Music BMus

Level: Undergraduate

Subject: Music

Year of entry: 2026

Key facts

UCAS Code

W302

Award

BMus

Duration of study

4 years

Delivery

Full-time

Study location

Central Area

Start date

September 2026

School

Edinburgh College of Art

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study abroad

Available

Placement

Available

Open days and events

About the degree programme

This is the programme for you if you are:

  • passionate and curious about music
  • fascinated by the role that music plays in our lives and how it interconnects with other fields, disciplines and technologies

We are open to students who have not had an opportunity to study music as a subject at school and offer a Year 1 course (Fundamentals of Music Theory) which supports new students to develop their musical literacy if required. 

A flexible programme 

The BMus programme is flexible and welcomes students from different backgrounds and musical experiences. It is designed so that you can tailor a pathway that best suits your musical interests and strengths. 

For example, you can decide to: 

  • focus on the cultural, sociological, and historical contexts of music 
  • specialise in composition and/or performance 
  • focus entirely on studying music courses 
  • study a mix of music courses and courses from subjects outside of music

As a student in the Reid School of Music, you will be part of a vibrant musical community. You will study with scholars, composers, and performers known internationally who are passionate about teaching.

Discover what it's like to study BMus Music from our staff and students.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is usually studied over 4 years, however, some students may be eligible to enter in the second year and complete the programme in 3 years.

Programme benefits

  • Our programme will provide you with an enjoyable, rewarding, and rigorous engagement with music and music-making.  
  • On completion, this degree places you in a very strong position for a high-level career in the music industry, in many fields related to music and beyond.  
  • This degree will provide you with an opportunity to learn valuable transferable skills and abilities as part of an arts and humanities degree from a world-leading, research-intensive University that opens doors to graduate jobs and opportunities beyond music.  
  • We offer a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm for the subject area, led by scholars who can help you discover new insights, areas of interest, and ideas within the discipline of music.  
  • You will be part of a rich community of practising musicians in the School of Music and of creative artists, designers, filmmakers, animators, and others in the wider Edinburgh College of Art. 

At the Reid School of Music, I was able to explore all manners of musicianship, musical study and creative exploration. This was not only through the courses made available to me but also through collaboration with fellow students and further opportunities through staff and lecturers.

The expansive syllabus challenged me to venture outside of my comfort zone, and I was given the space to explore these areas surrounded by experienced lecturers, approachable staff and easily accessible, professional equipment.

Whilst I came to University with a very set idea of what it means to study music, I left with a much broader understanding of what it means to be a musician. 

Evie Alberti BMus Music, graduated 2024.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for BMus (Hons) Music

View the tuition fees for one academic year of BMus (Hons) Music.

Tuition fees for this programme

Additional costs

If you are taking performance courses, you should expect to pay for instrument consumables and maintenance.

Other costs include: 

  • basic stationery provisions 
  • support for technology such as memory sticks or cards

Bursary 

Students taking performance receive an annual bursary for instrumental tuition.

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

See a breakdown of living costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

Funding

What you will study

We offer a distinctive and rigorous core curriculum in the first two years that will develop your musicianship and deepen your analytical skills.

We will support you in the development of an individual compositional and performance practice and introduce you to the history of both popular and Western music.

You will also have the opportunity to be introduced to areas such as:

  • acoustics
  • music psychology
  • AI (artificial intelligence)
  • music technology

This gives you a broad foundation on which to build specialist interests.  

In Years 3 and 4, this choice is expanded further, we offer options in:

  • performance
  • composition
  • music in the community
  • music technology
  • sound design
  • music psychology

In addition to this, you could study a range of courses exploring the context of music in:

  • theory
  • history
  • politics

Throughout the degree, you can also choose to study subjects from elsewhere in the Edinburgh College of Art or across the University.

To enhance you studies, you can join one or more of the many orchestras, ensembles, and choirs available at the University.

You will have the opportunity to work with many visiting professional ensembles.

