BA (Hons) Folk, Roots and Blues Bachelor's degree at Leeds Conservatoire
BA (Hons) Folk, Roots and Blues at Leeds Conservatoire received Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. You'll engage with core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development…
About this course
Our Folk, Roots and Blues degree offers a unique approach towards understanding the origins and development of different styles across traditions. It is delivered through one to one and group sessions and along with building your repertoire, you will learn to master the complexities of rhythm, melody and harmony from o From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Folk, Roots and Blues is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Leeds Conservatoire. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Music graduates from this provider, 89% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 62% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Music & Performing Arts, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 40; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 89% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 80% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 (L4) 6 modules
- Folk, Roots and Blues Performance 1: SkillsCore
Module details
Build a strong foundation in folk, roots, and blues performance, combining individual expression with essential technical and professional skills. Through one-to-one tuition, workshops, and lectures, develop musicianship, part-writing, and instrumental or vocal technique. Encourages collaboration and self-discovery.
- Folk, Roots and Blues Performance 2: TechniqueCore
Module details
Deepen technical and creative development through personalised guidance and collaborative learning. Refine individual style while improving musicianship and adaptability. Through structured exercises, practical sessions, and theoretical insight, strengthen expressive range and professional awareness.
- Creative Environments 1Core
Module details
Develop key skills in collaborative performance and digital production using industry-standard tools. Through band rehearsals and Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) sessions, enhance stagecraft, musical communication, and technical fluency. Hands-on introduction to creating, performing, and producing within a digital environment.
- Creative Environments 2Core
Module details
Build on collaborative and technical skills by refining rehearsal strategies and deepening understanding of DAW-based production. Through live performance and digital workshops, develop musicianship, explore arrangement techniques, and learn how to shape ideas into strong demo recordings.
- Musical AnalysisCore
Module details
Explore the structures, techniques, and creative decisions behind influential songs and records. Using analytical tools, study arrangement, songcraft, and form, then apply insights to your own music. Through lectures and peer discussion, sharpen technical vocabulary and deepen compositional understanding.
- Musical ContextsCore
Module details
Examine how music operates within social, cultural, and industry frameworks. Introduces musicological and theoretical approaches to understand music as both an art form and a commercial product. Analyse repertoire and musical discourse to critically evaluate your work.
Year 2 (L5) 6 modules
- Folk, Roots and Blues Performance 3: ArtistryCore
Module details
Refine technique and artistic voice, exploring performance as both craft and social practice. Examine the role of musicians as agents of change, using artistry to connect with communities and reflect collective identity. Supports growth as a skilled, socially aware performer.
- Folk, Roots and Blues Performance 4: CreativityCore
Module details
Push creative boundaries and performance strategies, developing musical identity through focused tuition and experimentation. Explores songwriting, refine technique, and reflect on influences. Emphasis on professional practice and stylistic confidence.
- Creative Environments 3Core
Module details
Strengthen band performance and DAW production skills, focusing on rehearsal efficiency, stagecraft, and stylistic interpretation. Gain confidence with mixing techniques like track organisation, gain staging, and balancing. Refine both musical performance and technical execution.
- Creative Environments 4Core
Module details
Further develop as a versatile performer and producer by engaging with live performance techniques and DAW-based creativity. Explores advanced stagecraft, sound manipulation, and digital effects. Prepare compositions for live delivery while aligning work with industry standards.
- Industry 1: InfrastructureCore
Module details
Explore the structure and workings of the UK music industry, gaining insights into income streams, management, legal frameworks, and professional bodies. Provides essential knowledge to start building a career as a songwriter or performer. Learn to navigate industry mechanics.
- Industry 2: Portfolio SkillsCore
Module details
Explore three complementary disciplines, Journalism, Pedagogy, and Musicology, to broaden career prospects. Helps develop skills that can support or extend creative practice. Through lectures and practical tasks, gain tools to deliver work in one of these areas.
