The application phase for the Bachelor's degree programme "Popular Music and Media" for the winter semester 26/27 begins at the beginning of June 2026.

Anyone who has a higher education entrance qualification certificate (general or relevant subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification) or a certificate recognised as equivalent by law or by the competent state authority or the requirements for those qualified in vocational training can be enrolled on the Bachelor's degree programme in Popular Music and Media. If you do not have a general higher education entrance qualification, we strongly recommend that you have your certificate checked by the Registrar's Office prior to your application to determine whether admission to the programme is possible.

As a further admission requirement, applicants must provide evidence of basic knowledge and skills in the field of pop music and media culture. Proof of basic knowledge and skills related to the degree programme is a prerequisite for enrolment. Proof of basic knowledge and skills related to the degree programme is provided by passing an aptitude test.

In addition, practical music and media experience (e.g. as a band musician, instrumentalist, DJ, music editor) and knowledge of general music theory are desirable.

Does the degree programme meet my expectations? Click here for the expectations check of the central student advisory service.

1. Beginning of June - 23 October each year: A complete online application for the following winter semester via the PAUL application portal is mandatory. The Bachelor's degree programme for the first semester can only be started in the winter semester.
2. Beginning of June to mid-July: The access data for the online aptitude assessment procedure must be sent by email to Bewerbungen-ba-pop@kw.upb.de by e-mail. You will be sent a link for registration directly by autoreply. If you do not receive the autoreply directly, please check your spam folder. If you have any further problems or questions about the test, please contact Joshua Wick. Participation in the aptitude test is only possible from 01/06/2026 - 12/07/2026 . Applications for the online test after 10/07/2026 can no longer be considered for admission.

The aptitude assessment procedure is divided into two parts:

Aptitude test part 1:

Beginning of June to mid-July: Online aptitude assessment procedure. Applicants will receive the link and further instructions after applying for participation. To do so, please send an email toBewerbungen-ba-pop@kw.upb.deYou will then receive an autoreply with all the information about the online test and the links to the two texts to be prepared.

Aptitude test part 2:

The personal interviews take place at the end of July each year. If you pass the online aptitude assessment procedure, you will receive a binding appointment and further information about the personal interviews. If you are unable to attend the allocated appointment, please send a cancellation by email to Joshua Wick. Please understand that for organisational and personnel reasons we are unfortunately unable to offer additional dates for oral aptitude tests! Within one week of the interviews, you will receive notification of the result of your aptitude test with the corresponding certificate for the Registrar's Office.

If you have passed both parts of the Aptitude test and have submitted your application via PAUL by the deadline, you can enrol on the degree programme via the Registrar's Office by 23 October (for the current contact person at the Registrar's Office, see here).

Aptitude test part 1: Online aptitude assessment procedure

All candidates are given the opportunity to qualify for admission to the degree programme in the course of an online aptitude assessment procedure.

A broad range of subject-specific knowledge is tested as part of this procedure. Of course, candidates do not have to be well versed in all fields relevant to the degree programme in advance. However, they should be able to credibly demonstrate that they are interested in the topics (fields) covered by the degree programme and have already dealt with them in advance or are continuously involved with current music events. A special interest in the subject area of "Popular Music and Media" and the associated willingness to engage intensively and continuously with historical and current developments in this field is therefore mandatory. Accordingly, the applicants have already acquired knowledge and/or skills according to their individual interests - be it in the field of music production, music journalism, music theory and history, instrumental practice or event management. The qualification profiles of suitable applicants are therefore very heterogeneous, which accommodates the interdisciplinary concept of the degree programme. A practical music examination is NOT part of the aptitude assessment procedure. Although instrumental skills are highly desirable, they are not a mandatory requirement.

With your personal access link to the online test, you will also receive download links to two short academic publications by e-mail. Each text is accompanied by four questions that relate directly to the content.

If you have any technical problems, please contact Joshua Wick.

Aptitude test part 2: Personal interview on professional suitability

ATTENTION: You will receive notification of a pass or fail within one week of the examination interviews. If you have received an invitation, the date is binding! Unfortunately, alternative dates outside the two examination days cannot be offered!

