Music and English Literature (BA)
- Subject areas: English language and literature, Music
- UCAS code: WQ33
- Next intake: September 2025
- Duration: 3 years
- Mode: Full time
Why study this course
Tailored to you
With primarily optional modules you have freedom to choose a personalised degree.
Your instrument of choice
Realise your full potential through fully-funded instrumental tuition.
Music business placement
Explore what the music business has to offer with a placement.
Industry experience
Gain skills, confidence and connections through a variety of literary and cultural internships.
Learn from the best
Benefit from research-led content; learn from world-renowned literary scholars and authors.
Our Music and English Literature (BA) programme combines studies in literature, music and culture with creative and practical skills development which will open doors to a variety of career pathways.
During your time with us, we’ll nurture your critical and creative thinking, encourage your understanding and appreciation of diversity, enable you to communicate to a high standard and foster your resilience and independence. You will also acquire a wealth of transferable skills that are valued by employers and will support your professional ambitions.
Our dynamic, flexible degree programme allows you to study English literature from different periods and cultures, and across the range of principal literary genres. You won’t be restricted to studying the printed word: we’re intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, history, technology, language, and everyday life, and our teaching reflects these interests. You’ll learn how literature addresses social, environmental, and economic concerns with the aim of creating a better, more inclusive world and developing sustainable solutions for the future of the planet.
Your music studies will include a range of academic modules which will develop your understanding of music theory and ensure you’re equipped to critically and reflectively assess styles and techniques. Alongside this, you’ll be encouraged to take full advantage of our ensembles representing a wide range of musical repertoires and traditions, such as the Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Symphony Orchestra, Gamelan Ensemble, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Lanyi (West African Ensemble), Symphony Chorus and the Pop Collective.
You’ll also benefit from our home in Wales’ capital city. Cardiff is a creative and cultural hub, with a rich and diverse artistic and literary heritage. The city is home to a professional opera company, the Welsh National Opera, and a professional symphony orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales with which we enjoy long-established and fruitful relationships. Through these relationships, our students can attend dress rehearsals and purchase cut-price tickets for concerts. Alongside professional groups, Cardiff is home to a range of music and performance venues with passionate and welcoming communities.
Subject area: English language and literature
Subject area: Music
Entry requirements
We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:
A level
AAB-ABB. Must include Music, and Creative Writing, English Language and Literature, or English Literature.
Applicants without an A-level in Music will be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine appropriate levels of music performance and theory skills (such as Grade 6/7 Music Theory).
Where skill levels cannot be determined by alternative qualifications, you may be invited to audition.
Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application.
- Eligible students will be given an offer at the lower end of the advertised grade range.
- Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional points in the selection process or be guaranteed interview/consideration.
Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.
International Baccalaureate
34-32 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL English Literature and Music.
Applicants without HL Music will be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine appropriate levels of music performance and theory skills (such as Grade 6/7 Music Theory).
Where skill levels cannot be determined by alternative qualifications, you may be invited to audition.
Baccalaureate Wales
From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
Other essential requirements
You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
- GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent qualification (subject and grade). If you are taking A-level Maths (or equivalent), GCSE Maths is not required. Core Maths may also be accepted in place of GCSE Maths.
- grade 8 Music Practical in an instrument or voice.
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
English language requirements
GCSE
Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.
IELTS (academic)
At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.
TOEFL iBT
At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.
PTE Academic
At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement, including the ability to travel to outside of the UK or to undertake a placement/studies outside of Cardiff University
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Other qualifications from inside the UK
BTEC
DD-DM in a BTEC Diploma in Music, and grade A in A-level English Literature or English Language and Literature or Creative Writing or equivalent.
Applicants without BTEC Music will be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine appropriate levels of music performance and theory skills (such as Grade 6/7 Music Theory).
Where skill levels cannot be determined by alternative qualifications, you may be invited to audition.
T level
Acceptance of T Levels for this programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic School. Consideration will be given to the T Level grade/subject and grades/subjects achieved at GCSE/Level 2.
Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.
Interview or selection process
Where skill levels cannot be determined by alternative qualifications, you may be invited to audition.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.
Additional costs
Course specific equipment
Other than your principal study instrument, you will not need any specific equipment.
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Course structure
We are currently working with our students to update and improve the content of this course. The information shown below reflects the current curriculum and is likely to change. The review of the course is expected to be completed by August 2025 and this page will be updated by end of October 2025 to reflect the changes.
This is a 3-year full-time degree, with 120 credits of study in each year.
