Music Business: HND

Three students wearing Electric Honey t-shirts standing in front of a white wall, holding a framed classroom photo from 2008.
Qualification Qualifications Explained
HND
Study Mode
Full Time
Duration

2 Years - 2.5 Days p/w

Start date
Aug 2026
Campus
Springburn
Applications open January 2026

Course overview

Turn your love of music into a professional career behind the scenes.

The HND Music Business at Glasgow Kelvin College is an award-winning programme that prepares you to work in one of the world’s most exciting creative sectors. You’ll gain the business insight, creative confidence, and practical experience needed to thrive in artist management, live events, A&R, publishing, promotion, and record label operations.

Delivered by industry professionals with years of experience, the course combines academic knowledge with hands-on practice. You’ll work on live projects, collaborate with Sound Production and Music Performance students, and explore how the global music industry connects creativity with commerce.

A highlight of your studies is joining Electric Honey Records, the College’s renowned student-run record label — responsible for helping launch several successful artists including Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.

You’ll take part in everything from discovering and signing acts to producing, marketing, and distributing releases, as well as promoting live events. It’s real experience in real industry conditions, preparing you to step confidently into your own music business career.

This course is perfect for:

  • Music enthusiasts who want to work in management, marketing, events, or label operations.
  • Creatives who enjoy collaboration, communication and planning.
  • Aspiring entrepreneurs who want to understand how the industry works from the inside out.

What you will learn

You’ll explore the business, culture, and creativity of the modern music industry, learning how to turn ideas into professional opportunities.

Across two years, you’ll:

  • Gain a practical understanding of music management, law, marketing and live event production, building strong business and organisational skills.
  • Learn how to budget, plan releases and manage artists, while understanding royalties, contracts and rights management.
  • Develop expertise in digital distribution, promotion, visual branding and tour management, keeping up with new industry technologies and trends.
  • Work collaboratively through Electric Honey, discovering and signing real artists, coordinating live events, and producing market-ready releases.
  • Study the history and evolution of the music industry, exploring genres, cultural change and the digital transformation shaping the future.

By the end of the course, you’ll have both the creative and professional skills to launch your own career or progress to degree-level study in music business or creative enterprise.

Discover the exciting world of the music industry with our Music Business course at Glasgow Kelvin College! 🎓

From artist management to live events, gain real-world experience and skills to launch your career 🚀

Entry requirements

We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds and experiences. You should have:

✅ At least one SQA Higher (Grade C or above) in a relevant subject such as Business, English or Modern Studies.

✅ OR a National Qualification (NQ) or NC award at Level 6 in a related field.

✅ Applicants with relevant industry or business experience but no formal qualifications will also be considered on merit.

✅ Mature learners are encouraged to apply — motivation and passion for the music industry are key.

✅ A good level of English and communication skills is required for all applicants.

Direct entry to Year 2 is available for those who have successfully completed at least 15 credits from Year 1 of an HND Music Business programme elsewhere.

ℹ️ Applicants must be 16 years or older at the start of the course.

ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language

  • you need to have SQA ESOL Higher (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)
  • If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment  here at the College.

Career Opportunities

Graduates can progress to roles across the music and creative industries, including:

🎧 Artist Management

🎤 A&R (Talent Discovery)

💼 Music Marketing or Promotion

🎟️ Live Event or Tour Management

💽 Record Label Operations

📰 Music Publishing or PR

🎬 Digital Distribution or Content Management

Many of our alumni have gone on to manage artists, coordinate festivals, and work for leading record labels and media companies.

Future prospects

After completing the HND, you can progress to:

  • BA or Degree study (typically 2nd or 3rd year entry) at universities such as UHI, UWS or Westminster.
  • Guaranteed progression to UHI Perth Campus through our articulation agreement.
  • Employment across multiple branches of the music, creative and entertainment industries.

Did you know?

That we had an article in The Scotsman? As part of Electric Honey Music's 30th anniversary celebrations, former student and Electric Honey artist, Declan McKay of the Young Aviators performed a stripped back, outdoor version of their hit; Love.

With artists like Young Aviators, Belle & Sebastian, Snow Patrol, and Biffy Clyro coming through the ranks here at Electric Honey; it’s no wonder Uncut Magazine described it as “The world’s most successful student-run record label”.

See the article HERE.

We caught up with our Electric Honey students and they chatted to us about exciting things happening this year, their course & the bands they manage

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