- Location
- Langside Campus
- SCQF Level
- 6
- Start Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Qualification Type
- NC
- Course Type
- Full-Time
- Duration
- 1 Year (August to June)
Applications open 15th January 2025
This music course aims to bridge the gap between secondary school music qualifications (e.g. Advanced Higher Music) and HND/Degree courses. Its breadth and depth provide the opportunity to develop your craft and confidence and establish a strong foundation to progress in advanced musical training, nurturing a range of essential musical skills significantly beyond those acquired at school. At the end of the year most successful students are automatically offered places on the college’s two year HND Music programme, benefitting from three years of full-time musical training. Every year NQ Preparation for HND Music students are given opportunities to perform for a wider audience within the college’s performing arts facilities.
What will I learn?
During the NC Preparation for HND Music course you will learn:
- Instrumental/vocal studies
- Live performance
- Musical literacy
- Compositional techniques
- Music appreciation and aural skills
- Songwriting
- MIDI sequencing
- Sound production.
Assessment is continuous, with a mix of practical and theoretical assessments.
We welcome students from diverse musical backgrounds from classical to heavy rock. This blend of student specialisms creates vibrant opportunities for creative collaborative learning.
Hear from NC Preparation for HND Music student Saturn.
Entry requirements (minimum)
- No formal qualifications required but SQA Higher Music and English are considered desirable
- Applications are welcomed from brass, strings, woodwind and percussion players as well as singers, pianists and guitarists
- Entry is by audition. Auditions will continue to take place until the course is full.
- You are also invited to apply if you don't have formal qualifications but you have relevant life and/or work experience.
Entry requirements equivalency table
- If you do not meet the entry criteria for your chosen course, you may be offered an alternative course in the same subject area.
Employer and industry links
The music department frequently uses a variety of Glasgow venues for external student performances. It also has links with Glasgow music studios (e.g. Carlton and Maybank), the Voice UK, the Southside Fringe and a number of performing bodies (e.g. The Springfield Cambridge Festival Chorus and Fizzgig Theatre Company). We have also welcomed a variety of music professionals as guest speakers.
Jobs and further study
Successful students may progress to HND Music at Glasgow Clyde College.
Take a look at the course progression map for music courses.
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Invited to and audition – This will be a ten minute audition where you will be asked to perform a single piece of music of minimum Grade 5 standard on your principal instrument or voice. This should demonstrate as much of your musicianship and technique as possible. You must bring your own instrument. Drum kit (not drumsticks), pianos, glockenspiel, xylophone and amplifiers are available for your use. This will be followed by a brief informal interview. You will also be given a half hour written test, assessing music theory and knowledge
- Auditions will begin in February and continue until the course is full
- If your application is unsuccessful and you have not met the entry requirements for this course you are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to audition, you will be informed of the outcome of your audition by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date. This will normally be sent out in June/July.