Year 3 (L6) 5 modules
- Major Performance ShowcaseCore
Module details
Consolidate identity as a performer with a distinct artistic voice. Through advanced one-to-one tuition and workshops, fine-tune musicianship, technique, and stylistic range. Prepares for the professional world by supporting independent, high-level work.
- Focus 1Core
Module details
Design and deliver a specialist project that aligns with professional goals in ensemble performance, collaborative songwriting, or research. Lets you showcase skills and insights developed throughout the degree. Refine creative or academic approach while producing work to professional standards.
- Focus 2Core
Module details
Continue to develop chosen specialism, whether performance, songwriting, or research, through a major project. Building on Focus 1, deepen expertise and creative focus while demonstrating originality and professionalism. Supports transition into industry or further study.
- Industry 3: StrategyCore
Module details
Learn how to promote and position yourself in the music industry using strategic tools like marketing, branding, and digital presence. Through case studies and practical work, explore how artists build sustainable careers. Develop networking skills and knowledge to release music.
- Industry 4: ImplementationCore
Module details
Bring together everything learned in industry studies to shape unique career path. Helps develop creative vision, visual identity, and professional presentation. Gain experience in branding, career planning, and income strategies.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This degree offers a distinctive focus on understanding the origins and development of folk, roots and blues traditions. You'll study through a combination of one-to-one and group sessions, building your repertoire whilst mastering the complexities of rhythm, melody and harmony across these genres. A course like this typically progresses from foundational performance and musicianship in Year 1, including principal-study lessons, ensembles and aural skills, through to deeper specialist work. In Year 2, you'll usually develop composition or music technology skills alongside pedagogy and community music practice. Year 3 allows you to pursue specialisations such as performance, composition, music production, musicology or music education, culminating in a final recital or major project. Throughout, you'll learn to place these traditions in their historical and cultural context.
Who it's for
This course suits students with strong musical foundations and a genuine interest in folk, roots and blues traditions. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent qualifications, with typical UCAS tariff scores between 144 and 159 points. You should be prepared for intensive study in a specialist music environment.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 90% of Music & Performing Arts graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Starting salaries typically range from £20,000 to £28,000, though earnings vary considerably by role and sector. After five years, graduates nationally earn between £19,975 and £28,200. Around 55% of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study. Check the university's funding pages for bursaries and scholarships.
University & format
This BA (Hons) is delivered full-time over 3 years at Leeds Conservatoire, a university based in Leeds. Instruction is in English. The degree is recognised as a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding body and holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. The course is open to applicants with A-levels or equivalent; most recent entrants held A-levels, and the typical UCAS tariff amongst accepted students was 144–159 points.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 80% |
| another higher-education qualification | 20% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Leeds Conservatoire →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Music & Performing Arts graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £20,000 – £26,000 | 40 |
| 3 years after | £18,000 | £12,500 – £21,500 | 230 |
| 5 years after | £23,500 | £19,500 – £29,000 | 220 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 40; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in music & performing arts · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Music & Performing Arts nationally
National figures for Music & Performing Arts graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 40; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Music & Performing Arts courses at the same study level.
Compared with 527 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 40% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 16% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 355; response rate: 53%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Music & Performing Arts graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Music & Performing Arts graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Orchestras & ensembles
- Schools & conservatoires
- Studios & venues
- Media & freelance
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Music & Performing Arts graduates.
Music Tech Beta Liaison & Support SpecialistinMusic Brands, Inc.Music QTSColmore Education Recruitment LtdMusic Teachers in HuddersfieldAcademicsMusic Rights Operations & Data Services LeadPPLMusic Engagement Officer - Alternative Provision · Coventry MusicMusiceducationukMusic Audio & Tech Support Desk SpecialistMandarin RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
89% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 77% · in work or study 89% · continued 80%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Leeds Conservatoire
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Leeds Conservatoire
4,668 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Music & Performing Arts right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Leeds Conservatoire from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Leeds Conservatoire; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Leeds Conservatoire’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Leeds Conservatoire and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Leeds Conservatoire
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BA (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (including Foundation Year)ACMCommon questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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