BMus (Hons) Traditional Music Bachelor's degree at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
BMus (Hons) Traditional Music at RCS. Over four years of full-time study, you'll engage with core theory and research methods alongside applied practice and specialist options, culminating in an independent project that draws on your developing professional skills.
About this course
Learn more about our unique BMus (Hons) Traditional Music programme, developed with professional partners such as the National Piping Centre. From the provider’s course page.
BMus (Hons) Traditional Music is a Bachelor's degree (BMus (Hons)) at RCS, based in Main Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Performing arts graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 80% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £23,500. (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)
Limited evidence Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 90% (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 8 modules
- Performance 1Core60 credits
Module details
Principal Study one-to-one lessons, Principal Study Groups, Dept-wide Performance Class, Technique Classes, Folk Ensemble Level 1
- Trad Musicianship 1Core
Module details
Healthy Practice Seminars
Assessment: Critical Programme Notes
- Concepts in Traditional MusicCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: ePortfolio of Research Tasks, Pecha Kucha Presentation
- Creative Skills in Traditional Music 1Core10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Traditional Music Theory Exam, Composition Folio of Tunes
- Scottish Traditional Repertoire 1Core10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Performance Programme Notes
- Introduction to Professional Skills for MusiciansCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: ePortfolio
- Music LeadershipCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Group Delivery of Activity and Supporting Reflection
- Creative CitizenshipCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Collaborative Creative Presentation
Year 2 8 modules
- Performance 2Core60 credits
Module details
Principal Study one-to-one lessons, Principal Study Groups, Dept-wide Performance Class, Technique Classes, Folk Ensemble Level 2
- Trad Musicianship 2Core
Module details
Healthy Practice Seminars
Assessment: Critical Programme Notes
- Traditional Music Research PortfolioCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: ePortfolio of Research Tasks, Presentation
- Creative Skills in Traditional Music 2Core10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Portfolio of Multi-Instrumental Compositions, Continuous Observation
- Scottish Traditional Repertoire 2Core10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Performance Programme Notes
- Peak Performance TrainingCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Continuous Observation, Portfolio of class tasks, rationale and development plan
- The Teaching MusicianCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Video Documentation and Supporting Materials
- Option moduleOptional10 credits
Year 3 7 modules
- Performance 3Core60 credits
Module details
Principal Study one-to-one lessons, Principal Study Groups, Dept-wide Performance Class, Technique Classes, Folk Ensemble Level 3
- Professional Skills and StandardsCore
Module details
Gaelic for Fèisean
Assessment: Critical Programme Notes
- Minor Research ProjectCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: ePortfolio of Project, Presentation
- Scottish Traditional Repertoire 3Core10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Performance Programme notes
- The Freelance MusicianCore10 credits
Module details
Assessment: Portfolio
- Contextual electiveElective10 credits
- Musicianship electiveElective10 credits
Year 4 4 modules
- Performance 4Core60 credits
Module details
Principal Study one-to-one lessons, Principal Study Groups, Dept-wide Performance Class, Technique Classes
- Major Research ProjectCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: EPortfolio of project, Presentation
- Professional Development OptionsOptional20 credits
- IXP and ElectivesOptional20 credits
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 programme, developed with professional partners such as the National Piping Centre, combines performance and musicianship in traditional music. You'll usually begin with principal-study lessons, ensemble work and foundational musicianship, harmony, aural skills and analysis. Early study situates traditional repertoire within its historical and cultural context. As you progress, you'll deepen performance technique whilst exploring composition, music technology and pedagogy. From Year 2 onwards, you can develop specialisations such as performance, composition, music production, musicology, music education or ensemble work. In your final year, you'll typically undertake a specialist pathway alongside professional development, understanding funding, promotion and portfolio careers, culminating in a major recital or project.
Who it's for
You're suited to this course if you have a genuine passion for traditional music and strong foundational knowledge, most entrants hold A-levels or equivalent qualifications. You'll thrive if you're committed to deepening both your technical and conceptual understanding of the tradition, comfortable with intensive practical work, and interested in the research and cultural dimensions of the field. This programme demands sustained engagement with both performance and critical thinking. You should be ready for a rigorous, specialist course that prepares you for professional work in traditional music, whether as a performer, educator, or practitioner.
Careers & job market
Across Music and Performing Arts courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those in work, 55% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. National earnings data shows that graduates in this field typically earn £20,000–£28,000 at the 15-month point, rising to £19,975–£28,200 after five years. Outcomes vary considerably depending on your chosen career path, whether performance, teaching, freelance work, or arts administration, and your location and network will influence your trajectory significantly.
University & format
The BMus (Hons) Traditional Music is a 4-year full-time degree at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a university founded in 1847, located on the Main Campus. Taught in English, the course awards a nationally recognised UK degree.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 64%.
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.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 100% |
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
Provider fee page. Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at RCS →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
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 | £23,500 | £15,000 – £30,000 | 10 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
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: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. 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 15-month 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.
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 40% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 35% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
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: 65; response rate: 55%. 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
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £23,500. 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 8.8 out of 10: NSS 84.9% · in work or study 90% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
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 RCS from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £29,786 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 RCS’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 RCS and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at RCS
Music & Performing Arts at other universities
BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies (with integrated foundation year)Aberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies (with integrated year in professional practice)Aberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) Drama & Theatre StudiesAberystwyth University
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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