Music, Multimedia and Electronics BSc

Course overview

Our BSc Music, Multimedia and Electronics (MME) course is unique, offering you specialisms in music, electrical engineering and the intersection of the disciplines, and accreditation as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng). The course is delivered jointly by the School of Music and the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

The course offers a balance of modules taken in each School across the degree. In Electronics, you’ll develop and apply knowledge in areas such as circuit design, embedded systems, audio signal processing and digital media. In Music, you’ll explore key concepts, theories and approaches in music technology, electronic and computer music, and various musical styles and genres in their social contexts. The programme culminates in a Music, Multimedia and Electronics Project, combining the learning from across your degree in a research-informed practical context. You’ll develop your skills as a creative, critical and reflective thinker and researcher capable of working across music and engineering, gaining the tools and experience needed to be an independent worker, ready for life after university.

You’ll study with academics in both Schools who are experts in their fields, receiving support from dedicated technical teams. Across your course, you’ll engage with the latest research, explore a range of theoretical, creative and applied aspects of music, multimedia and electronics, and develop a set of valuable subject-specific and transferrable skills. You’ll have opportunities to work independently and collaboratively, developing your skills and knowledge in contexts that extend beyond the University environment. All these elements combine to provide you with an exciting and dynamic educational experience that is unique to Leeds.

We are one of the largest schools of music in the country, which means you’ll benefit from the impressive range of specialisms within our curriculum, reflecting our ethos that music is music, regardless of genre or style. We attract a diverse body of students from across the UK and internationally, which gives the School a vibrant community and culture. Decolonisation, equality and inclusivity are embedded within our curriculum, so all our students can feel a sense of belonging in the School and can thrive on their course, no matter what their background and musical experience.

Additionally, the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences has a specific commitment to supporting women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

In the recent national Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) exercise, 93% of our research was considered to be ‘internationally excellent’ or better in terms of its originality, significance and rigour, with 56% rated as ‘world leading’, the highest classification. Each of these measures places us within the top 10 Schools of Music in the country based on the REF 2021 results for the subject area. Engineering is ranked similarly within its sector, with 97% of the University’s research in this area was rated as being at least ‘internationally excellent’, with 54% classed as ‘world leading’.

We work closely with our students, particularly through our active Student Staff Partnership Forum, to ensure that we offer the best possible experience to everyone studying in the School of Music. Our Industrial Advisory Board – an invited body of professionals from across the professional music sector, including several alumni – actively supports the ongoing development of our courses to ensure they deliver the skills and opportunities our students need to prepare them for life after university.

The School of Music is part of a strong musical community at the University of Leeds, and there are numerous Leeds University Union (LUU) clubs and societies that offer opportunities to get involved in music and performance activities. The Leeds University Union Music Society (LUUMS) is one of the Union’s largest societies and boasts ten ensembles including orchestras, choirs, brass and wind ensembles, and a composers’ collective. LUUMS is linked to the School of Music as our departmental society, and the School and LUUMS work closely on social events and the promotion of musical opportunities. School of Music students also often participate in other campus-based ensembles, including the Clothworkers Consort of Leeds (led by School of Music staff members) and Student Union performance societies, such as:

• BPM – Electronic music and DJ society

• Backstage society

• The LUU Big Band

• Various musical theatre, opera and pantomime groups

• Societies focused on jazz and blues, folk, and pop music

• A cappella (unaccompanied) singing

You might also be interested in joining ShockSoc, the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Society, which runs a mix of social, skill development and even a ‘robot fighting league’ (similar to BBC2’s Robot Wars).

The Clothworkers Concert Hall in the School of Music hosts our diverse International Concert Series, and the Students’ Union runs regular gigs and its long-standing Friday evening club night, ‘Fruity’. Beyond the University campus, the city of Leeds provides numerous opportunities to engage with a wide variety of musics at venues including:

• Leeds First Direct Arena, a fixture on the national touring circuit for leading artists and bands

• Leeds Grand Theatre, which routinely presents touring West End musicals, comedy and other shows, and is the home of Opera North (a partner of the University) and Northern Ballet

• Leeds Playhouse, which presents a range of stage musicals and other theatrical productions, several of which then tour nationally

• Leeds Town Hall, home to the Leeds International Concert Season (LICS), which usually features a wide range of international orchestras within its programming. LICS also run various chamber music series at venues including Holy Trinity Church, Leeds Cathedral, and The Venue at Leeds Conservatoire

• O2 Academy Leeds hosts a range of popular-music events including its regular ‘Indie Thursdays’ and ‘PROJEKT’ club nights

• Seven Arts, an independent arts space and a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that presents a range of jazz, popular and light musics within its diverse programme

• The Brudenell Social Club, which hosts events most nights of the week and covers a wide range of musical genres

All these elements combine to make studying Music, Multimedia and Electronics at the University of Leeds a distinctive and memorable experience that actively supports our students to pursue careers or future study within and beyond these areas.

