If you're passionate about popular music and want to take your skills as a performer, songwriter, and audio studio professional to the next level, then our Popular Music degree is for you. Popular music is a highly competitive industry, so we’ll do all we can to help you on your way to a career. We’ll give you the opportunity to develop industry-standard practices and techniques, while learning how to break the rules to unleash your creativity.

Why study Popular Music at Huddersfield?

• You will study in the purpose-built Richard Steinitz Building, a state-of-the-art creative hub with many practice rooms, rehearsal spaces, and professional-standard recording studios. You'll also have access to a large instrument collection, all the technical equipment you'll need and two purpose-built on-campus concert halls.
• 100% overall student satisfaction rating (NSS 2020).
• You’ll have the opportunity to work with successful musicians who will develop your abilities as a composer and a producer and take part in masterclasses and workshops given by distinguished visiting performers.
• QS World University Subject Rankings 2020 ranked the University of Huddersfield equal 27th in the world for 'Performing Arts'.
• You’ll choose your own focus, specialising in songwriting, performing, production or a mixture of subjects, whether concentrating on guitar music, pop, electronica or your own new style.

Placements

Students from our Music and Music Technology courses have previously been on placement at Angel Studios, Yellow Arch, Warner Records, BBC, Elstree Studios, Wigwam Audio Group, Chapel Studios, and the Leadmill and many have had the opportunity to work with them following their placement.

Your Career

Popular Music graduates can consider careers in performance, teaching, composition, arranging, session recording, arts administration, community music, and music therapy. A selection of companies that have employed Huddersfield music graduates in recent years include Abbey Road Studios, BBC, Royal Northern College of Music, Chethams School of Music, Opera North, ITV, and Calderdale Music Services.**

*Percentage of graduates from this subject who are in work and/or further study fifteen months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 17/18, UK domiciled graduates).