Course overview

Delivered across both campuses (Sighthill/Milton Road), our HND programme makes up the first two years of a full honours degree in music offered at Edinburgh College. Students may achieve an HNC after one year, or an HND after two years they may also continue after the HND into our one-year Music BA.

The first year provides broad training in all of the core areas of music study within Higher Education. In the second year, continue to develop in performance, theory and composition. They choose from different project options, including community music, mixing, research, songwriting and sound for visuals. They are also introduced to both instrumental teaching and online promotion, which give important insights into the music profession.

Applicants will usually progress from our UAL 3 course OR have at least three Highers including Music, play to at least Grade 5 level, have some experience of playing with others, and have some knowledge of music theory.

Applications are also welcomed from those with relevant experience away from school study.

Students wishing to focus on classical, traditional or jazz music should apply to our Sighthill campus. Those wishing to focus on popular music can apply to either Sighthill or Milton Road.

Music at Edinburgh College

We welcome applicants from all musical backgrounds and disciplines, including classical, popular, traditional and jazz.

Rehearsal and performance are at the heart of what we offer: students work regularly in supervised groups such as bands, instrumental ensembles, choirs and orchestras as appropriate.

Students perform in our excellent in-house spaces, as well as in many of Edinburgh's best venues including the Jazz Bar, Voodoo Rooms, the Mash House, Old St. Paul's, and Canongate Kirk.

Every music student is offered regular instrumental or vocal tuition.

Students may study music at Edinburgh College for anything between one and five years. We offer a comprehensive programme culminating in a BA Music Honours degree offered in partnership with Kingston University London.

Our music courses are based in The Music Box (Sighthill) and CRE:8 (Milton Road): both purpose-built venues boast state-of-the-art facilities, including practice booths, classrooms, midi suites, rehearsal rooms, recording studios and auditoriums.

How the course is assessed

You will be assessed through a variety of practical tasks, written assignments and timed assessments