Creative Arts with Music Production Foundation Degree
UCAS Code: 8H75
Entry Requirements: BTEC Level 3 in related subject, 2 A Level passes or 1 A Level pass with four GCSE grades A-C/9 - 4
Course Info
This foundation degree is designed to develop the skills necessary to work in the music for media industry. The industry is going through a huge transitional period, in which music practitioners are having to seek new areas of employment which require new skills-sets and new ways of working.
This course will develop your skills and your understanding of music composition, technology and production techniques and their direct relationship within the evolving world of new media, giving you a wide range of skills needed to successfully find employment in the growing media industry, or progress to further study.
Modules you will study are:
Level 4
- Working in the Creative Industries 1 (taught collaboratively with students on the other Creative Arts pathways)
- Studio Skills 1
- Introduction to Music for Interactive Media
- Digital Music Production 1
- Performance Technology
- Collaborative Project (undertaken collaboratively with students on the other Creative Arts pathways)
Level 5
- Working in the Creative Industries 2 (taught collaboratively with students on the other Creative Arts pathways)
- Studio Skills 2
- Sound Design for Interactive Media
- Digital Music Production 2
- Live Sound
- Major Collaborative Project (undertaken collaboratively with students on the other Creative Arts pathways)
This course is aimed at students who have a Level 3 qualification in relevant subject areas (e.g. Music, Music Technology, Media) and adults who have experience of music and music production. This course is ideal if you are seeking employment in the music and media industries, in jobs such as sound recording, composition, sound design and audio editing.
This course will support you to become capable of working in a team with other creative practitioners from other disciplines, and to work effectively with others from varied professional backgrounds. You will be supported in the development of a reflective, professional approach to lifelong learning and the creation and maintenance of a personal portfolio to enhance your employability. We offer you the support and a safe environment to develop your personal resilience, in order to prepare you for either work freelance within the Creative Arts or, indeed, to work in other sectors, but utilising the key transferable skills that you have gained.
The project modules are derived from live industry briefs, allowing you to gain real work based practical experience of creating sound and music to a brief and gaining feedback from potential employers, whilst also developing content for your professional portfolio of work, which is a vital tool to gaining future employment.
Teaching
Your course will be delivered in a variety of ways including: practical workshops, taught sessions, group discussions, self-directed projects and independent study supported by an online learning environment that houses the key documents and teaching materials for the course.
Your teaching will include tutor- and student-led sessions, with discussions, activities, group-work, seminars, and one-to-one tutorial opportunities. You will be in an enriching and immersive learning environment, which will enhance your development as a critical thinker.
One of the key strengths of our teaching at the University Centre is the amount of time we dedicate to supporting you as an individual student to help you get the best out of your programme. One-to-one tutorials with your tutor are important as they allow you to raise any particular issues you may be facing. Your tutor will be as supportive as possible in helping you work through these issues.
Lecturer Profile
Course Leader: Jim Wheatley cut his teeth as a vinyl DJ, and now works hard pushing a live act based around innovative software instruments and hardware controllers, whilst still dedicating much of his time to his first musical passion as a mix engineer. He has experience in the areas of World Music, sound engineering, production, mixing and music theory, having taught each of these disciplines for several years. Before starting teaching he worked for almost ten years in the creative industries, producing podcasts for an award-winning counter-culture magazine and producing music and sound design for a Nottingham-based production company.
Entry Requirements & Interview Process
You will normally require one of the following: BTEC National Certificate or BTEC National Diploma in a related subject, 2 A Level passes or 1 A Level pass with four GCSE grades A-C or 9 – 4 including English and Maths or relevant work experience.
You will be interviewed, where you will be expected to demonstrate enthusiasm and commitment to the course.
Applicants without formal qualifications but with significant amounts of appropriate relevant vocational experience are also welcome to apply.
The University Centre actively supports claims for Recognition of Prior Learning. You must show how the learning you have already completed matches the learning that is required on the programme you are applying for.
If English is not your first language, you will also need a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or above.