You can also apply to participate in our music in the community projects, which in recent years have involved student visits to The Gambia and Greece. 

You will take three compulsory courses: 

  • Topics in Popular Music 
  • Thinking about Music 
  • Creative Musicianship 
Topics in Popular Music 

This course introduces various themes and theoretical frameworks for the study of popular music. 

Using American popular music of the late 19th and 20th centuries as a case study, you will consider a range of issues, including: 

  • technology 
  • genre 
  • race 
  • gender 
  • capitalism 
  • colonialism
Thinking about Music 

This course focuses on music as an aesthetic and cultural phenomenon. 

You will: 

  • develop your critical and analytical skills
  • be introduced to some of the key issues in contemporary and historical thought concerning a broad spectrum of music
Creative Musicianship 

This course will develop your creative, practical, and listening skills. 

You will take an integrated approach to studying the different areas of musicianship, including: 

  • written and aural analysis 
  • composition, songwriting and arranging
  • performance
Other courses 

If you have not studied music theory at a secondary-school level, you will also take Fundamentals of Music Theory. This is an intensive music literacy course. 

You can also choose from music options such as:

  • Introduction to Musical Instruments
  • Music Psychology 
  • Musical Acoustics
  • Sound Recording

If you have achieved Grade 8 standard or equivalent on your first instrument by the time you start the programme, you can also take Performance (see entry requirements for more information).

Any of these option courses can be replaced with courses from other subject areas across the University (up to 60 credits).

Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

You will study Music and Ideas from the Middle Ages to the Present Day. 

Music history courses explore contexts of western classical music, including:

  • aesthetic
  • social
  • political
  • cultural contexts

You will develop your musicianship skills by taking one or both musical analysis courses. This provides a grounding in the analysis and compositional techniques of 18th and 19th century music. 

You will also study Sound Recording, which introduces you to: 

  • microphone techniques 
  • room acoustics 
  • field recording 
  • production
Option courses 

All students can take Composition and Creative Music Technology. 

If you studied Performance in Year 1, you can continue with Performance in Year 2. 

You can also choose up to 60 credits from subjects outside of music.

Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

You will have the freedom to choose from a range of courses, including: 

  • acoustics 
  • composition (for screen)
  • screen music 
  • music analysis 
  • music in the community 
  • performance 
  • music psychology 
  • music technology 
  • popular music studies
  • instrumentation, orchestration and arranging

Other examples include courses in: 

  • sound design 
  • options in Scottish traditional music  
  • music history

All honours teaching is research-led and reflects the expertise and interests of individual lecturers. 

You may also take Research Methods in Music, a course which provides training in many aspects of music research.

You can also choose up to 40 credits in subjects outside of music.

Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

You will: 

  • select courses that build on your choices in Year 3 
  • choose up to 40 credits in subjects outside of music

You will also complete at least one of the following: 

  • 40-minute recital 
  • portfolio of compositions, for example:
    • an EP or album
    • music for mixed media
    • concert music
  • creative practice music project 
  • dissertation 

Typically, at the end of Year 4 you will have the opportunity to take part in our Graduate Show. This is a chance to exhibit your work. You can see work submitted by previous graduates on our 2024 Graduate Show page.

BMus Music Graduate Show 2024

Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Study abroad

In Year 3 you will have the opportunity to study at one of the University’s partner institutions around the world. 

Our music-specific partners include: 

  • University of Oslo 
  • Aix-Marseille Universit
  • HKU Utrecht
  • Conservatorio Niccola Paganini, Padua

What are my options for going abroad?

You may also apply to the broader University of Edinburgh exchange programme across a wide range of international universities, providing there is an appropriate programme of study available.

For further details and information on funding a year abroad, please see the Study and Work Away Service (SWAY).   

Study and Work Away (SWAY) Service

Funding your year abroad

Placements

The Music in the Community course in Year 3 involves weekly placements across the social, therapeutic and educational sectors in Edinburgh where music is used to help improve lives.

