BMus Popular Music
Goldsmiths, University of London
About this course
BMus in Popular Music is a music degree focused on the creative practice, cultural study, and industry context of popular music. Core topics include Accounting, Ethics & Professional Practice, Entrepreneurship, and Design & Creative Practice. Students complete a final-year major project. The first year covers core topics through compulsory modules such as Creative Popular Music 1, Creative Popular Music 2, Popular Music Cultures, Contemporary Creative Industries, and Critical Writing. The second year introduces compulsory study in The Goldsmiths Project, The Goldsmiths Elective, Performance: New Contexts, and Songwriting, alongside optional modules including Global Musics, Music and the Moving Image, Sonic Art: Contexts and Practices, Electronic Music Studio Skills, Music Production, Ensemble Performance, Pitching Creative Businesses, and Japan, Music and Cultural Identity. In the final year, students undertake a Major Project and can choose from optional modules such as Writing to Brief, Creative Performance, Music Teaching and Outreach, Global Musics, Sonic Art: Contexts and Practices, Music and the Moving Image, Music in Focus, Psychological Approaches to Music, You as Your Future: Developing Creative Careers, Improvisation, Creative Strategies in Music Production, Experimental Musics, and Performing South-East Asian Music.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: CCC IB: 27 points overall with three HL subjects at 555
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What students say
Based on about 16 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 89%
- Learning opportunities: 81%
- Assessment and feedback: 87%
- Academic support: 89%
- Organisation and management: 46%
- Learning resources: 79%
- Student voice: 74%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 40 students who started
- Continued on course: 90%
- Left higher education: 10%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 55 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North West: 5%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 1%
- East of England: 8%
- London: 64%
- South East: 6%
- South West: 8%
- Wales: 5%
- Northern Ireland: 2%
Who gets in
Based on about 55 students who started
- A levels: 93%
- Baccalaureate: 2%
- Other HE qualification: 5%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Bronze overall, Requires Improvement for student experience, Bronze for student outcomes.
Modules
- Creative Popular Music 1
- Creative Popular Music 2
- Popular Music Cultures
- Contemporary Creative Industries
- Critical Writing
- The Goldsmiths Project
- The Goldsmiths Elective
- Performance: New Contexts
- Songwriting
- Global Musics
- Music and the Moving Image
- Sonic Art: Contexts and Practices
- Electronic Music Studio Skills
- Music Production
- Ensemble Performance
- Pitching Creative Businesses
- Japan, Music and Cultural Identity
- Major Project
- Writing to Brief
- Creative Performance
- Music Teaching and Outreach
- Global Musics
- Sonic Art: Contexts and Practices
- Music and the Moving Image
- Music in Focus
- Psychological Approaches to Music
- You as Your Future: Developing Creative Careers
- Improvisation
- Creative Strategies in Music Production
- Experimental Musics
- Performing South-East Asian Music
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BMus Popular Music at Goldsmiths, University of London earn?
The median salary is £22,500 after 3 years, £28,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £22,500 and £35,000. The £28,500 median after five years is £4,000 more than the UK median for Music.
Are students happy with the teaching on BMus Popular Music at Goldsmiths, University of London?
89% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BMus Popular Music at Goldsmiths, University of London?
The typical offer is CCC at A level, or 27 points in the IB. The average entrant had 137 UCAS points.
How many students continue on BMus Popular Music at Goldsmiths, University of London?
90% of students continued into their second year, and 10% left higher education.