To prepare for the second part of the exam, please study a free selection of the following literature so that you can refer to it in your personal interview:

• Diederichsen, Diedrich (2014): On Pop Music. Cologne: Kiepenheuer&Witsch.
• Jacke, Christoph (2013): Introduction Popular Music and Media. Münster et al: LIT (Popular Culture and Media series, vol. 1, 2nd edition).
• Reynolds, Simon (2012): Retromania. Why pop can't let go of its past. Mainz: Ventil Verlag.
• Rumpf, Wolfgang (2011): Pop music and media. Münster: LIT.
• Schramm, Holger; Spangardt, Benedikt & Ruth, Nicholas (2017): Media and music (series "Medienwissen kompakt"). Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
• Wicke, Peter (2011): Rock and pop. From Elvis Presley to Lady Gaga. Munich: Beck.

We also recommend the following academic publications on pop (music) culture from the Federal Agency for Civic Education:

• Balzer, Jens (2021): Pop and populism. On responsibility in music. Bonn: bpb
• Mrozek, Bodo (2021): Youth - Pop - Culture. A transnational history. Bonn: bpb
• Leggewie, Claus; Meyer, Erik (eds.) (2017): Global Pop. The book on world music. Bonn: bpb

The Master's degree programme in Popular Music and Media is admission-free. The number of study places is currently 20 (as of November 2021). Applications for the winter semester can be submitted between the beginning of June and 23 October each year.

Please note: The Master's degree programme is also open for applications in the summer semester if places remain open in the winter semester. The application phase runs from the beginning of December to 21 March each year.

The prerequisite for admission to the Master's degree programmein Popular Music and Media is the successful completion of the Bachelor's degree programme of the same name or a comparable, i.e. subject-related degree programme. In the latter case, the Examination Board decides on the equivalence and suitability of the applicants on the basis of the submitted application documents and, in addition, a letter of motivation and, if necessary, a personal interview. The examination board may impose binding requirements for catching up on work from the BA programme, provided that this work has not been done in a recognisable way in the previous field of study, in order to give applicants from other fields a chance to study, provided that the work to be made up is within a certain range (see also examination regulations).

Of course, interested applicants can and should also apply if they do not yet have all the documents, such as their Bachelor's degree certificate, at this point. Information on the deadlines for any subsequent submission of documents as well as all other necessary information on the formalities of the application procedure can be found on the website of the Registrar's Office. If you have any further questions in this regard, please contact the Registrar's Office by telephone on 05251 - 60 50 43

Application for graduates of the BA in Popular Music and Media

1. online application via the "PAUL" portal

Applications are submitted via the university's online application portal. Applications for the winter semester are possible from the beginning of June to 23 October each year (for the summer semester from the beginning of December to 21 March each year). All necessary information on application formalities and changing degree programmes can be found on the information pages of the Registrar's Office. If you have any further questions in this regard, please call the Registrar's Office on 05251 - 60 33 85. To the application portal

Application for all others

1. online application via the "PAUL" portal

Applications are submitted via the university's online application portal. Applications for the winter semester are possible from the beginning of June to 23 October each year (for the summer semester from the beginning of December to 21 March each year). You can find all the necessary information on the application formalities on the information pages of the Registrar's Office. If you have any further questions in this regard, please call the Registrar's Office on 05251 - 60 50 44. to the application portal

2. sending the documents to determine equivalence and fit

While the formal application is made via the Registrar's Office (PAUL), the equivalence and suitability of applicants in the subject area of music will be determined. If necessary, enrolment may be subject to the condition that specific competences are made up for through appropriate studies and proven by passing the associated examinations by the time of registration for the Master's thesis. Of great importance for equivalence and fit is always the question of the extent to which applicants have already dealt with topics in the field of media and pop culture - be it in the context of final theses or seminar papers, through professional experience already gained in the music and media industry or through personal artistic activities.

After submitting your online application, external Master's applicants will receive an email explaining the next steps. To check equivalence and determine possible conditions, please submit the following documents by email to bewerbungen-ma-pop@kw.upb.de:

• Short motivation outline in which you explain or list your previous academic (seminars, term papers, projects, presentations, theses, etc.), practical professional (internship, freelance and artistic work, projects, etc.) and other experiences (e.g. also hobbies) in and with pop music and pop culture.
• Curriculum vitae
• Bachelor's degree certificate or university degree certificate and overview of courses attended
• Relevant certificates and references (work placements, further training, awards, etc.)

Please format the motivation sketch as a separate PDF and all other documents as a separate PDF. After we have checked your documents, you will receive a certificate of equivalence from us with the notification of admission or non-admission and any conditions from our Bachelor's programme that need to be fulfilled. You must present this document to the Registrar's Office upon enrolment.

Note: We are also happy to advise you by telephone or in a video conference! Please request a counselling appointment by email toJoshua Wickto.