MA Popular Music and Performance
Entry requirements
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree in the cognate subject of Music, Music Performance or Popular Music, at least a second class honours degree in a non-cognate subject supported by evidence of popular music performance experience, or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within a relevant creative field.
- What you have previously studied and what you learnt about music performance;
- Why you want to study the MA Popular Music Performance at Leeds Beckett University;
- Describe your current musical practice (e.g. performance, songwriting/arranging production, interdisciplinary collaboration) that would form the basis of your study on the course;
- Who your influences are as a performer and/or songwriter/arranger and why;
- The type of music you enjoy writing, performing, or producing and why;
- What you want to do once you've finished your studies.
All suitable candidates will be required to submit a portfolio prior to acceptance on the course. This should include at least three examples of your music performance practice that clearly evidence your creative musicianship and relevant performance experience.
- Audio or video recordings of your musical performance work;
- Original recordings that you have composed, arranged, or produced;
Months of entry
September
Course content
Want to take your musical flair to the next level? Our MA Popular Music Performance course helps you sharpen your skills, define your creative identity, and build a thriving career in today's music industries.
You'll explore performance as both a creative and research-informed discipline. Through live practice, recording, interdisciplinary projects, and critical reflection, you'll develop advanced technical, expressive, and entrepreneurial skills to create music that's widely appealing and accessible.
The course encourages experimentation, collaboration, and self-directed growth, ensuring your work is original, professional, and relevant. You'll engage with current professional practices while drawing on cutting-edge research, giving you the tools to adapt, innovate, and lead in an ever-changing arts sector.
As part of this course, you'll:
- Design and deliver original performance projects across live, recorded, and audio-visual formats
- Explore diverse musical influences to shape your unique artistic identity
- Apply research methods and reflective practice to inform and evolve your creative approach
- Collaborate across disciplines, including with staff and peers from production, film, and performing arts
- Build the entrepreneurial skills to sustain a dynamic music career in the arts
Industry-centric learning
Engage directly with the realities of today's music industries. You'll utilise current professional practices while developing your own creative direction. Working on a mixture of live briefs, recordings, and performance projects will provide you with experience you can showcase.
Inform your practice with research
This course uniquely blends performance with artistic research. You'll critically explore methodologies that help you reflect on, analyse, and enhance your creative work at an advanced level.
Make music in inspiring facilities
Working in professional rehearsal rooms, recording studios, and performance environments, you'll develop your projects using industry-standard spaces that support both independent and collaborative work. Explore our music facilities at Leeds School of Arts now.
Hone your collaborative abilities
You'll connect and collaborate with other postgraduate students and our expert staff across our music, production, and wider arts courses. This approach expands your creative toolkit, mindset, and reflects the way performance projects often work.
Graduate with a high-quality portfolio
Your final project brings together your performance, research, and creative identity. You'll graduate with a professional portfolio that showcases your originality, expertise, and sets you up for an exciting music career.
Study in a creative city
Leeds is known for its thriving music scene and active creative culture, providing opportunities for you to perform, collaborate, and build professional connections. You'll be encouraged to engage with what's happening around you, broadening your experience beyond the lecture theatre.
Fees and funding
Master's loan of up to £13,206 available.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Admissions Enquiries
- admissionsenquiries@leedsbeckett.ac.uk