You may find yourself:

  • working as a group in a school
  • in a centre providing support to marginalised people
  • collaborating with local organisations to provide weekly music workshops

The placements offer you an opportunity to experience how your musicianship can be helpful to others in making music accessible for all.

They offer invaluable real-life experience and training for professional work and preparation for further training in areas such as music teaching and music therapy. 

Field trips

Throughout the programme, you may have the opportunity to perform your music in various venues across the city, as gigs are often offered to students.

In some of our more technical courses, you may go out to record sounds on location for student films or podcasts.  

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

You will be taught through: 

  • lectures 
  • tutorials 
  • seminars 
  • practical classes 
  • workshops 
  • computer labs

As well as our expert staff, you will have opportunities to work with: 

  • professional musicians 
  • the school’s own Ensemble in Residence
  • a wealth of musical and theatrical societies at the University
  • your student peers in the School of Music, ECA, and across the University

Assessment

You will be assessed through: 

  • coursework 
  • exams 
  • projects 
  • portfolios
  • presentations
  • blogs
  • placements

In Year 4 you will complete at least one of the following:

  • dissertation 
  • recital 
  • portfolio of compositions 
  • creative practice project 
  • music technology project

Monday
  • Morning: Psychology of Music Lecture 
  • Afternoon: Performance session 
Tuesday
  • Morning: Topics in Popular Music Lecture 
  • Afternoon: Tutorials
Wednesday
  • Morning: Creative Musicianship Lectures and workshops 
  • Afternoon: Music societies and other societies
Thursday
  • Morning: Sound recording lecture or workshop 
  • Afternoon: Tutorials 
Friday
  • Study day and other tutorials

Support for your studies

ECA’s Student and Academic Support Service (SASS) supports students throughout their studies in all degree programmes at ECA.

You will have a dedicated Student Adviser, based within SASS, who is specially trained to support you during your studies. Your Student Adviser will be your first point of contact for any support, including questions about your studies or your well-being. Your Student Adviser can support you with:

  • personal or wellbeing issues that you are facing, including how to access specialist support
  • queries related to your programme, such as course enrolments, programme transfers and academic progression
  • applying for extensions and special circumstances
  • advice about how to take a break from your studies
  • registering with the Disability and Learning Support Service

If you’re unsure who to ask, you can contact your Student Adviser as a first point of contact.

Support for your studies

Our academic staff

Our staff are world leaders in a wide range of musical areas, including:

  • musicology
  • acoustics and music technology
  • composition
  • improvisation
  • music psychology
  • community music

You can learn more about the staff who will teach you on ECA's people directory.

ECA People Directory

Where you will study

Study location

Much of your teaching will take place in the University's Central Area. 

Reid School of Music

The University's Reid School of Music is an exciting place to study. You will have numerous opportunities to make music and perform in University ensembles, including by joining:

  • orchestras
  • choirs
  • a big band
  • wind band
  • composers' orchestra
  • opera group

Our lively concert calendar and central Edinburgh location let you immerse yourself in the city's rich cultural scene.

Academic facilities

Our extensive state-of-the-art music studio spaces, equipment, and software will allow you to see your audio projects all the way through from composition and recording, to:

  • mixing
  • mastering
  • post-production

We are one of few institutions with the prestigious all-Steinway status. This means that all pianos owned by us are designed by Steinway & Sons.  

Our 17 practice rooms, all equipped with a piano, are ideal when you need a private place for practice.

As well as these rooms, you will have access to:

  • a 21-stop 2-manual German organ in the Reid Concert Hall
  • an experimental organ and 2-manual pipe organ both situated in Alison House
  • harpsichords

The University’s Main Library is the primary collection of:

  • books
  • periodicals
  • manuscripts
  • digital journals
  • image databases
  • local collections
  • other research materials

It also houses the Centre for Research Collections and world-class content and resources related to music.  