Some modules are prerequisites for the study of similar topics at more advanced levels in later years, so youre encouraged (and supported) to consider the entire range of modules when selecting modules at the start to make sure you are able to follow through a ‘pathway’ of your choice. For example, in music, to complete the major project composition portfolio module, you must successfully complete all prerequisitecomposition modules in years 1 and 2. Modules in music are designed specifically to support you and ensure that you are equipped with sufficient techniques, skills, and experience in order to succeed on the programme.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.
Year one
You will take 60 credits in English Literature and 60 credits in Music.
In Music, year one provides the foundations for you to take advantage of the creative and intellectual benefits of higher education. You will be offered instruction in analysis, harmony and counterpoint, history of music, composition and practical musicianship. As a BA student you will take a free choice from these subjects, subject to availability.
Note that some Music modules are ‘prerequisites', providing essential preparation for more advanced modules if you wish to pursue them in later years.
To complement your academic study, you are actively encouraged to join the University Choir or Orchestra and other ensembles.
In English Literature you will take three 20-credit modules.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Reading and Critical Writing | SE2146 | 20 credits |
| Ways of Reading | SE2148 | 20 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Composition 1A | MU1113 | 20 credits |
| Techniques in Jazz and Popular Music | MU1201 | 20 credits |
| Composition 1B | MU1213 | 20 credits |
| Elements of Tonal Theory | MU1311 | 20 credits |
| Writing About Music | MU1312 | 20 credits |
| Music as Culture | MU1320 | 20 credits |
| Case Studies in Music History | MU1321 | 20 credits |
| Practical Portfolio I | MU1322 | 20 credits |
| Practical Musicianship 1 | MU1325 | 20 credits |
| Drama: Stage and Page | SE2139 | 20 credits |
| Star-cross'd Lovers: the Politics of Desire | SE2140 | 20 credits |
| Transforming Visions: Text and Image | SE2142 | 20 credits |
| Transgressive Bodies in Medieval Literature | SE2147 | 20 credits |
Year two
You will take 60 credits in English Literature and 60 credits in Music.
In Music, courses are more advanced and you will focus on more specialist topics, choosing from four groups: Composition and Electroacoustic Studies, Written and Practical Musicianship, Analytical and Critical Skills, and Historical Studies.
Our year two modules on the Business of Music I/II are designed to help you better understand different branches of the music profession and give an opportunity for a short placement in an area related to music or the arts, either in one block or as a series of regular workplace visits.
In English Literature you may select from a range of modules based on period, genre or theme, reading a variety of texts in their historical and cultural contexts.
Year three
You will take 60 credits in English Literature and 60 credits in Music.
In Music, you choose again from the four subject groups, and can pursue one of the three major academic projects: Dissertation, Project in Ethnomusicology, or Project in Music Analysis.
You may complete a short composition portfolio (Composition IV) and/or an 'open’ recital in front of examiners and an invited audience (Practical Musicianship IV).
In English Literature, by year three you will have gained an experience of a variety of literary periods, topics, genres and approaches, developing your critical faculties and your skills in analysing texts and contexts. You will therefore be in an excellent position to choose between a range of more specialised modules in which you will be able to engage with current issues in research and scholarship in relation to authors and texts both well-known and possibly less well-known to you.
The option in both subjects to write a dissertation lets you choose a topic that draws on both disciplines, if you wish.
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
Your music studies will be led and informed by the expertise of our academic staff across the fields of composition, performance, musicology, ethnomusicology, and popular music. If you’re taking a Practical Musicianship module, instrumental tuition is fully funded on your principal study instrument. This includes accompaniment at your final recital. You’ll receive 24 half-hour lessons over the course of the year.
Taking a research-led approach, teaching in English literature will support you to become independent, creative, and critical in your responses to literature and other forms of culture, such as film, art, and photography. First-year teaching provides a foundation with carefully structured lectures and seminar discussions to help you develop key skills and gain confidence as you find your feet at university. Teaching in years 2 and the final year is lecture- and seminar-based and moves gradually in the direction of specialisation and independent research as you develop as a reader and critic. In this supportive environment, you’ll develop your abilities to analyse texts and arguments, collaboratively work through problems, construct your own arguments, and present your ideas clearly to others. Throughout the programme, but particularly in the final-year core module, you will develop skills in communication and collaboration that you can transfer to the world of employment.
How will I be supported?
Your main sources of support are your module leaders and your Personal Tutors (one for each discipline). Your module leaders also have weekly office hours sessions during teaching weeks that you can attend if you have any questions about course materials or assessments.
