International Music Management MA

International Music Management at UCA

Propel your music industry career aspirations onto the global stage on UCA's MA International Music Management degree course at our Business School for the Creative Industries.

With some of the biggest selling artists now originating from non-English speaking countries, such as Korean groups BTS and Blackpink, and the Latin American market, language is no longer a barrier to achieving international success.

This breakdown of barriers, together with evolving digital economies, provide fascinating opportunities and challenges. The effect on traditional business models is also essential to understand - artists, songwriters and record labels can now reach global audiences directly and instantaneously. So it's important to explore how international music markets operate in terms of music consumption, marketing, branding, economics and distribution.

This course will enable you to choose from a range of career paths including artist management, international marketing, strategic development, social media marketing, eCommerce, record company marketing, supply chain management, music publishing, and careers in music tech companies, start-ups or consultancy.

By the time you graduate, you will have a comprehensive and critical understanding of historical contexts and current issues facing the music industry, and be able to apply advanced skills, techniques and processes to ensure your success in a dynamic international music market.

Course entry options

Select from the following options to find out more about the different study options available for this course:

What you'll study

What you'll
study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

Integrated Pre-Masters (if undertaken)

On this course you’ll prepare for postgraduate study with a mix of online and face-to-face learning that will give you the study skills required to complete a Masters course.

Term one

Global Music Industries: Recording and Publishing
You will investigate and analyse the responsibilities of record companies and music publishers in this unit, critiquing and reflecting on the process of bringing a composition to market, and the influential role of record companies and publishers play in shaping the creative process. Moreover, you will explore the significance of both record company duties and placing artists in studios alongside accomplished artists and producers, providing you with insights into optimising creative environments.

Global Music Business
In this unit, you will gain a broad overview of business principles in a globalised world. You will investigate how music businesses and organisations produce, purchase and sell goods or services, with the intention of making a profit or achieving a social aim. You will gain a critical understanding of business strategy, marketing, finance, operations, leadership, people management, ethics, and sustainability. Finally, you will investigate and evaluate business management practices to achieve its goals and objectives.

Term two

Global Music Industries: Live Music
This hands-on unit covers business models in the live music industry, investigating key roles and gaining a critical understanding of live music working practices. As part of your learning, you will set up and run a live music event, applying theoretical frameworks to a practical outcome and reflecting on your experience after the event.

Artist Management and Development
You will analyse and critique contemporary artist management practices and deepen your critical understanding of how different stakeholders collaborate to build up artists’ careers. Through the application of cultural theories such as the Systems Model of Creativity and Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital, you will critically analyse an artist’s brand, with a view to growing their fan base, and formulate an artist development strategy including the creation of real-life assets such as biographies, websites, or social media accounts.

Term three

Final Major Project
The culmination of your studies, the Final Major Project is the opportunity to conceptualise and carry out a project that relates directly to your career ambitions and that will facilitate your path into a career in or related to your course content in the creative industries. It will take the form of a Research Project Proposal (20% of your final mark) and the Final Project (80%)

This unit is self-directed, although you will be supported through taught research methods classes, support workshops and through supervision meetings.

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Fees & funding

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees

2025/26: £10,500

Tuition fees

2025/26: £10,500 (see fee discount information)

Tuition fees

2025/26 (MA): £18,000
2025/26 (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - Sept & Jan): £17,500
2025/26 (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - May): £8,750

Please note: the fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. For more detailed information about our course fees please see our fees and finance pages.

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of financial support information available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Current UCA students and alumni may be eligible for a tuition fee discount.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our scholarships and fee discounts.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of the Course Information Document for more details of the costs you may incur.

Explore our gradshow

Each year, we’re privileged to be able to share our graduates’ incredible work with the world. And now’s your chance to take a look.

Visit the online showcase

Facilities

The business courses at UCA Epsom have a baseroom with networked computer facilities and you also have access to our extensive range of campus facilities, including: print studios with extensive screen printing facilities, photography studios, 3D workshops, media store for borrowing film and photography equipment. There is also a modern library with a wealth of books, journals, special collections and online resources.

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Business School, UCA Epsom

Business School, UCA Epsom

Business School, UCA Epsom

Career opportunities

Graduates of this course might begin their careers within this exciting creative industry through a number of different job roles that go beyond just a manager roll. These might include:

Business development manager
Global distribution manager
International marketing manager
Studio manager
Independent attist manager
Tour management and logistics

You may want to undertake further study or research to specialise even further.

Our Staff

Julia Haferkorn

Programme Director of Cultural Business and Management

Mike McNally

Senior Lecturer in Arts Business & Management

Entry requirements

This course does not require a portfolio.

Select country Select your country to find the equivalent requirements

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International Music Management at UCA

Course entry options