Academy of Music & Sound

Ran a network of 7 UK campuses from 2004 (Birmingham, Exeter, Southampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Swindon, Gateshead); Companies House confirms the regional campus companies were dissolved between 2017 and 2025, and AMS's own site states it has operated online-only since 2023, though one Gateshead-registered entity still appears active on Companies House, a discrepancy worth noting rather than resolving by guessing.

In September 2022, founder Kevin Harding sold his shares to staff, converting AMS into what it describes as the UK's first Employee Ownership Trust in music/education.

Its DipHE/BA(Hons)/MMus/PhD in Music & Sound is validated by the University of West London rather than AMS holding its own degree-awarding powers or OfS-issued TEF rating, a different setup to rivals like Point Blank or ICMP.

The cheapest entry point is a £280 Access to HE course (six 1:1 mentor sessions over 6 weeks); the main degree ladder is DipHE at £8,495/yr (2 years), BA (Hons) Top-Up at £8,495 total (1 year), MMus at £8,995/yr (1 year), and a new PhD (first cohort November 2025) at £9,995/yr. Alumnus Lewis Capaldi studied an HND at the Edinburgh campus before it closed, from the pre-online-only era, so not evidence of what current online delivery is like.

UWL: Degrees validated by the University of West LondonMusic productionDegreeOnline

At a glance

Price: From £280
Location: Online only
Subjects: Music production
Formats: Degree, Online
Established: 2004
Accreditation: UWL

Course structure

The formats Academy of Music & Sound sells, and how long each one runs.

Access to HE	6 weeks, 6 mentor sessions
DipHE	2 years, £8,495/yr
BA (Hons) Top-Up	1 year, £8,495 total
MMus	1 year, £8,995/yr
PhD	3 years + optional write-up year, £9,995/yr

Worth knowing

Companies House shows the online arm as a separate entity, Academy Of Music & Sound (Online) Ltd, alongside a holdings company and a still-active Gateshead entity, worth noting given the site's online-only claim.
Converted to an Employee Ownership Trust in September 2022 when founder Kevin Harding sold his shares to staff.

Frequently asked

What does Academy of Music & Sound cost?

Academy of Music & Sound's prices start from £280, correct as of our last check.

Where is Academy of Music & Sound based?

Academy of Music & Sound is an online-only platform, not tied to a physical location.

What does Academy of Music & Sound teach?

Academy of Music & Sound teaches Music production, in these formats: Degree, Online.

Is Academy of Music & Sound accredited?

Yes. UWL: Degrees validated by the University of West London.

When was Academy of Music & Sound founded?

Academy of Music & Sound was established in 2004.

Sources

Every detail on this page is re-sourced from the school's own site, not copied from a register or aggregator. See the methodology for how that works.