Personal Tutors can advise you on academic matters, including study skills, careers, and your academic progress, as well as on pastoral matters. You’ll be invited to meet your Personal Tutor regularly throughout your degree, and they are available for extra meetings as needed. Welsh-speaking students can request a Welsh-speaking personal tutor.
The Writing Development Centre (based in the School of English, Communication and Philosophy) provides specialist support for academic writing across the programme. You can access online materials, workshops, and one-to-one meetings about any aspect of academic writing to support you with your assessments.
Our Professional Services teams provide academic and student support and are there to help you with information and guidance if you have any queries. In addition, the University offers a range of support services and events to help you plan your career, manage your emotional, mental and physical health, support you with financial issues, and provide assistance for students with disabilities. These services are located at the University's Centre for Student Life. Libraries, study spaces, and other resource centres will all be available to you.
You’ll receive regular feedback on your progress as you move through the degree. Oral feedback in lectures, workshops and seminars will help you assess your understanding of the course material and your critical responses to it. You’ll receive formative comments on essay ideas and draft work, and detailed feedback on all marked coursework. If you choose to write a dissertation in the final year (this is not compulsory), you’ll receive regular feedback on your project from your supervisor.
How will I be assessed?
Assessments are designed progressively to develop key skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and reflection.
We use traditional assessment formats (such as essays, exams, quizzes, oral exams, group discussions, reflective assessments, opinion pieces, presentations, music performances and dissertation) as well as more innovative forms of assessment, (the creation of vlogs, podcasts, video and audio projects, interviews, portfolios and poster presentations).
In the final year, you’ll take part in a collaborative English literature project that involves communicating your findings to a non-specialist audience.
Individual feedback is provided on all assessed work to help you improve performance for future assessments, and you’ll have opportunities to discuss this feedback with your tutors. In addition, you’ll do various practice exercises such as quizzes, presentations and essay or project plans. You’ll receive formative feedback from tutors in order to improve your learning and understanding before you complete your summative assessments.
What skills will I practise and develop?
The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.
On successful completion of your Programme you will be able to:
Knowledge & Understanding:
- Systematically comprehend literature from different cultures and periods (including pre-1800) and the range of principal literary genres across prose, poetry, and drama.
- Systematically comprehend the relationship between literature and other cultural forms and analyse how culture, language, technology and economics affect the production and reception of texts.
- Know a range of musical styles and techniques, through performance, pastiche composition, analysis and/or critical commentary of music.
- Articulate a significant degree of specialist knowledge, creativity, skill and understanding in one or more of the following: musical performance, composition, ethnomusicology, music analysis, historical/critical musicology.
- Relate an awareness of the component subdisciplines of music and demonstrate a working competence in more than one in addition to your chosen specialism(s).
Intellectual Skills:
- Examine different kinds of literary and musical materials closely and critically.
- Communicate independent and innovative interpretations accurately in speech and writing for specialist or non-specialist audiences.
- Develop and apply arguments that respond creatively to literary and musical sources.
- Communicate an awareness of the social, historical and cultural contexts in which music is made.
- Critically assess music analytically and reflectively, identifying significant formal, historical, and cultural patterns in the way it is performed, composed, or used.
Professional Practical Skills:
- Compile and systematically evaluate complex information and diverse evidence with accuracy.
- Communicate persuasively, conveying academic ideas and technical arguments to specialist or non-specialist audiences, using written or oral techniques.
- Critically assess and solve problems independently, taking the views of others into account.
- Develop close working relationships with other musicians in the preparation of ensemble performance or other collaborative projects.
Transferable/Key Skills:
- Explain information and ideas clearly and professionally, applying advanced knowledge and skills to unfamiliar or wider world challenges or contexts.
- Develop initiative by taking responsibility for structuring and time-managing a research task, working in teams when appropriate.
- Develop positive and effective working relations with others in teams, especially through constructive and collaborative dialogue and feedback.
- Develop leadership and self-management skills.
Careers and placements
Career prospects
The skills developed within a music degree help our students to progress to a wide range of careers, both within and beyond the music profession.
Employability skills are embedded in modules at the School of Music so that you will learn both music-specific and academic skills that are transferable to other domains, especially the workplace. Our second-year modules on the Business of Music are designed to help you better understand different branches of the music profession and provide an opportunity to undertake a short placement in a music-related or arts-related area.
Our annual series of talks on Careers in Music offer a great chance to meet professionals active in a range of fields such as performance, music education, music journalism, arts and artist management, production and licensing, and composing for media.
Placements
Year 2 modules on the Business of Music I/II give an opportunity for a short placement, either in one block or as a series of regular workplace visits.
Next steps
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How to apply
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
