Music Production and Psychology

Studying a combined honours degree in music production and psychology at Keele gives you the opportunity to explore the theoretical and practical elements of two exciting subjects. Music production at Keele offers an exciting mix of modules that focus on contemporary, broad-ranging music studies, whilst Psychology explores the study of mind and behaviour, with a variety of optional modules.

Psychology will equip you with a well-rounded education and in addition to studying the principal areas specified by the British Psychological Society (BPS) curriculum, you will have the opportunity to tailor your degree to reflect your career aspirations and interests.

Principle areas of psychology include: biological, cognitive, social and developmental psychology as well as individual differences and historical issues. You will develop scientific skills in research design, statistics, qualitative and survey methods which will enable you to conduct your own research and critically analyse that of others.

Music production is taught by staff in the School of Humanities with international experience and research in a range of specialisms, helping you to gain experience in practical skills. You will soon become equipped with a wide variety of transferable skills through the combination of these two subjects.

Music production enables you to explore the cultural context in which sound is produced for and consumed in across various media forms. Through workshops, tutorials and assessments, you will develop technical skills, creative practice, and academic knowledge by working with audio software, hardware, and digital audio in studio and production set ups. Taught by staff with international experience and research in a range of specialisms, you will gain experience in sound recording, sound design and digital sampling. You will also explore music making, music programming, mixing, and mastering and producing sound. There will be opportunities to work individually and collaboratively and to deliver inspiring projects under the guidance of supportive tutors.

Our Apple MacBook Loan Scheme ensures that all Music Production students have equal access to high quality resources to support learning. As a Music Production student, you will be provided with an Apple MacBook for the full duration of your degree, at no cost to yourself*. Pre-installed with the necessary software required for your studies, the loan scheme allows you to optimise your learning experience and engage with industry-standard hardware.

*a charge will be made in the event of loss or damage to the MacBook.

During your degree programme, you may have the opportunity to work on research, led by staff, PhD and master's students in the School of Psychology. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn about research methods and gain insight into the diversity of research carried out within the School of Psychology.

In your final year you will have the opportunity to work with one of our expert academics to carry out and report an investigation of a research topic that aligns with your career aspirations or personal interests.

Final year project topics from previous Psychology students include:

The School of Psychology offers a summer research assistantship scheme that is a paid opportunity during your second or third year of study. This scheme involves working alongside a member of staff on a research project and gaining valuable skills and experience in data analysis, that can help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for employment or postgraduate study.

Please note there is an application process for this scheme and the number of projects available will vary each year.

All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group A.

95% of Keele students are in employment or further study within 15 months of finishing their studies (HESA Graduate Outcomes, 2019/20)

Enhance your employability

As a music production and psychology graduate, you will be ideally placed for various career opportunities, or further training within a wide range of industries. Your unique combination of skills will be transferable across disciplines.

You will develop skills in oral and written communication, numeracy and data analysis, project management, team working, problem-solving, and skills in research methodology. You will also have experience in sound recording, music production, game audio, audio streaming, and broadcasting, preparing you for a creative career.

Popular graduate destinations include:

• Human health and social work
• Research
• Education
• Legal, social, and welfare professions
• Media and film
• TV and radio
• Business, HR, and finance
• Marketing, PR, and advertising
• Police forces, the National Probation Service and prisons

Keele graduates have gone on to successful careers in a range of industries and organisations including:

• Senior Audio Director at the UK Studio of video game publisher Electronic Arts, London
• Sound designer for SMA Animation Studios
• Creative Labs European Developer Relations Group
• Developer for Electronic Arts
• Radio Producer at BBC Radio 3
• Editor at Cambridge University Press.
• Founder and Manager of Amadeus Music Academy, Stoke-On-Trent
• Pro-Dean of Learning and Teaching in the School of Music at the University of Leeds

To become a chartered psychologist, you will need to receive further training in the specific field of psychology that you want to work in. It is important to consider it will take at least six years to become a fully qualified psychologist, which includes a full three year degree, such as this one and three years of postgraduate training.

Specialist professional psychology careers include:

• Clinical Psychologist
• Counselling Psychologist
• Educational Psychologist
• Forensic Psychologist
• Neuropsychologist
• Health Psychologist
• Sport and Exercise Psychologist
• Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
• Further Education Teacher
• High Intensity Therapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Primary care graduate mental health worker

Having an Occupational Psychologist as the Psychology careers tutor within the School of Psychology means that you will have the opportunity to access support in identifying a career path which suits your values and strengths. Occupational Psychologists use a range of evidence-based psychological skills, tools and techniques to work with individuals in a coaching capacity. This style of support offers you the opportunity to explore these psychological techniques and highlight your individual skills and attributes, helping you stand out from the crowd, and preparing you for fulfilling and successful future careers.

Keele’s Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offers a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability.

From mock interviews, careers guidance and CV advice, to careers fairs, alumni mentoring and networking events, along with helping you find part-time and graduate employment - the team will support you throughout your studies and beyond.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.