Our programme offers you intensive specialist training in contemporary vocal performance with the skills needed for a career in the professional entertainment industry.

 

Key information:

 

Start date:

September 2027

UCAS code:

W300

Duration:

3 years

Institution:

City St George’s, University of London

School and Department:

Locations:

  • Northampton Square
  • The Old Finsbury Town Hall

Why choose this course?

  • Benefit from regular one-to-one vocal tuition, project supervision, and tailored feedback that support your technical, artistic, and professional growth.
  • Gain real-world experience through solo and ensemble work, access to gigs across London venues, and performance opportunities as a singer, songwriter, or producer.
  • Study at a top-ranked institution, holding a position of 3rd in London for overall student satisfaction and 8th in the UK for Music.

Course overview

Develop your unique artistic voice while building the technical, creative and professional skills needed to thrive as a contemporary vocalist. Through practical performance, creative exploration and critical enquiry, you will refine your vocal technique, broaden your stylistic versatility and gain the confidence to work across a wide range of contemporary performance contexts.

Your studies will span contemporary music genres and styles, including pop, musical theatre, jazz, global and classical music. Throughout the programme, you will engage in solo and collaborative performance, independent music creation, critical exploration of contemporary music-making, and the industry and entrepreneurial skills needed for a sustainable career in the creative industries. Alongside collaborative learning, you will benefit from regular one-to-one vocal tuition and project supervision, providing personalised feedback that supports your technical, artistic and professional development.

In Year 1, you will establish strong foundations in vocal technique, solo and group performance, musicianship and musical understanding. The Music Today modules broaden your awareness of contemporary musical practices, while Healthier Performer supports you in developing sustainable approaches to vocal and physical wellbeing. Singing and Voice 1 introduces a diverse range of repertoire, enabling you to begin discovering your own vocal identity through healthy, stylistically informed performance practice.

In Year 2, you will refine your technical and artistic skills through increasingly challenging solo and ensemble performance, deepen your understanding of music in its global and cultural contexts, and tailor your studies through a range of elective modules that reflect your creative interests and career aspirations.

In Year 3, you will consolidate your artistic identity through an independently supervised Major Project in Vocal Performance, showcasing the technical, interpretative and professional skills developed throughout the programme. Further ensemble performance and specialist elective modules enable you to deepen your expertise, broaden your professional experience and prepare for employment or postgraduate study.

Performance is at the heart of the programme. Opportunities are embedded throughout your studies, ranging from solo performance and small ensemble work to larger collaborative projects involving students from across all three years. You will have access to gigs and concerts at City St George’s, and at external venues across London, in the role of performer, songwriter/composer, and/or producer, developing professional networks and gaining valuable insight into the contemporary music sector and graduate with the confidence, versatility and experience to pursue a successful career in the performing arts and creative industries.

Entry requirements

UK entry

UK entry requirements

Tariff

112 UCAS tariff points

GCSE

A minimum of grade 4 (C) in English Language and Mathematics

Contextual offers

We apply a contextual admissions process for UK undergraduate applicants who have been in care or are the first in their family to enter Higher Education. Those who are eligible may receive a conditional offer with reduced entry requirements, typically two grades lower for A-levels and one grade (or eight tariff points) for BTEC or mixed qualifications.

Read our contextual admissions policy for eligibility criteria and further information.

Mixed qualifications

Typically the only scenario where we make conditional offers expressed as UCAS tariff points is when an applicant presents mixed qualifications, most typically a combination of A-levels and a BTEC qualification.

In this instance, we may make a tariff point offer to present the applicant with more flexibility on equivalencies. In this case, please be aware that we may still ask for a specific score across certain qualifications and subjects. E.g. ‘This offer is conditional on you achieving 128 tariff points. This must include A-level Mathematics at grade B.’

Subject exclusions

We do not accept General Studies and Critical Thinking. These subjects will not be included in any conditional offer we make.

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

We welcome applications from students who are completing relevant EPQ Projects. Whilst we recognise the value of these projects in preparing students for independent learning at university, the EPQ is unlikely to form part of any conditional offer we make.

The EPQ will also not lower the specifics of any conditional offer we choose to make. We will consider the EPQ as part of the holistic assessment of the application and it could be used to form part of our final decision at Confirmation stage.

AS levels

We recognise that there will be differences of opportunity varying by school and college. As not all students will have the opportunity to sit AS Level exams, it is unlikely we will include AS Level grades in any offer we choose to make. Where students have completed an AS Level subject, we will consider this as part of the holistic assessment of the application and it could be used to form part of our final decision at Confirmation stage.

Please contact our admissions team for further information.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency.

Minimum requirements are:

IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component.

For more information, including other acceptable tests, please see the full list of English language requirements at City.

English language programmes

Don’t meet the English language requirements? INTO City St George’s, University of London offers English language programmes to help prepare you for study at university.

