Course specification and structure
Undergraduate Course Structures Postgraduate Course Structures

UDMBLIVE - BA Music Business and Live Entertainment

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Bachelor of Arts Level Honours
Possible interim awards Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Higher Education, Certificate of Higher Education, Bachelor of Arts
Total credits for course 360
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University
School Guildhall Faculty of Business and Law
Subject Area School of Management
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Full-time 3 YEARS 8 YEARS
Part-time 4 YEARS 8 YEARS
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

The growth areas of music business (live, digital) are thus appropriately addressed in full practical and experiential context which closely matches both the employment profile and entrepreneurial nature of the music business in the early twenty-first century.

The music industry creates a significant contribution to economic and cultural life in the UK and globally. The UK music industry is the world’s third largest, after USA and Japan and as such is a major generator of employment within Britain and other developed nations. The global music industry is reaching its centenary and a new cycle in its development is in full swing; the use of recordings and modern media remain the driving forces behind the omnipresence of music in everyday life worldwide. As the transformational nature of new, interactive digital platforms for communication and distribution of creative content presents all creative sectors - and the music industry at the centre - with prospects and challenges that lead to change, this course pays special attention to the strategic management of change, patterns of digital and interactive communication and content distribution, and new business models fit for the 21st century.

This course is designed for those who wish to work within the music industry or any of the multitude of sectors associated with it, as music remains ubiquitous in a multitude of forms of entertainment, culture and creativity. Contemporary media cannot be imagined without it, and nor can many of the revenue generators in the global world of business where music plays a pivotal role. Our students will enter the industry at an exciting time, a time of change when entrepreneurial spirit and a drive for innovation are widely rewarded as many success stories of emerging music services show. As the old business models are transformed, new, energetic entrepreneurs get their chance to compete with the market leaders. Therefore we put significant emphasis on creative, independent thinking, analytical skills, networking and placement opportunities, business innovation and conceptual development.

Our educational philosophy is rooted in the development of creative and enterprising individuals who are able to function, manage and perform in a multitude of challenging professional environments and who are capable of developing an in-depth understanding of the context in which the music, and allied creative industries operate both globally and locally.

There is an emphasis on preparation for the world of work by providing students with skills that will enable them to work effectively in the contexts that constitute the music industry and the variety of related creative businesses. Such skills combine a variety of contexts and cognitive approaches.

This philosophy shall be achieved through learner-centred strategies that establish theoretical understanding aligned with the development of employability emphasised through a blend of exploration and application of management theory with business practice, set amongst emerging global digital technology, with an emphasis on practical application to solve live or simulated business problems through enquiry-based strategies associated with problem-based and practice-based learning. Learning shall be underpinned through direct experience of industry specialists, their companies, associated high profile clients and partner organisations.
Additionally, students shall be provided with opportunities to establish their own specialisation in a range of subjects that include business modelling, project management, creativity and enterprise, and artist management within the music industry, associated sectors and creative business environments utilising such convergent specialist skills, fit for the new type of industry professional.

Course aims

The aims of this course are:
1. To provide students with an intellectually demanding programme of study which enhances understanding of the nature and characteristics of the music industry and its links to any management application in related industries and sectors; and an intellectual awareness of the position of the music industry within the broader set of creative industry contexts
2. To provide students with the theory and application of key management concepts, approaches and techniques that are central to the music industry, and to augment theoretical concepts with a framework of experiential learning to ensure that students possess the practical skills necessary to make a positive and effective contribution within their chosen industry
3. To provide students with a comprehensive analysis of the transformational context of fragmented digital distribution and communications channels within the global music industry context, and how, through an applied conceptualisation of contemporary theory and practice, the music industry utilises the prospects and pressures presented by the transformational forces of interactive digital platforms and novel entertainment models.
4. To foster an evaluation of the social, cultural, economic and political environment in which the music industry operates and the strategic implications and broader social responsibilities that this environment generates
5. To develop a high degree of graduateness in the students, to enhance the ability of individuals to operate as effective learners, both individually and collaboratively, and to provide a wide range of transferable skills to ensure that graduates develop and succeed in professional careers in a variety of business contexts.