Different kinds of study spaces are available to you across the University campus, including:

  • libraries
  • dedicated computer labs
  • group study spaces
  • places for quiet and silent study
Investing in our learning environment 

Edinburgh College of Art is excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston Campus over the next three years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.​

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston Campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston Campus - Edinburgh College of Art

Virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the Edinburgh College of Art and explore our facilities and campus with our virtual tour.

Take a virtual tour of Edinburgh College of Art

Career paths

This programme allows you to pursue a variety of careers in: 

  • music 
  • the creative arts 
  • education 
  • the media

Our graduates go on to forge successful careers in a range of areas, including: 

  • performance 
  • composition
  • teaching and academia 
  • arts management 
  • curation 
  • music therapy 
  • film, radio and television 
  • print media 
  • animation and the games industry

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:

  • a masters degree
  • a postgraduate diploma or certificate
  • a PhD
  • a second undergraduate degree

Find out about options for further study 

Postgraduate degrees you might be interested in could include:

Graduate profiles

Andrew Taheny

Degree: BMus (Hons) Music

Year of graduation: Graduated 2021

Current work: Freelance Violinist and Instrumental Teacher

Alumni Profile: Andrew Taheny - Edinburgh College of Art

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

Guidance on applying through UCAS

Advanced entry

We do not offer advanced entry for this degree programme. All applicants will be considered for year one entry only, unless you are transferring from a degree at another University.  

Transfer from another university  

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants

Interviews

The Reid School of Music does not interview or hold auditions. We scrutinise your application and request further performance background information if we require it. 

This process ensures that we offer places to students who show the ability to meet our high standards, and that applicants from all backgrounds have the same opportunity to demonstrate their potential. 

When to apply

  • 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

Search degrees that are open on the UCAS website

Key application dates and deadlines

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Find out more about applying through UCAS  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Applying for a visa  

Agents  

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

Find contact details for an education agent

What our students say

What is it really like to study here? Our students share their experiences on our social media.

You can find out what a day in the life is like for an Edinburgh College of Art Student, from late nights in the library to their favourite walks around the city!

Instagram: Edinburgh College of Art

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

The University hosts more than 25 musical societies and a packed schedule of concerts during the year, ranging from classical and jazz to contemporary and electronic.

You could become a part of:

  • Music Technology Society
  • Electronic Music Society
  • Independent Music Society
  • Hip Hop Society
  • Rock and Metal Society
  • FreshAir Radio
  • Taylor Swift Society
  • Music Society (Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia, and Chorus)
  • Programming Society
  • Folk and Traditional Music Society
  • West African Drum and Dance Society
  • Wind Band, Brass Band
  • Composers Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra
  • A Cappella Society, Chamber Choir, Female Voice Choir, Edinburgh University Singers

Our societies are not only subject-specific, you could join a society or club based on your interests, a charity or cause, or a hobby.

Societies

Sports clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Our vibrant capital is a blend of culture, history, nature and modern city life. A fantastic place to live, it is also the perfect location to study music.

Edinburgh’s dynamic cultural scene boasts the largest collection of historic buildings, museums, art galleries and theatres of any city in Scotland.

The University of Edinburgh’s museums and galleries include:

  • the Talbot Rice Gallery
  • Centre for Research Collections
  • St. Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room and Music Museum

Edinburgh is home to several major annual festivals, each bringing talent from around the world to our streets and stages, making the celebration of diversity an intrinsic part of the city’s culture. These include the:

  • Festival Fringe
  • Film Festival
  • Art Festival
  • Book Festival
  • Jazz & Blues Festival

Some students even participate in our annual festivals, performing their work or as a hobby with friends.

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment

Health and wellbeing support services

Contact us

Contact us through our enquiry team if you have any questions about this programme.

Open days, events and visits

Find out when our next open days will be taking place

Open days, events and visits

Chat to our students on Unibuddy

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