Higher National Diploma (HND) in Music Production (Professional Practice)


  • Start Date: 15/09/2026
  • Course is for: Adult
  • Course Length: 1 Year
  • Funding Support Funding Support:
    What is this
  • Learning Support:
    Find Out More

This practical, industry-focused course develops the technical, creative, and entrepreneurial skills needed for today’s fast-moving music and audio sectors. You’ll gain hands-on experience in recording, mixing, mastering, and sound design through real projects and live client briefs.

Working in professional studios and performance spaces, you’ll collaborate with artists, performers, and media producers — managing sessions, creating commercial releases, and developing the technical expertise to work confidently across the music, media, and live sound industries.

Course content includes:

  • Advanced Studio Recording and Production Techniques
  • Live Sound Engineering and Technical Production
  • Mixing, Mastering, and Post-Production
  • Audio/Visual Integration and Media Composition
  • Collaborative Projects
  • Digital Music Production and Sound Design
  • Music Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Professional Practice and Portfolio Development

Industry Experience includes:

  • Real client recording sessions with Northern Roots
  • 7-week professional studio rotation at Loft Studios
  • Production and live sound opportunities via WDC Music Agency
  • Management roles on student label ‘Off The Record’


Career Pathways:

  • Studio or live sound engineer
  • Music producer or recording artist
  • Audio/visual content creator
  • Sound designer or composer for media
  • Music business and label operations professional

Required Entry Qualifications

UCAS Tariff – 96 points

Relevant Level 3 qualification, plus GCSE Maths and English grade A*-C (9-4 in new grades).

Mature candidates with some relevant experience will be considered without the above formal qualifications.

  • Audition/Interview
  • Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
  • You will need some vocational ability in your chosen area

This is a vocational qualification so you will learn and be assessed by doing – experience is key!

Key activities include:

  • Practice

Developing your vocational skills at level 4/5 through workshops, masterclasses and practical seminars.

  • Performance

You may be involved with performing, designing workshops, projects or fulfilling commissions – as many creatives will teach at some point in their career this will inevitably include some educational practice.

You will learn to develop and deliver sessions, workshops and work as a facilitator.

This is about how you use your vocational skills to successfully complete projects, live briefs or commissions.

You will produce a Major Project or your own design within your vocational field; this project may use some of the learners from lower levels to be your ‘staff’, talent or performers.

  • Professional

You will develop an understanding of managing finances including bidding for funding and managing budgets.

Creating a business plan is a necessary skill that you will develop in relation to projects and enterprise as well Health and Safety management.

You will learn how to deliver a successful pitch to your desired audience – your Major Project could depend on it!

The success of your business is dependent on your mastery of marketing including website creation and using social media to promote your business.

We work extensively with partners and venues such as The Riverside and The Cluny, as well as Creative and Cultural Skills to ensure our qualifications are credible and current.

We have developed ‘CoLab’ to make the best use of our industry specification resources so that you can work within integrated creative teams to fulfil your brief – this could be dancers, musicians, actors, composers/arrangers, production arts specialists, technical theatre practitioners and media.

This programme has a dual progression opportunity – onto a level 6 programme with one of our partner institutions or straight out into the industry.

We will enhance your entrepreneurial spirit and channel it into developing your own business model. You will develop the know-how to set up and sustain your own enterprise, from applying for funding to completing your tax return. Don’t consider your second year as your last year of education, think of it as your first year in the industry.

A one-off £40 cost for DBS.

The fee for this course is £5,995.

The fee shown is the fee you will pay per year of study. For example, if the course lasts for one year, this is the full fee you will pay.

If the course lasts for one or more years, this is the fee you’ll pay per year of study.

There may be additional costs for equipment, uniforms or study resources which we’ll let you know about at your course interview.

Many of our learners will apply for a Student Loan to help cover these fees. Our friendly team can help you through this process and can be contacted via email at [email protected] or 0191 490 0300 or via Live Chat.

Please note: The fee shown may be subject to change when our fee policy is agreed in Spring 2026. If this happens after you have applied, you will be contacted directly before the course is due to start. All courses will run subject to sufficient student numbers.

Two womens football players laughing whilst sat on a bench Two students playing basketball

JOIN OUR SPORTS ACADEMIES

Eight specialist sport academies, all offering first class training, coaching and playing opportunities for everyone, regardless of what you study.

Find out more

Connect with our Academy socials:

School Leaver Course Guide 2026/2027

View or download our course guide for 16-18 year olds.

Gateshead College School leaver guide_26-27