Course learning outcomes

This course will equip students with the skills and attributes that will enable them to compete with success in the complex and challenging music industry environment and employment market. This will be achieved by nurturing, developing and refining the outcomes based on the following:

The QAA statement for Business And Management subjects require the achievement in and consistent demonstration of a breadth, depth, integration and application of knowledge and understanding; subject-specific and intellectual skills; learning, personal and interpersonal skills; the capacity to deal with uncertainty and complexity; and the capabilities of evaluation, reflection, creativity and originality. These outcomes shall be delivered primarily through ten, 30-credit core modules, supported by a choice of 15-credit option modules.

The undergraduate attributes shall be delivered through the following aims. Students successfully completing the course shall be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

  • Demonstrate an in-depth underpinning description and elaboration of the nature, characteristics and scope of the music industry and of the sectors that constitute allied creative and cultural industries
  • Evidence an evaluation of the scale, scope and impact of the music industry and its practice within the context of effective planning, implementation and strategy
  • Demonstrate an analysis of the interrelation between the music industry and allied creative and cultural industries, and an awareness of the holistic relationship between themes, principles, functions and practice, and the provision of content
  • Apply the analysis of the changing landscape of digital platforms and the demands of associated markets, and the operational challenges and commercial opportunities that result from uncertainty and complexity in terms of consumers and markets, esp. in music contexts
  • Analyse, synthesise and reflect upon the implications that the global marketplace for digital communications and music has on legal and ethical issues
  • Develop a reflective elaboration of the social, cultural, economic and structural factors that determine the functioning of the music industry within the context of its operations, the market and strategy and its nesting within a broader context of creative & cultural industries

Cognitive skills

  • Demonstrate discipline-specific summarisation skills and practices to allow collaborative engagement around relevant, authentic problems and questions
  • Engage in reflective and critical thinking and analysis of case-studies and real-world business problems, and consult a variety of resources in order to synthesis solutions
  • Carry out independent and collaborative scholarly research and investigation resulting in new knowledge and understanding, conceptual models and frameworks
  • Use established intellectual tools and critical skills to conduct the analysis and synthesis of concepts, data, methods and theories and find music industry applications
  • Develop critical reflection capabilities for considered opinion in the context of evidence and argumentation about issues in music industry contexts
  • Demonstrate a reflective elaboration of diversity in terms of social, economic, cultural and market criteria within the music industry context
  • Show a methodological evaluation of the causality, ambiguity and limits of knowledge

Transferable skills

  • Demonstrate the mastery of a range of skills and attributes which contribute to graduateness and effectiveness in the 21st century workplace, such as innovation, presentation, decision making, critical thinking, problem solving, persuasion, self-assessment and communication
  • Apply of a variety of management theories, concepts, methods and tools to a variety of music industry and media business contexts to deliver operational goals and strategic objectives
  • Operate successfully as an individual and in collaborative contexts, and develop and maintain personal, interpersonal and team motivation and achievement
  • Adopt a creative, original and entrepreneurial stance to new product and service development

Subject-specific practical skills

  • Evaluate and apply business and music industry management theory, models and practice to the formulation of business processes, plans and strategy in a variety of industry contexts
  • Demonstrate a detailed analysis of the economic, social, political and cultural context within which music organisations and creative industry businesses operate; in conjunction with an understanding of key sectors, the national and international markets and stakeholders within the industries
  • Analyse and synthesise the legal constraints upon the communications and media sectors relating to laws and regulation, defamation, privacy, confidentiality; and how music companies can best manage and license rights and intellectual properties
  • Devise effective ways to strategically develop, market and promote music and music-related products and services using the opportunities presented by the variety of creative digital platforms, such as social media, mobile technology and data rich digital environments
  • Demonstrate a critical evaluation of changes in the global landscape for content, esp. music and how this is influenced by manifold creative industry sectors and sub-sectors; the subsequent impact on demand, and how business can exploit these opportunities
  • Understand the distinctive challenges facing different facets of creative industry and content management sectors, and the meaning of uncertainty; and the challenges these present to the future production, distribution, marketing and promotion of music
  • Investigate and illustrate the use of existing technologies, and the key technological developments that are contributing to changes in music production, marketing, distribution and promotion, and digital media business products and services
  • Analyse the role of digital technologies and the impact these developments have on the discovery and management of artists, the collection, management and publication of content, the significance to the industries of user-generated content, and other emerging themes

Principle QAA benchmark statements

A QAA statement does not exist for this discipline; the QAA Typical statement for Business And Management has been adopted in the interim.

Assessment strategy

You are assessed via essays, exams, group presentations, business reports, problem-based activities, practice-based projects, group research projects, and a final dissertation.

