BA (Hons) Sound and Music Production Bachelor's degree at the University of Lincoln
BA (Hons) Sound and Music Production at University of Lincoln. You'll create, experiment, and refine your own projects using professional-standard tools and industry workflows, working in dedicated specialist facilities.
About this course
You can create, experiment, and refine your own projects in our dedicated specialist facilities, working with professional-standard tools and industry workflows from day one. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Sound and Music Production is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Lincoln, based in Lincoln Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Performing arts graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% 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)
Limited evidence Published sample: 25; 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 2022-23. Continuation 85% (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.
First Year 11 modules
- Beyond the Studio RecordingCore
Module details
Introduces you to creative and critical approaches to recording sound outside traditional studio environments. Focusing on field recording and soundscape composition, the module explores how sound captures and reflects the environments, cultures, and social contexts in which it is produced.
- Cultivating CreativityCore
Module details
A first-year interdisciplinary module designed to develop students' creative thinking and industry awareness. The module fosters curiosity, ideation, and practical application while equipping students with essential academic, creative and professional skills.
- Electronic Music ProductionCore
Module details
You learn how to create music using a digital audio workstation (DAW). You work with MIDI, synthesis, and sampling, and explore practical tools and techniques that you can use in your own music composition and sound design.
- Multitrack RecordingCore
Module details
Introduces you to the multi-track studio environment, giving you the chance to explore the key techniques and skills needed to work in a professional audio recording setting. You'll get hands-on with digital audio recording, editing, and mixing tools.
- Principles of AudioCore
Module details
Introduces you to the fundamental principles of audio and shows you how this knowledge can be applied in the practical context of music production.
- Sound ThinkingCore
Module details
You will explore the cultural, historical, political, and social forces that sound and music both reflect and transform. We will investigate how they construct identity, express power, mediate technology, and drive social change.
- Creative Criticism
Module details
Introduces students to the historical development, formats, and cultural practices of criticism across film, television, and screen media. The module culminates in the production of a portfolio of critical work across multiple formats, which may include written, audio, video-based, and interactive pieces.
- Emerging Technologies
Module details
Your learning on this module encourages you to be adaptive and inquisitive in the face of change, equipping you with the critical awareness and agility needed to navigate a rapidly shifting media landscape. You will engage in practical experimentation with selected emerging technologies or tools.
- Expanded Film
Module details
Invites students into the world of experimental and artist-led moving-image practice. Through screenings, lectures and hands-on workshops, the module explores how filmmakers and visual artists challenge conventional storytelling to create bold, alternative screen works.
- Experimental Animation Practices
Module details
Introduces students to experimental approaches within animation, encouraging exploration beyond conventional workflows through the use of 2D rigs, hybrid techniques, and emerging digital tools.
- Sound for Visual Media
Module details
Equips and empowers you to apply fundamental sound production skills in a variety of visual media contexts. Through a range of industry-aligned methods and practices, you will create complex soundtracks in response to specific visual media.
Second Year 18 modules
- Creative CollaborationCore
Module details
A Level 5 shared core module that develops students' ability to work effectively with others in the conception, development, and presentation of creative media projects. Through a series of intensive design sprints, students will collaborate in small groups to respond to a set of themed creative challenges.
- Live SoundCore
Module details
Step into the world of live events and take control of the sound and lights that bring performances to life. You'll learn how to set up, operate, and troubleshoot professional audio and lighting systems for gigs, theatre shows, and more.
- Music ProductionCore
Module details
Provides you with advanced creative and technical skills aligned with the professional expectations of the contemporary recorded music industry. You learn core tracking and production practices while developing a considered approach to sonic aesthetics, technical precision, and coherent project delivery.
- Sound and Music in SocietyCore
Module details
Students will explore the development of music and audio culture through an eclectic range of case studies illustrating how situating music within diverse cultural contexts provides a broad and nuanced understanding of the role music plays in the lives of individuals.
- Specialist ElectiveCore
Module details
Aims to give you an opportunity to immerse yourself in a specialist area within the creative arts. The content of the module is shaped by the research and practice expertise of staff members who actively collaborate with and mentor you throughout your exploration of this specialist area.
- Animation & VFX Compositing
Module details
Explores the creative and technical processes of post-production for animation and visual effects. Students learn to integrate multiple visual layers, rendered passes, and live-action plates to produce seamless, cinematic imagery.
- Commercial Motion Design
- Game Sound
- Horror on Screen
- Industry Film Practices
- Industry Placement
- Industry Screenplay Practices
- Lincoln School of Creative Arts Industry Placement Year
- LSCA Study Abroad
- Production Design
- Screening Youth
- Sound Design
- Storytelling for Animation & VFX
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 emphasises hands-on creation and experimentation from day one, using professional-standard tools and industry workflows in dedicated specialist facilities. You'll typically begin with performance fundamentals, musicianship and music theory, moving through harmony, aural skills and repertoire study. Year 2 develops your technical practice, performance technique, composition and music technology, alongside teaching and community music skills. In your final year, you'll specialise in areas such as performance, composition, music production, musicology, music education or ensembles, whilst studying professional development and completing a substantial final project, which may be a public recital, portfolio or dissertation.
Who it's for
You're drawn to sound and music production as a craft, you want hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment and genuine creative autonomy, not just classroom theory. You work well learning by doing, and you're ready to experiment with recording, mixing, and project management across different genres and formats. This course suits you if you're curious about how sound works technically, keen to build a portfolio of work you're proud of, and willing to take ownership of your learning in a studio environment. Prior music qualifications aren't essential, but genuine interest in the field and commitment to developing your ear and technical skills are.
Careers & job market
Across Music and Performing Arts nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Just over half of those working graduates are in highly skilled roles or continued study. Graduate outcomes data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) typically range from £20,000 to £28,000, rising to £19,975–£28,200 by five years post-graduation. Careers span recording studios, live sound, broadcast and audio post-production, music education, and arts administration, fields that value both technical expertise and creative problem-solving.
University & format
This BA (Hons) degree is taught at University of Lincoln, a public university located on Lincoln Campus. The course runs full-time over 3 years and is taught in English. The University of Lincoln is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and this degree holds Gold for teaching quality in 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.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 70% |
| Other | 15% |
| another higher-education qualification | 10% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
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 J933). 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 University of Lincoln →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 – £30,000 | 25 |
| 3 years after | £18,000 | £13,500 – £22,500 | 170 |
| 5 years after | £22,500 | £17,000 – £26,500 | 175 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; 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: 25; 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.
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
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: 35; response rate: 75%. 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
90% 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 8.8 out of 10: NSS 89.7% · in work or study 90% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Lincoln
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 Lincoln Campus
1,962 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 University of Lincoln from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Lincoln; 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 University of Lincoln’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 University of Lincoln and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Lincoln
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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What are the entry requirements?
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What will it cost me?
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