Facilities

The School of Music provides you with dedicated, purpose-built facilities complete with studios and computer clusters for sound recording, software development and computer-music composition, and a multiple-loudspeaker system, supplemented by a wide range of specialist software and recording equipment to help with your studies. The facilities in the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering include dedicated electronics laboratories with state-of-the art equipment, such as the latest digital oscilloscopes and waveform generators, supplemented by extensive computing equipment. Both Schools have their own learning and teaching spaces.

At the heart of our School is the Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, a beautiful performance space that hosts a large and varied programme of concerts in term time. As a student in the School, you can attend events in the International Concert Series programme free of charge. The spacious Clothworkers Foyer is the School’s social hub, and doubles as a venue for popular music and informal performances, including the LUUMS ‘Friday Feature’ series.

Accreditation

Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

The BSc Music, Multimedia and Electronics is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng). Accreditation is the assurance that a university course meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. For this course, these are the quality standards set by the IET.

Course details

This course is structured to give you a strong grounding in music, multimedia and electronics, bringing these areas together in a final-year capstone project.

Year 1

During your first year, you’ll be introduced to theories and concepts in music technology and electronic music. Developing core skills in musical research and practice-research, you’ll explore circuits, engineering maths and the physics of electronic devices.

Compulsory Modules

Studio Recording (20 credits)

This module introduces you to the theory and practice of studio recording. You’ll develop an awareness of the work of a range of practitioners, enabling you to contextualise your own practice and gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which sound recording may be undertaken, and the impacts of the decisions taken during the process.

Electronic Music (20 credits)

On this module, you’ll be introduced to and develop your skills in electronic music. Practical and theoretical approaches to creating electronic music will be related to key historical, technical and social developments, contextualising your learning and use of technology. The module will encourage you to adopt a creative, critical and self-reflective approach to the creation of electronic music.

Music and Society (20 credits)

This module supports the development of research and practice-research skills and sets you on the way to being a critical and creative thinker. Rather than offering a chronological overview of music history, the module provides a thematic exploration of music in historical and contemporary, Western and global contexts (including the specific and diverse musical culture of Leeds), examining how musical practice reflects and shapes society. The development of academic research skills is integrated into this exploration, enabling you to thoroughly engage with the topics covered, to understand and address the challenges and arguments they present.

• Circuit Analysis and Design (20 credits)
• Physics of Electronic Devices (20 credits)
• Engineering Maths (20 credits)

Year 2

In the second year, you’ll continue to develop your skills, applying your learning in new contexts. There is a strong emphasis on the relationship between theory and practice, and you’ll consider how you understand and evidence your experience and expertise in different contexts. You’ll be able to take optional modules in areas of music that might connect with or differ from those taken in the first year, depending on your focus and future goals. You might complete a work placement or international year between your second and final years of study.

Compulsory Modules

Computer Music (20 credits)

On this module, you’ll be introduced to and develop your skills in computer music. Key historical, technical and social developments will contextualise practical and theoretical approaches to creating contemporary experimental computer music to enhance your learning and use of technology. The module will introduce and develop your use of musical programming languages, adopting a critical, creative and self-reflective approach to computer music.

Applied Music Technology (20 credits)

On this module, you'll explore applied music technology, contextualising your practice and situating it within broader approaches to music technology. You'll engage with topics such as sound synthesis, sound practice, music production and music-creation technologies, developing your applied, critical and problem-solving skills through collaborative practical work.

Researching Music (20 credits)

Music is a multi-disciplinary subject, and musical research employs a diverse range of methods. On this module, members of staff draw on their own research projects to support your development of musicological (text-based, archival, analytical), practice-based (creative practice as research, applied research) and empirical (questionnaires, focus groups, interviews) research techniques, leading to you creating a proposal for your own research project.

• Electronic Circuits and Systems Design (20 credits)
• Embedded Systems Project (20 credits)
• Microprocessors and Programmable Logic (20 credits)

Final Year

The final year is centred around an independent project, enabling you to pursue a music, multimedia and electronics topic of your own choosing. This will take the form of an individual practice-research project, devised and completed under the guidance of supervisors from the two teaching Schools. Alongside this, you’ll study various aspects of electronics and take a module designed to support the transition from university to life beyond graduation, on which you’ll carry out a collaborative project based on an external brief. You’ll also have the chance to choose an optional module in music technology, contemporary composition or musicology that complements your project work and the skills you are developing.

