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Audio and Music Production with Foundation Year

Entry requirements


UCAS Tariff

32-56

A typical offer will require a UCAS Tariff score between 32 - 56. Every application is considered on an individual basis. For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our General Entry Requirements pages.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Audio technology

Music production

Do you have a passion for music and sound? On this course, you’ll explore both the technical and creative aspects of sound, with plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the industry with real life briefs and masterclasses delivered by professionals.

Whether you see your future in studio and live production or in a record label, composing or performing, you’ll have the chance to develop your skills with expert guidance, making use of industry-standard technology to compose, perform, record and produce original music. The music sector offers a range of different roles in different environments for you to explore and opportunities in the UK music industry are plentiful.

The initial Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.

After your Foundation Year, this course has a shared first year across multiple specialisms. After your first year, if you want to study a different specialism you can choose to change between: BA (Hons) Music Production; BA (Hons) Audio and Music Production; BA (Hons) Music Production and Business; and BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production.

**Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?**
BNU has been delivering courses in the music industry for over 25 years and we have a wealth of expertise in our network of lecturing staff, guest speakers, and alumni, all with a track record of success in a variety of roles in the music business internationally.

You’ll get comprehensive training in key elements of music and audio production: studio production, music performance and composition, immersive audio techniques, critical listening and analysis, sound design, and live audio production techniques. By the time you graduate, you’ll have the ability to project manage yourself and a portfolio crammed with real life experience.

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in both your first and second year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers.

All our music degrees at BNU come with membership of UK Music’s Music Academic Partnership (MAP), a ground-breaking collaboration between educational institutions and UK Music.

**What will I study?**
Study both software and hardware to learn the best ways to record, mix and produce audio content for different systems. You'll work on real-life projects and collaborate with students from other courses on projects ranging from the screen to the stage. You'll also learn relevant business skills to help you tackle the challenges freelancers can face, including finance and legal guidance. This is a very practical, detailed course, and you'll also learn about the music and entertainment industries from experienced professionals. Depending on the modules you choose, you could also gain skills in performing, song composition, artist management, and create a substantial portfolio.

**What facilities can I use?**
Our state-of-the-art recording studios and Dolby Atmos certified sound lab give you access to the space and technology you need. From individual edit rooms up to large Pro Tools Ultimate studios with attached live rooms and vocal booths, we have it all to help you gain hands-on experience.
Equipment across our studios includes: a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 speaker system, an Avid S6 console, an Avid D-Command control surface and 24 channels of Focusrite ISA828 microphone preamps, an Avid S3/S4 control surfaces and UAD Apollo x8 audio interfaces, Genelec studio monitoring and KRK stereo systems. Find out more about our equipment on our website.

Modules

Modules will vary depending on the specialism you choose.
**Foundation Year**
Preparing for Success: Knowledge and Creativity;
Preparing for Success: Self-development and Responsibility;
Inquiry Based Learning;
Introduction to Music Management, Production and Performance

**Year One**
**Core**
Audio Production Technologies (20 credits);
Live Audio (20 credits);
Sound Design for Moving Image (20 credits);
Recording & Mixing Techniques (20 credits);
Entertainment Industry Framework (20 credits).

**Opportunity Modules**
You must choose 2 x 10 credit Level 4 Opportunity modules from the Opportunity module catalogue www.bnu.ac.uk/oppmodules

**Year Two**
**Core**
Live Production Technology (20 credits);
Creative Audio Production (20 credits);
Research Methods (20 credits)

**Optional**
Choose modules to the total of 40 credits:
Location Sound & Post-production (20 credits);
Sound Design for Non-linear media (20 credits);
Electronic Production Techniques (20 credits);
Music Publishing (20 credits);
Music Publishing (Placement) (20 credits).

**Opportunity modules**
In addition, you must choose 2 x 10 credit Level 5 Opportunity modules from the Opportunity module catalogue www.bnu.ac.uk/oppmodules

**Year Three**
**Core**
Creative Audio Project (20 credits);
Professional Production Project (20 credits);
Dissertation/Independent Work (40 credits)

**Optional**
Choose modules to the total of 40 credits:
Immersive Audio Techniques (20 credits);
Creative Performance Technology (20 credits);
Sound Design & Sonic Installation (20 credits);
Performance Application or Strategy (20 credits);
A&R (20 credits)

Assessment methods

Our teaching staff have a wealth of professional and academic experience, with many still actively working in the music industry. You’ll also engage with our dynamic programme of visiting lectures and can benefit from live project briefs, master classes, and plenty of networking opportunities.

Previous live-industry briefs have seen students work at Glastonbury, Dolby and Pinewood Studios. You'll also get the chance to work with up and coming music artists. Previous artists have included the Ting Tings, Jake Bugg, and Florence and the Machine.

You’ll study in a close-knit tutor group where everyone’s input is recognised and valued. Not only will you be able to make friends for life, you’ll also make important connections that could last through your career, and you’ll form a network, just like you’d find in the working-world.

A variety of assessment methods will be used as appropriate to the modules you take, including essays, reports, portfolios of creative audio content, written evaluations, presentations, and some continuous assessment on practical tasks. Assessments will be appropriate to the task, achievable, motivating and vocationally focussed, forming a constructive part of your learning process.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£15,000
per year
International
£15,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

Buckinghamshire New University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.bucks.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/financial-support-bursaries-and-scholarships

The Uni


Course location:

Buckinghamshire New University

Department:

School of Creative And Digital Industries

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

81%
Audio technology
71%
Music production

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Others in technology

Teaching and learning

81%
Staff make the subject interesting
90%
Staff are good at explaining things
85%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
86%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

88%
Library resources
75%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
59%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

79%
UK students
21%
International students
74%
Male students
26%
Female students
89%
2:1 or above
29%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
D
C

Music

Teaching and learning

71%
Staff make the subject interesting
86%
Staff are good at explaining things
77%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
78%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

78%
Library resources
70%
IT resources
64%
Course specific equipment and facilities
43%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

72%
UK students
28%
International students
73%
Male students
27%
Female students
71%
2:1 or above
20%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Others in technology

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
54%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

35%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
18%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
8%
Other elementary services occupations

Music

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
98%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

24%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
16%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
8%
Other elementary services occupations

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Others in technology

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£21k

£21k

£22k

£22k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Music

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£15k

£15k

£18k

£18k

£20k

£20k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Huddersfield | Huddersfield
Creative Music Production
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-120
Nearby University
Brunel University London | Uxbridge
Music (Production)
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-136
Lower entry requirements
ACM (The Academy of Contemporary Music) | Guildford
Music Production
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 18

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here