Music HND

Course overview

Delivered across both campuses (Sighthill/Milton Road), our HND programme comprises 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, and 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, students continue to develop their skills 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 instrumental teaching and online promotion, which give them important insights into the music profession.

You 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.

To apply for this course please read and follow the 'audition instructions' information in the interview requirements section.

• Solo performance
• Group performance
• Music theory and composition
• Keyboard harmony
• Songwriting
• Music history
• Recording techniques
• Audio for multimedia
• Music business
• Running a live music event
• Sound for visuals
• Instrumental teaching
• Online promotion

Placement information

• Where possible, work placement is offered as an HND unit. We have numerous creative and cultural partners across the city and region, offering a range of placement opportunities

How the course is assessed

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

Number of days per week

• 3/4 days per week

Entry requirements

• SQA Higher Music (or equivalent experience) and two other Highers
• Instrumental playing or singing at around Grade 5 level
• Some band or ensemble experience

Information on Tests / Auditions / Interview Requirements

At the beginning of your personal statement, please:

• Specify your first study instrument (or voice) and your second study instrument (or voice)
• State whether you wish to focus on classical OR popular music

Audition Instructions 2026 – please read carefully

INTRODUCTION

You are to record a video in which you play or sing two short contrasting pieces or songs on your first instrument or voice. This video will then be uploaded to YouTube, with the link added to your application (see below).

CHOICE OF MUSIC

You are advised to choose pieces that you have learned recently and that you enjoy playing. If you are not sure what to play, you could have a look at current grade syllabuses such as those of Trinity College London: details for their Rock and Pop selections can be found here. Backing tracks for all pieces and songs from that syllabus are widely available online.

Your first instrument/voice is the one for which you would have instrumental/vocal lessons if you are successful in your application.

‘Contrasting pieces or songs’ can mean pieces or songs in two different styles, different speeds, different feels, or different moods.

PERFORMANCE

You are encouraged to give a short, informal spoken introduction to your performance, either before or after the music. When you introduce yourself, you should

• give your name and say where you are from
• say a little bit about your musical experience (including how long you have been playing or singing, and any experience of playing with other people in bands or ensembles)
• say which if any music exams you have done (within school and/or outside school)
• say which pieces you are going to play or sing, and (if you can) say why you chose them

Please don’t worry if there are any hesitations or faltering in your introduction: it is just useful for us to get some sense of how you communicate at this stage.

Please make every effort to use backing tracks or have a live accompanist where appropriate to the music. If that isn’t possible, please play or sing unaccompanied.

Please make sure your face and hands (for instrumentalists) are visible in the video.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO RECORD A VIDEO

If you are unable to record a video because you don't have an instrument at home (e.g. if you are a first study percussionist), or for any other reason, please let us know and we will arrange an interview with you by phone or video call and/or an in-person audition.

UPLOADING AND SHARING THE LINK

The video should be uploaded to YouTube as unlisted.

If you don’t have a YouTube channel, you can follow instructions here to set one up.

If you haven’t uploaded a video before, you can follow instructions here to do so.

Please be careful to upload the video as unlisted rather than private.

Please name the video in the following format:

Your name – Your chosen course – Your chosen campus – Your instrument, e.g.

‘Laurie Crump HND Music Sighthill Recorder’

Please then paste a link to the video within the additional information section of your application.

AFTER SUBMISSION

Our staff will review your application and, in some cases, they will follow up by giving you a phone or video call. If you don't get a call, don't worry! It will be because the staff have got all the information they need from your video and the rest of your application.

We aim to be in touch with a decision about your application within two weeks, although please note that this is not always possible.

You may be offered a place on a course of a different level than the one you applied for. The staff team will place you on the course that they believe will best suit your needs and allow you to develop and progress within the department and beyond.

Privacy Notice Music Applicant Selection

Progression and Articulation Routes

Students who successfully complete our HND with an A or B in Graded Unit 2 are guaranteed a place on our BA (Music) honours degree, delivered in partnership with Kingston University, London. Our degree is unique in that only 1 year of study is required to top up the HND to a BMus (Hons) due to being validated by an English university.

We also support students to make applications to universities or other institutions during the HNC or the HND years, should they wish to do so. In recent years, music students have progressed to

• Aberdeen
• Abertay (Dundee)
• Edinburgh 
• Edinburgh Napier
• Glasgow 
• Manchester 
• University of the Highlands and Islands
• Conservatoires including Leeds College of Music and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Career options

• Performing musician
• Composer
• Songwriter
• Classroom teacher
• Instrumental or vocal teacher
• Community musician