In addition, you will be required to engage in ongoing formative tasks within workshops and seminars that may include brainstorming, idea generation, role-play, and case study analysis.

Organised work experience, work based learning, sandwich year or year abroad

As part of our Undergraduate Student Promise, every student will undertake accredited work-related learning (in either the form of a work placement or ‘live’ project with a partner organisation or planning to set up small business) as a core, compulsory element within their course programme.

You will have the option of taking the “Level 5 or 6 Learning Through Work” or “LT5025 Live Music and Events Practice” 15 credit module in your course programme. Additionally you have the option of taking an additional 30 credit 12 month sandwich placement module (which would extend your course to four years).

Work-related learning provides students with:

  • the experience of a competitive recruitment process or pitching for an opportunity
  • a work-related experience or project which impacts a real organisation
  • assessment and feedback on their reflections on their experience of the work-related learning and planning for their future career.

Where required, students will be supported in finding suitable opportunities which can be either be a placement, part-time role or ’live’ project for an external organisation untaken within the University. We have dedicated placements and careers teams who will assist learners with all aspects of their job search and application. The suitability of the opportunities will be assessed by the Module Leader on an individual basis. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for opportunities and engage with the relevant University personnel who to assist them in gaining a suitable role.

Learners may be able to utilise their existing part-time / vacation employment (whether or not this relates to their subject area), providing they can demonstrate that it is personally developmental and involves responsibility (decided upon submission of the role details by the Module Leader).

Career opportunities

Completing this course greatly increases your employment prospects and business opportunities in the music industry. This is an exciting time to enter the music industry, as it transforms into an ever more multifaceted field of practice that utilises digital platforms and new business models, a trend that is set to continue.

This course will equip you with the skills required for entrepreneurial practice and management; typical job roles include but are not restricted to: record company executives, roles in digital music platforms and services, digital marketing and distribution roles, publishing managers, tour managers, artist managers, managers and PR consultants, music industry collection Society Managers’ strategy advisers, venue and festival promoters, marketing and PR consultants.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

  • 280 or more UCAS points, including at least 180 from two or more A levels (or equivalent, eg BTEC National, OCR Diploma or Advanced Diploma) in academic or business subjects.
  • English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C or above (or equivalent) are also required.

These requirements may be varied in individual cases.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2014/15 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 02 Sep 2014 Last validation date 02 Sep 2014  
Sources of funding HE FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND
JACS codes N200 (Management Studies): 100%
Route code MBLIVE

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 04 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LT4001 Economics and Finance for the Service Sector Core 30        
LT4005 Introduction to the Music Industry and Creative... Core 30        
LT4010 Communication and Understanding Information Core 30        
MC4004 Principles and Practice in Marketing Core 30        

Stage 2 Level 05 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LT5009 Live Music, Venues and Merchandising Core 30        
LT5012 Music Industry Management and Music Business Pr... Core 30        
LT5016 Music and Entertainment Law Core 30        
LT5055 Global Digital Music Distribution Option 15        
LT5056 Music Appreciation & Creative Methods Option 15        
LT5057 Music Industry Practice Project Option 15        
MN5W50 Creating a Winning Business 1 Option 15 NORTH SPR FRI PM
          NORTH AUT WED AM
          NORTH SPR WED AM
          NORTH AUT WED PM
          NORTH SPR WED PM
          NORTH AUT THU AM
          NORTH SPR THU AM
          NORTH SPR THU AM
          NORTH AUT THU PM
          NORTH AUT FRI AM
          NORTH SPR FRI AM
          NORTH AUT FRI PM
MN5W55 Learning through Work Option 15 NORTH AUT WED AM
          NORTH SPR WED AM
          NORTH AUT WED PM
          NORTH SPR WED PM
          NORTH AUT THU AM
          NORTH SPR THU AM
          NORTH SPR THU PM
          NORTH AUT FRI AM
          NORTH SPR FRI AM
          NORTH AUT FRI PM
          NORTH SPR FRI PM
          NORTH AUT THU PM

Stage 3 Level 06 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
LT6007 Intellectual Property and Music Publishing Core 30        
LT6008 The Orchard Lab: Creative Strategy Practice in ... Core 30        
LT6051 Artist and Repertoire Core 15 NORTH SPR WED PM
LT6055 Creative Practice and Digital Music Business Mo... Core 15        
LT6P01 Theory and Practice in Research Core 30        
MN6W04 Professional Experience Year Placement Alt Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR NA