Compulsory Modules

Music, Multimedia and Electronics Project (40 credits)

This module gives you the chance to explore an area of music, multimedia and electronics of your own choosing. You’ll identify and apply appropriate research methods to contextualise and answer your research questions through a portfolio of practice with written commentary. Whichever approach you choose, you’ll work with supervisors from the teaching Schools who will offer you guidance as you devise, manage and produce your independent project.

Music Beyond Graduation (20 credits)

This module provides an opportunity to examine the ways in which expertise in music can be applied beyond your studies. You’ll be encouraged to consider the relevance of your academic studies and skills beyond Higher Education and to reflect on how framing your studies within an external context can inform your learning and academic practice. Working in a small group on a project commission, you’ll respond to a brief provided by either an external partner or an academic researcher. The module will support you to reflect on your personal skills development and the ethical implications of working with external partners. The nature of the outputs will depend on the specific needs of each project and may involve research and analysis, curating an exhibition or event, creating online resources, or developing a project plan for a musical intervention.

• Audio Signal Processing (20 credits)
• Professional Studies (10 credits)
• Digital Media (10 credits)

Optional Module in an area of music such as (each 20 credits):

• Contemporary Composition
• Music Technology
• Musicology

The course is designed to equip you with a broad range of advanced musical and transferrable skills, which were determined through consultation with our undergraduate students. You’ll cultivate and hone critical, creative and communication skills and develop your cultural awareness and ability to make connections across disciplinary areas and contexts. You’ll strengthen personal attributes, including confidence, self-reflection and resilience, and problem-solving skills such as adaptability and initiative. Through your degree, you’ll learn to adopt a professional mindset and approach, and have opportunities to demonstrate these qualities through collaborative, independent and extended projects.

Fieldwork

Elements of local fieldwork may be embedded in modules that take you outside the teaching space as part of the learning experience, such as sound recording in external locations.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

Year 1 compulsory modules

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

Year 2 compulsory modules

Year 2 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

Year 3 compulsory modules

Year 3 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Music, Multimedia and Electronics BSc in the course catalogue.

Discovery modules

Throughout your degree you will benefit from a range of opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside or within your subject area.

This course gives you the opportunity to choose from a range of discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Find out more about discovery modules on our Broadening webpages.

Learning and teaching

Academics in the School of Music and the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering are experts in their fields, and their activities inform their teaching directly. We use a range of inclusive, active and student-centred approaches to learning and teaching to engage you in your course and support you to develop your knowledge, understanding, and skills. Depending on the modules you choose, your learning and teaching methods may include taught and self-directed sessions in laboratories, studios and computer clusters, workshops, and practice-based sessions, as well as lectures, seminars, tutorials and other small-group learning classes.

Taught sessions are only a part of university learning, and on many of our modules you’ll be supplied with online learning resources designed to work in tandem with classroom sessions. Some modules may require you to engage with videos, podcasts, readings or other activities before class sessions, with some of the classroom time devoted to debate, discussion and deeper learning based on how students have interpreted the online materials. Your learning experience will offer opportunities for collaboration and peer learning, as well as fostering a culture of reflection and self-awareness. Independent study is also an important part of your course, and you’ll develop your critical, creative and research skills through time spent in the University Library, laboratories and studios.

We support your learning in several ways. Resources are made available through our virtual learning environment, Minerva, you can seek assistance as required from our experienced technical staff and your Academic Personal Tutor, and there is extensive support for students offered through the academic skills programme at the University Library. Additionally, staff have office hours when they are available should you have questions, or you need to ask for help. We also work closely with the University’s Language Centre to ensure that international students are fully supported and able to thrive on our courses.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We use a variety of assessment methods, each of which is chosen to best measure your achievement of a module’s learning outcomes and associated skills, so you and we can understand and support your progress and development. Depending on the modules you choose, you are likely to encounter a mix of written assignments (eg essays, reports, reviews, reflective logs), creative outputs and portfolios (eg compositions, technology projects, recordings, notation assignments), recitals and performances, presentations, project work, and online assessments. Some assignments will be completed individually, some collaboratively, and some may require elements of group working leading to individual submissions.

