Music and Music Production Undergraduate Courses

Become part of Derby’s lively music scene and learn to fine-tune your talents in our state-of-the-art facilities.

With award-winning festivals and bustling live music venues nearby, there’s plenty of inspiration for you close by.

The School of Arts is a place where talent thrives and ambitions are realised. Our impressive facilities range from our producing and learning theatre, photography lab and purpose-built studios. 

You’ll join a creative community that is supportive in helping students shape their individual identities and styles. Our courses focus on graduate employability, helping you to establish yourself as an artist; this may be through work placements, real world projects and the chance to showcase your work at events, including the end of year Degree Show. 

Courses are led by experienced practitioners, many are artists and designers with key industry contacts. Their fresh and dynamic approach to teaching will encourage you to learn through risk-taking and experimentation to develop your portfolio. You’ll learn skills that can be applied to a range of fields from design to writing, performance to education and curating to publishing. These links mean that you’ll have the opportunity to work with external clients on real briefs, so you’ll graduate with a comprehensive portfolio of work to help launch your career.

Top10for satisfaction with teachingMusic, Guardian University Guide 2025

Music and Music Production courses

Make the most of our industry-standard recording studios, dedicated rehearsal and practice spaces, auditoria, music technology labs and post-production rooms equipped with the latest software.

We also own Derby Theatre, a professional working theatre, providing the ideal place to hone your performance skills and opportunities to create film score compositions, or for theatre performances.

Undergraduate Music and Music Production courses

A man in a burgandy top smiles with his arms folded

Oscar is making himself heard as he plans for a future in music

Oscar has been on what he sees is a life-changing experience at university as he makes it another step closer to his dreams.

Read Oscar's storyRead Oscar's story

Music and Theatre - your questions answered

In the below video, Head of Music and Performing Arts, John Crossley, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Music and Theatre at the University of Derby. 

John Crossley, Head of Music and Performing Arts.

View Music and Theatre - your questions answered! video transcript

JAMES accredited courses

Our Music courses are accredited by the Joint Audio Media Education Support (JAMES), the professional music industry accreditation body, so you can be confident that they meet the high standards demanded by industry.

Head of Music and Performing Arts, John Crossley, explains what this means for students: "The re-accreditation for our music programmes continues our long standing relationship with JAMES and the Music Producers Guild (MPG). The assessors were very impressed with our facilities, our committed teaching team and how we have dealt with the challenging circumstances of a global pandemic. This stamp of approval from professional producers in the industry means that our students can be confident not only with the quality of the programmes of study but also the opportunities and support they receive as they follow their exciting careers."

A male plays guitar in a recording studio
A female sits in a post-production music suite

"Derby had brand new studios and a brand new post production area - just so much variety!" 

"You'll learn from lecturers who have lots of experience in the industry - who have set up record labels, worked with interesting technology such as multichannel surround sound in live performances and building modular synthesis systems, and played instruments on famous albums."

Kieran Campbell, Music graduate

John Crossley, Head of Discipline for Music and Theatre and Dance at the University of Derby talks about the industry-standard music facilities at our Markeaton Street site.

View Professional music facilities at Markeaton Street video transcript

Career opportunities

  • producer
  • musician
  • composer
  • songwriter

You could also go on to study our MA Music Production like Harry and Jordan who feature in the below video: 

YouTube video of University of Derby graduates Harry and Jordan talking about their experience of studying Music at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate level

Preparing for your career

 

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Explore Markeaton Street

Our students prepare to become professional creative practitioners with access to a wide range of industry-standard equipment and facilities.

Take a look around Markeaton StreetTake a look around Markeaton Street
Kedleston Road, Derby Campus entrance

Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your undergraduate Open DayBook your undergraduate Open Day
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Student stories

Our students and graduates are people just like you. And they are making an impact in our region and around the world by using their knowledge and skills to drive innovation and change. You can be part of that story. Let our students and graduates tell you theirs.

Hear from our students and graduatesHear from our students and graduates