CentreS of excellence for

The music industry is worth £5.2 billion annually to the UK economy and offers a range of careers for those that dream of playing on stage in front of thousands of people or creating a seminal masterpiece in the studio. In our Centre of Excellence for Music you’ll develop the essential skills that you will need to go on and have a rewarding career in this fantastic industry.

We’ll help you acquire the skills required for a range of different disciplines including singing, playing instruments, DJ-ing and studio engineering. This will combine musical theory and musical practice, enabling you to acquire the perfect harmony of skills.

Depending on your level of study you will also complete up to 2 weeks' work experience with one or more than one employer, this can either be completed in separate days throughout your course or in a single block. You’ll also receive dedicated ‘employability’ sessions that will equip you with the skills that you’ll need to thrive in the workplace.

When you complete your journey in our Centre of Excellence for Music you will have all the skills you need to be ‘work ready’ and the qualifications you need to take the next steps towards an amazing career.

Available Courses

While studying at our Centre of Excellence you can obtain qualifications ranging from Entry Level and Level 3 certificates through to Extended Diplomas. If you haven’t already obtained a Grade 4 GCSE in English and maths you’ll also study to achieve this level of qualification, which is a mandatory requirement of your course and essential for many careers.

In our Centre of Excellence for Music you’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of this sector and gain work experience with industry leaders.

View all available courses for this subject area

Career
Outcomes

Studying in our Centre of Excellence for Music, you’ll learn the skills that will set you up for a rewarding career in this thriving sector. These range from a musician, with an average annual salary of £39,000 to a DJ with an average annual salary of £30,000.

Partners

We aim to bring together industry professionals and our talented students to help secure the best possible future for our students. Our industry partner for Music is:

Band on the Wall

Band on the Wall is an iconic music venue and has been a cornerstone of Manchester’s thriving music and cultural landscape for two centuries.

Gallery

Explore our gallery. From our outstanding facilities to fantastic work placement opportunities, get a taste of what it’s like working in the industry and see what you can expect from studying at The Manchester College.

Through college, I have had the opportunity to perform at the music venue Band on the Wall. I have also really enjoyed the showcases we do at college every other term, they allow us to perform the music that we have been working on and we also get assessed on these performances.
Megan Balcomb

Download subject area guide

Find out more about our fantastic courses, outstanding facilities and the career options available to you. Download the subject area guide.

Download PDF

Find out more about music, join us at our online event.

Join our online event to learn all about our Centre of Excellence in Music.

You’ll hear from our tutors all about the music courses available and our unique partnership with iconic Manchester venue Band on the Wall, hear from some of our current students, and be taken on a virtual tour of our state-of-the-art recording studios and facilities you will be using if you choose to study music with us.

Register now