Find out more about studying MA Popular Music and Culture at Leeds Beckett University? We've gathered all the key details, entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
MA - Master of Arts
City Campus
Part Time
Sep 2027
2 Year
Immerse yourself in popular music and culture, from the grass roots of the Leeds scene to vernacular music in all its forms worldwide. Be part of a lively popular-music research community that embraces a wide variety of popular music and work alongside performers, composers and studio producers. As part of this course, you’ll: Join peers with backgrounds in music, cultural studies, music journalism, sociology, live music promotion and the creative arts Explore today’s local live music scene and its connection to the wider industry Discover the interconnectedness of popular music and cultures worldwide Engage with the multiple modes of popular music such as audio, video and still images Use ethnographic and analytical methods to gain an understanding of popular music styles and cultures Discuss the ways in which popular music is produced, mediated, celebrated and sold to audiences through the use of cultural codes, symbols and signs Take a closer look at popular music history, how it's curated, constructed and circulated Investigate how popular music heritage has been represented, mobilized and interpreted Expert practitioners You’ll benefit from being taught by a highly skilled and experienced teaching team. This includes professional international performer Dr Sue Miller, who has published widely on popular music, practice research (‘Capturing Liveness’) and Latin music (‘Improvising Sabor, Cuban Dance Music in New York’), Dr Paul Thompson (‘Creativity in the Recording Studio’) and Dr Tenley Martin (‘Transnational Flamenco’). Both Dr Miller and Dr Thompson have collaborated on British Academy funded practice research projects in popular music. Industry links You’ll have the chance to network with industry professionals on the course and through our guest lecture series. Previous speakers have included the musician and sound designer Suzanne Ciani, multimedia artist and author Paul D Miller AKA DJ Spooky, and Production/Tour Manager Simon Green (Wu Tang Clan). We also have fantastic links with local and national music, arts and festival organisations, which help ensure you get the most from your course.
Gain an understanding of the debates about cultural value and develop an understanding of how popular music heritage has been defined by various agents. You will critically examine how popular music heritage has been represented, mobilized and interpreted.
Develop a range of theoretical perspectives drawing on contemporary research into the ecology of the music industries and how different stakeholders across the music sector work together.
Develop an awareness of the methods and skills required in order to carry out successful research at Masters Level. You will identify a field of study that is pertinent to your award and practice, and you will explore appropriate research methods whilst expressing concepts and hypotheses critically and in the light of evidence.
Examine performance, record production, video and reception and the meaning of music for your small scale, individual research project which focuses on the analysis of popular music artefacts.
Develop high-level skills in your particular field of study, with the aim of enhancing both your knowledge and employability. Working with your tutor, you will identify an appropriate project, undertake a self-directed piece of work, and put forward an evaluative framework under which the work can be assessed.
Investigate a host of contemporary issues affecting the practice of operating in the music industries, focusing on one key area determined by your own interests.
Combine your learning into a significant piece of work, the nature of which will be determined by yourself and the course team.
