Music and English Literature (BA)
- UCAS code: WQ33
- Next intake: September 2021
- Duration: 3 years
- Mode: Full time
Entry Year
Why study this course
The School of Music and the School of English, Communication and Philosophy offer challenging courses of modules in each subject. The flexibility of the course allows you to specialise and develop your own interests, while acquiring a solid, broad-based education and developing transferable skills. English Literature at Cardiff University offers access to the whole span of English literature, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the 21st century. Nor is the curriculum restricted to the printed word – we are intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, music, history, language, and popular culture, and our teaching reflects these interests.
After a grounding in your first year, you are free to follow a traditional course covering multiple periods and genres or to build a more distinctive mix of modules combining literary study with analysis of other cultural forms.
Home to the arts, Cardiff is a great location for the study of music in the UK. The city has a professional opera company, Welsh National Opera, and a professional symphony orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The School of Music enjoys a fruitful relationship with both organisations that allows, for instance, students to attend dress rehearsals and buy cut-price tickets for concerts.
As a joint honours student, you will find that often there are complementary issues and perspectives as well as skills and that link subjects, be they critical analysis, historical contexts or recent research. You will spend a similar amount of time on each subject, benefiting from developing your music understanding and skills while studying the fascinating and challenging subject of English Literature.
You are expected to have gained or shown evidence of working towards Grade 8 in one or more instruments or voice at the time of your application. You may be considered if you are not taking A-level Music but have (or are working towards) Grade 7/8 Theory and are studying appropriate Humanities subjects at A-level.
We do not routinely interview applicants for this programme. Applicants with a non-traditional qualification may be invited to attend an informal interview in the School of English, Communication and Philosophy which will have a bearing on the selection decision.
Distinctive features
- This course is especially suited to those interested in seeing music within a broad cultural context, embracing the literary, the social and the political
- The option in both subjects to write a dissertation lets you choose a topic that draws on both disciplines
- Instrumental tuition is fully funded by the School of Music on your principal study instrument for students taking a Practical Musicianship module
- Business of Music modules offer a short work placement
- Composition workshops, performance masterclasses, the University concert series, the John Bird lectures presented by visiting academics and the careers talks provides many opportunities for contact with active music professionals
Where you'll study
School of Music
Our lively, community-led School offers rigorous musical training and rich opportunities for performance, composition and music studies.
School of English, Communication and Philosophy
Powered by pioneering research, we celebrate curiosity, engage in informed debate and critical analysis, and encourage creative thinking - across and beyond our disciplines.
Entry requirements
ABB-BBB. 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 Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard A level offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
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.
32-31 overall or 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.
Other UK qualifications may also be accepted, often in lieu of A-levels, but subject requirements must be met. If you are offering non-UK qualifications, our qualification equivalences guide should allow you to calculate what kind of offer you are likely to receive.
Please be aware that this is a general guide, and that some programmes may have more detailed or specific entry requirements which will be reflected in your offer.
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 minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading and 20 for speaking.
PTE Academic
At least 62 overall with a minimum of 51 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.
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 Tier 4 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.
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.
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
UK and EU students (2021/22)
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2021/22 academic year. Fees for the previous year were £9,000.
Students from outside the EU (2021/22)
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2021/22 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.
Course structure
This is a three-year full-time degree, consisting of 120 credits a year, split between the two Schools. Most modules are worth 20 credits.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2021/22 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2021.
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 | MU1107 | 10 credits |
| Ethnomusicology 1: Music in Human Life | MU1124 | 10 credits |
| Elements of Tonal Music 1 | MU1125 | 20 credits |
| A History of Popular Music | MU1126 | 10 credits |
| The Full Works | MU1128 | 20 credits |
| Composition 1B | MU1208 | 10 credits |
| Elements of Tonal Music 2 | MU1227 | 20 credits |
| From Page to Stage: Dramaturgy in Musical Theatre | MU1230 | 10 credits |
| Practical Musicianship 1 | MU1314 | 10 credits |
| Repertoire Studies | MU1317 | 20 credits |
| Practical Contribution Portfolio I | MU1318 | 10 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
Instrumental tuition is fully funded by the School of Music on your principal study instrument if you are taking a Practical Musicianship module. This includes accompaniment at your final recital. You receive 24 half-hour lessons over the course of the year.
In Music, we use a range of teaching and learning styles, including lectures, small-group seminars and workshops, individual tutorials, ensemble instrumental tuition, rehearsals, and independent study. Cardiff offers a supportive learning environment, where students are enabled to acquire a range of skills and a wealth of specialist knowledge. Our courses foster intellectual skills, such as critical thinking, close analysis, evaluating evidence, constructing arguments, using theory, and the effective deployment of language in writing and in debate. We also help you gain experience in team-working, independent research, and time management.
In English, you will be taught both by lecture and seminar. Lectures provide an overview of the key concepts and frameworks for a topic, equipping you to carry out independent research for the seminars and to develop your own ideas.
Seminars provide an opportunity for you to explore the ideas outlined in the lecture in a small group environment. Seminars would usually consist of about 15 students and the seminar leader (a member of the teaching team). Seminars may take various formats, including plenary group discussion, small group work and student-led presentations.
Year 1
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
23%
Guided independent study
77%
Placements
0%
Year 2
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
25%
Guided independent study
75%
Placements
0%
Year 3
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
0%
Guided independent study
0%
Placements
0%
How will I be supported?
For Music at the start of each year you will be given a guide to module aims, learning outcomes, methods of assessment, module syllabuses, and reading and listening lists. Your allocated personal tutors will be able to provide advice and guidance on module choices and you will have regular meetings with them.
You will have a personal tutor in both the School of Music and the School of English, Communication and Philosophy.
For the final-year projects you will have a supervisor to monitor progress and provide individual consultations by arrangement.
You will have access through the Learning Central website to relevant multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles.
The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent libraries and resource centres.
Year 1
Written exams
10%
Practical exams
8%
Coursework
83%
Year 2
Written exams
37%
Practical exams
15%
Coursework
48%
Year 3
Written exams
0%
Practical exams
0%
Coursework
0%
What skills will I practise and develop?
You will acquire and develop a range of valuable skills, both discipline specific and more generic ‘employability skills’, such as:
- asking the right questions of complex texts
- identifying and applying relevant data
- critical skills (reasoning, evaluating evidence, problem-solving, relating theory to practice)
- oral and written communication skills
- coping with uncertainty/complexity
- creativity and innovative thinking
- computer literacy
- leadership, teamwork and self-management
- identifying, recording and communicating your relevant career attainments
Careers and placements
Career prospects
In 2015/16, 95% of the School of Music’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduation.
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.
In 2015/16, 95% of the School of English, Communication and Philosophy’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduation.
Placements
Year two 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.
