BA (Hons) Music and Theatre Bachelor's degree at Royal Holloway, University of London
BA (Hons) Music and Theatre at RHUL. You'll engage with core theory and research methods alongside applied practice, with scope for specialist options and an independent project.
About this course
Deepen your knowledge and skills in two complementary areas of the performing arts. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Music and Theatre is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at RHUL, based in Egham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Performing arts graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £26,000. (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)
Limited evidence Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 96% (2022-23; 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 12 modules
- Theatre and Performance Making 1Core
- Theatre and Text 1Core
- Theory and AnalysisOptional
Module details
Course aims to develop basic music-analytical literacy, introduce basic concepts concerning counterpoint, harmony, melody and form that underpin the analysis of music, and put these concepts into practice in the analysis of pieces from a variety of repertories.
Assessment: Weekly lectures supplemented by private study based on Moodle and recommended readings, with practical exercises.
- Fundamentals of Music TheoryOptional
Module details
Develop students' awareness of music theory through practical exercises and musical analysis. Through practical exercises that focus on musical literacy as well as aural awareness, students develop the ability to identify and analyse the musical parameters of metre, rhythm, pitch, harmony, counterpoint and form.
Assessment: In-class exercises focusing on listening, and exercises for self-study or small-group work including written exercises.
- Creative Composition TechniquesOptional
Module details
Introduces students to fundamental techniques of music composition, typically including soundworlds and scale formations, the vertical dimension (chords and simultaneities), the horizontal dimension (melody and voice leading), developments in rhythm, developments in harmonic vocabulary and tonalities, form in contemporary composition, and acoustic timbre and texture.
- Practical Composition SkillsOptional
Module details
Gives students the opportunity to practise the art of musical composition and develop skills in independent creative work, typically including writing for solo instrument or voice with accompaniment, writing for small chamber ensemble, introduction to media and film music, and studio techniques.
- A Very Short History of MusicOptional
Module details
Introduces a wide range of repertories within the history of music. Stimulates students to relate features of musical compositions and performances to their wider historical contexts and gives students a fundamental knowledge of specific musical cultures.
- Introduction to Historical MusicologyOptional
Module details
Introduces concepts underlying the historical and critical study of music. Enables students to begin thinking critically about the priorities that underlie historical texts from different intellectual traditions and stimulates them to relate features of musical compositions and performances to wider historical contexts.
- Introduction to World MusicOptional
Module details
Introduces students to the socio-cultural contexts, functions, philosophies, techniques, and organising principles of a variety of musics of the world; musics from at least three continents will be studied.
- Contemporary Debates in MusicOptional
Module details
Introduces students to a range of key debates and issues in contemporary musicology and to a range of key issues concerning music in the contemporary world.
- Solo PerformanceOptional
Module details
Further students' skills as performers through regular one-to-one vocal/instrument lessons with an approved visiting teacher. Students will be offered opportunities to perform in practical seminars where matters of interpretation and stage manner will be discussed.
Assessment: Regular individual instrumental or vocal lessons, practical seminars with performance and discussion, and engagement with professional preparation.
- Creative Ensemble PerformanceOptional
Module details
Aims to develop a broad range of innovative, practical, creative and collaborative musical skills. Promotes student initiative and creativity while developing focused, critical, technical and context sensitive perspectives on selected musical repertoires/traditions/genres.
Assessment: Plenary lectures/seminars at start of term, fortnightly workshops through terms 1 and 2, and students required to regularly document their experience in a performance diary.
Year 2 4 modules
- Making Musical TheatreCore
Module details
A practical, creative module in which you will learn about musical theatre by creating a short musical theatre performance in groups. You will be responsible for the story, the dialogue, the direction, performance, music, lyrics and movement direction.
- Theatre and Performance Making: DevisingOptional
Module details
Develop an understanding of non-traditional approaches to performance making that constitute the broader term 'devised' practice. You will look at methods of engaging with contemporary life, focussing on key areas of devised practice, including their contexts, forms, and modes of documentation.
- Theatre and Performance Making: Theatre DirectingOptional
Module details
Develop an understanding of the methods of theatre directing. You will look at the role of the director from preparing a play text to staging a successful production, considering the collaborations between actors, designers, playwrights and producers.
- Theatre and Performance Making: Acting for CameraOptional
Module details
Develop an understanding of the difference between stage acting and acting for camera.
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 course deepens your knowledge and skills in music and theatre as complementary areas of the performing arts. You'll usually begin with foundations in performance, musicianship and theory, and music history. In your second year, a course like this typically develops your practical work through recitals and ensemble projects, while introducing composition, music technology, and teaching skills. By your third year, you'll progress to specialist pathways such as performance, composition, music production, musicology or music education, alongside professional development in music business and funding. You'll complete your studies with a final recital, major project or dissertation.
Who it's for
You're drawn to both music and theatre and want to develop serious expertise in each. You have strong listening and critical skills, enjoy collaborative creative work, and are comfortable with a mix of theoretical study and hands-on performance or production. This course suits you if you're looking to deepen your artistic practice whilst building the analytical and professional foundation needed for careers in the performing arts or beyond.
Careers & job market
Across Music and Performing Arts nationally, 90 per cent of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after completing their degree. Of those working, 55 per cent are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. Starting salaries typically range from £20,000 to £28,000; after five years, graduates earn between £19,975 and £28,200. These are national figures; your own path will depend on your specialism, experience and sector choice.
University & format
This BA (Hons) Music and Theatre is taught full-time over 3 years at Royal Holloway, University of London, a higher education college located on the Egham Campus. Instruction is in English. The degree is nationally recognised by a recognised UK degree-awarding body. The university holds a Silver award for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
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.
Placement year. 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 | 92% |
| a Baccalaureate | 8% |
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 (code WW43). 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 (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at RHUL →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 | £26,000 | £24,500 – £31,500 | 10 |
| 3 years after | £22,500 | £15,000 – £27,000 | 135 |
| 5 years after | £28,000 | £23,000 – £34,500 | 135 |
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: 2022-23. 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 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 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
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: 95; response rate: 50%. 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
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £26,000. 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 9.1 out of 10: NSS 82.3% · in work or study 95% · continued 96%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
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 Egham Campus
437 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 RHUL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £26,800 / 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 RHUL’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 RHUL and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at RHUL
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
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