You might be given a brief, question or problem to be addressed, or you may have scope to determine your own question or approach under the guidance of a member of staff. You’ll be given clear instructions regarding the assessment requirements and criteria, and you’ll receive feedback on your work to support your learning as you progress through your course. Assessments will usually require you to synthesise and evaluate learning from multiple taught sessions and learning resources (eg a module’s lectures, seminars, set readings and other online resources), and you should think of your course as a whole, and apply your learning across your modules. Creative and practical work may offer you the chance to take risks and experiment with new ideas and concepts, and in all cases we encourage you to challenge yourself, to think critically and creatively, to move as far beyond your comfort zone as you can, and to reflect on your working process and achievement.

Our assessments are designed to be fair and inclusive, to engage you intellectually and to help prepare you for life beyond University through the development of relevant skills, knowledge and experience.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAB including Mathematics

Normally students will have studied Music and/or Music Technology, or should be able to demonstrate or provide evidence of previous practical and theoretical experience in the field of music technology, electronic music, or computer music.

GCSE: usually 5 at A-C, including English at Grade C/4 or above

Alternative qualification

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the School’s Undergraduate Admissions Team.

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.

Typical Access to Leeds offer: BBB at A Level and pass Access to Leeds

International

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. Contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information

International Foundation Year

International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

Fees

UK: £9,250 (per year)

International: £25,500 (per year)

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2023/24 and 2024/25
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students are set by the UK Government and will remain capped at £9,250 for 2023/24 and 2024/25. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation only as a consequence of future changes in Government legislation and as permitted by law.

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2023/24 and 2024/25
Tuition fees for international students for 2023/24 and 2024/25 are available on individual course pages.

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Applying

Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

Read our guidance about applying.

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Suitable candidates will be invited for interview as part of the selection process. Interviews usually take place between November and March during one of the post-application open days, meaning you’ll also have the chance to visit both schools and meet some staff and students.

Admissions tutors will consider your experience, skills and knowledge in relation to the academic demands of the course. The interview is important for demonstrating your experience, skills and knowledge, asking any questions you have about the course, and letting us know your views on music and technology.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024

This course is taught by

School of Music

Contact us

School of Music Undergraduate Admissions

Email: musicug@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Career opportunities

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.

Study abroad and work placements

During your second year, you’ll have the opportunity to apply to transfer onto our BSc Music, Multimedia and Electronics (International) variant and extend your degree by a year, spending your third year studying at one of our many partner universities worldwide. The University has over 300 University exchange partnerships worldwide, including many of the world’s top-ranking institutions in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, East and South-East Asia, South Africa and Latin America.

The University also has a ‘Horizon Year Abroad’ scheme with selected partner institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America. On the Horizon scheme the focus is on developing linguistic and intercultural competencies, and you’re not limited to taking modules in your degree subject.

Studying abroad is a great opportunity to enhance your CV and gain a new perspective on your studies, as well as deepening your cultural awareness through a more varied experience. In addition to being a highlight of your degree, it can give you real confidence in a competitive job market.

Find out more at the Study Abroad website.

Practical work experience can help you decide on your career and enhance your employability. You’ll have the opportunity to extend your programme by doing a work-placement year between your second and final years of study, working with one or more organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors in the UK, or overseas. It’s a great opportunity to gain valuable experience and contacts, and some students go on to work for their placement companies after they graduate.

An industrial placement could be the opportunity you need to impress potential employers. It can also give you the chance to learn more about working in the music sector (though you can do a work placement in any area – it does not have to relate to music), discover the sorts of opportunities and pathways that exist, and improve your chances of identifying and securing the career you want.

There are lots of benefits of doing a work placement year, including:

• Gaining invaluable insight into working as a professional in your chosen sector.

• Building professional contacts within your chosen field.

• Advancing the learning and skills cultivated through your degree by putting them into practice beyond your studies.

• Improving your employability through development of your skills and experience, and enhancement of your CV.

• Increasing your confidence, self-belief and resilience.

• You’ll transfer onto our BSc Music, Multimedia and Electronics (Industrial) variant, demonstrating your added experience to future employers and making your degree stand out.

The work-placement scheme is managed by our dedicated Faculty Employability team, who can support you to find the right placement to suit you and your future career goals. Examples of placements BSc Music, Multimedia and Electronics students have recently completed include:

• Assistant Engineer and Editor (Audio Production and Post-Production) at Floating Earth

• Technology Professional – Software Development at BT

• Undergraduate Placement at Diamond Light Source

• Service Assistant at Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd

• Software Developer Intern at GForce Software

• Broadcast Student Placement at Dolby Europe Ltd.

You can also find general information about work experience on the Careers website.

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