These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to degree courses.

International entry

As a part of City St George’s, University of London, Urdang is part of a diverse, international community of students, and we welcome applications from around the world.

We have Home Office approval to teach students at all City St George’s, University of London sites, including Finsbury Town Hall.

For all visa applications and enquiries please see our Student Visa pages for more details.

We consider international applicants and their qualifications on a case-by-case basis.

Find out more about this course

Structure and track system

This three-year BA Contemporary Vocal Performance degree gives you the specialist skills and knowledge to pursue a range of successful career paths in music.

Major Project options are available in Performance, Recording and Production, Composition and Dissertation.

Through all core modules you will develop the Graduate Attributes, five core skillsets that will help you launch a successful, fulfilling career. Find out more about the Graduate Attributes.

Year 1

In Year 1, you’ll build strong foundations in vocal technique, solo/group performance, and musicianship. “Music Today” modules broaden your awareness of contemporary practices, while “Healthier Performer” supports your long-term physical and vocal wellbeing. Finally, “Singing and Voice 1” introduces a diverse repertoire, empowering you to discover your unique vocal identity through healthy, stylistically informed performance.

Year 2

In Year 2, you will refine your technical and artistic skills through increasingly challenging solo and ensemble performance, deepen your understanding of music in its global and cultural contexts, and tailor your studies through a range of elective modules that reflect your creative interests and career aspirations.

Year 3

In Year 3, you will consolidate your artistic identity through an independently supervised Major Project in Vocal Performance, showcasing the technical, interpretative and professional skills developed throughout the programme. Further ensemble performance and specialist elective modules enable you to deepen your expertise, broaden your professional experience and prepare for employment or postgraduate study.

Placements

You can apply to take a sandwich year working in a placement between years two and three of the degree as part of the school’s Integrated Professional Training Programme.

It is also possible to spend one term on the study abroad scheme and one term in a work placement in the UK.

Teaching and assessment

Throughout your course your learning is assessed through a combination of practical, creative, project and written tasks. Marks obtained in all years contribute to the final degree awarded. Practical and project work can account for most of your marks, depending on elective choices.

Most modules include a final assignment in the form of a practical or written task. In solo and group performance modules the final assessment takes the form of a concert, gig or recital. Many modules include a smaller assignment in addition to the final assignment, in the form of a seminar presentation, a practical examination, or a short essay.

You are provided with assessment support throughout the programme in various forms, including individual and small group tutorials, on-going feedback on formative assignments, structured seminar exercises, and consultations with academic staff during weekly drop-in hours.

In Group Performance 1, 2 and 3 you will be assessed through performance in end-of-Module assessments and through ongoing participation and engagement in classwork. It is a programme level requirement that you must attend 80% of the timetabled contact teaching sessions throughout the programme unless there are extenuating circumstances. This is a pass/fail module component, it will be monitored, and you must pass this component to pass the module. If not achieved, you will be eligible for a resit (pass/fail); further details will be provided by the module tutor. This component will be zero-weighted in the module mark calculation.

Fees and funding
Fees for year 2027 / 28

To be confirmed

Our undergraduate fees are set in line with the maximum permitted by the UK Government and may increase in subsequent years in line with government policy.

Funding options

Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.

  • Fee waivers are available for this course.
  • Means tested support is available for 2026/27 entry.
20% off your study

We are offering a Graduate Loyalty Discount of 20% on tuition fees to all our alumni when applying to any of our degree courses.

To be eligible for the discount you must have successfully completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at legacy City, University of London or legacy St George’s, University of London.

To apply you will need to be accepted onto your intended course of study and to meet all the normal academic admissions criteria for the relevant course at City St George’s, University of London.

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses.

Your career

This programme prepares graduates for a wide range of opportunities across the performing arts and creative industries. Through the development of advanced performance skills, creative practice, entrepreneurship and professional experience, graduates will be well placed to pursue portfolio careers that combine a range of creative and professional roles.

Potential graduate destinations may include work as a solo vocalist, singer-songwriter, backing or session vocalist, performer for touring productions, theatre, cruise ships and live entertainment, vocal arranger, voice artist, music producer, workshop facilitator, vocal coach, or in graduate roles within arts management, music administration and the wider creative industries. Some career pathways, such as teaching in schools or music therapy, may require additional professional qualifications or postgraduate study.

The programme also develops highly transferable graduate skills in communication, collaboration, project management, leadership, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. These skills support employment opportunities beyond the music industry in sectors such as media, arts and cultural organisations, events, marketing, communications and the wider creative economy.

As this is a new programme, graduate destinations are not yet available. The opportunities outlined above reflect career pathways typically pursued by graduates of comparable contemporary music and performing arts programmes.

For more information on the Careers support available at City St George’s, please visit the Careers Service.