and a number of our students are involved in professional international projects.

Career destinations

Graduates from Leeds Conservatoire have gone on to a wide variety of careers including Producers, Promoters and Entrepreneurs. Find out more in our Alumni section.

“Being at Leeds Conservatoire has really prepared me to go out and run my own events company in the music industry.”
– Elizabeth Langton, Music Business graduate

What You Will Study* (See Modules and Specifications)

Each year of the course is structured into three distinct strands:

Specialist Study – One-to-one tuition and group study in elements of business and the music industry
Contextual Studies – A series of mandatory and elective modules looking at the context of the music industry
Professional Studies – Further develop your practical skills for working in various areas of the creative industries with a series of manual and elective modules

Example* modules you may study on this course include:

Structure and Functions of the Music Industry
Marketing
Music, A&R and the Creative Industries
Digital Commerce
Artistic Development / Management
Copyright and Contract Law
Entrepreneurship**
Structure and Functions of the Film Music Industry**
Emerging Music Models**
Concerts and Touring**
Music Journalism**
Business Leadership and Ethics**
Live Music Management**
Introduction to Music Technology**
Community Music Project**

Final Project

Your final year will culminate with you developing a viable music business enterprise or undertaking a significant research project.

*The above examples are chosen to represent a selection of the kind of mandatory and elective module options offered, so you can tailor your degree to your area of interest. See the full list of modules currently available for this course, including which elective module options can be chosen each year, plus detailed module specification documents.

**Elective module - you cannot take all of these options. See the full list of modules currently available for this course for more details.

Optional Extra-Curricular Instrument/Vocal/Composition Tuition

If you are at Grade 6 standard or higher in an instrument or voice, you can also choose to have additional 1:1 tuition in this area outside of your standard timetabled teaching.

This is not part of your course, but there are a limited number of Instrumental, Vocal & Composition Bursaries available, or tuition can be arranged at additional cost.

Entry Requirements

96 UCAS tariff points from level 3 studies or equivalent.

A minimum of three GCSEs including English Language at Grade C / Grade 4 or above or equivalent international qualification, eg IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each component).

Read our full entry requirements for more detail.

How to Apply

Apply via: UCAS Undergraduate (not Conservatoires)

Read our step-by-step application guide

Auditions

All applicants will be invited to a short interview.

Find more information for UK applicants and International Applicants.

Fees & Funding

Visit our Fees and Funding section to find out more about Tuition Fees, Scholarships and Fees & Funding for International Students.

International Applicants

If you are an international applicant, visit our dedicated International section of the website for information on:

How To Apply
Auditions
International Entry Requirements
Fees & Funding

Course Type: Undergraduate, Single Honours
Duration: 3 years
Study Mode: Full Time
Apply via: UCAS Undergraduate (not Conservatoires)
UCAS Code: 4R5T
UCAS Institution Code: L30
Validated by: University of Hull*

*Note for applicants and offer holders for 2022/23 entry:

Leeds Conservatoire plans to apply to the Office for Students for Degree Awarding Powers. If we are granted Degree Awarding Powers, your degree may be awarded by Leeds Conservatoire rather than validated by the University of Hull.

Course Key Information Document 2021/22

Ollie Horner

Course Studied: BA (Hons) Music (Business)
Year of Graduation: 2018

Ollie Horner began working in the live music industry aged 14. Since then, his career has flourished and he has worked alongside the likes of Blink-182, Stormzy, All Time Low, Fetty Wap and Good Charlotte. Most recently, Ollie acted as Tour Manager for Busted across the UK, Chase Atlantic across Europe and The Faim internationally. He also has experience as a promoter’s rep in academies across Europe for Live Nation and TEG MJR.

Meet our alumni