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Falmouth University

UCAS Code: W318 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Entry requirements

We welcome A Levels in a wide range of subjects, especially in those relevant to the course for which you apply.

We may consider a standalone AS in a relevant subject, if it is taken along with other A Levels and if an A Level has not been taken in the same subject. However, you will not be disadvantaged if you do not have a standalone AS subject as we will not ordinarily use them in our offers.

60 credits (with a minimum of 45 credits achieved at level 3) in a relevant subject.

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

24

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points

T Level

P-M

P (Pass) grade must be C or above, not D or E

UCAS Tariff

80-120

A typical offer is between 80 and 120 UCAS points, primarily from Level 3 equivalent qualifications, such as A levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma, or current, relevant experience. Grade 4 (or C) or above in GCSE English Language, or equivalent, is a minimum language requirement for all applicants. Due to the creative nature of our courses, you will be considered on your own individual merit and potential to succeed on your chosen course. Please contact the Applicant Services team for advice if you are predicted UCAS points below this range, or if you have questions about the qualifications or experience you have.

a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points, when combined with a minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points from the Supporting Qualifications

About this course

Course option

4years

Full-time | 2025

Subject

Music

The Integrated Foundation Year at WaterBear is designed as an introductory year prior to transitioning into your specialist BA (Hons) Professional Music course.

The Integrated Foundation Year course supports access to higher education. It will help you build the core and specialist skills you’ll need for degree-level study. It focusses on the development of relevant and sustainable skills required by musicians and entrepreneurs of the 21st century.

If you are taking on a subject that you are yet to study in depth, have been out of education for while or just need some support in preparing to study at a higher level, then the Integrated Foundation Year course could be for you. You will have the chance to explore your creativity, expand professional skills, improve study skills, and develop a deeper knowledge of the area you want to study.

If you’re looking for a BA (Hons) degree that gives you the confidence and freedom to experiment, challenge and explore the possibilities of your music, the BA (Hons) Professional Music (Songwriting) is the degree course for you.

It’s been designed to give you the confidence and motivation you need to reach your full potential, cut through the noise and get your music heard. It provides tools and techniques for you to take your compositions to a professional level. And like all degree courses at WaterBear, it gives you the perfect blend of artistic freedom alongside practical strategies to forge a solid career in music.

As an artist, it’s all about finding your voice and unlocking your creative potential. It’s also about developing the confidence to say what you want to the world and understanding how to build an audience. You’ll be able to access a wide range of content, resources and tuition to suit your individual needs. All online content from our full range of courses is accessible to everyone, so you can tailor your own learning journey.

At WaterBear, we believe in smaller class sizes and the value of personal 1-1 mentoring. We also believe you should have the freedom to explore what’s possible and continually push creative boundaries. All students on our 3-yr degree courses learn in small groups on pro-standard gear in environments designed to fuel creative output.

Students at WaterBear also get free, bookable access to professional rehearsal and recording studios, so you won’t need to worry about where to practice and record yourself or your band.

This course is taught at WaterBear in Brighton, and awarded by Falmouth University.

Modules

The Integrated Foundation Year is designed to support your access to Higher Education and specifically entry onto one of the BA (Hons) Professional Music courses at WaterBear. It focusses on the development your music and music projects. Every week, you’ll hone specialist skills related to your chosen area of interest and learn about what it means to be a professional in today’s music industry.

This course has been specifically designed for anyone with a passion for music who wants to go on to study a BA (Hons) Professional Music course at WaterBear, but who may need some extra support prior to studying at degree level. You will

Study core modules that focus on music and industry practice.
Improve your technical abilities and develop your specialism.
Be working individually and collaboratively to create and present your ideas.
Explore style and genre and develop a wider knowledge of music as a source of income with a focus on what it means to have a DIY approach, including the use of technology.

The Professional Music (Songwriting) degree is built on three fundamental elements – your music, your career and your projects. It deals with what really matters in music and the industry. It will expand your options and push you to deliver high-quality compositions and great live music performance. Every week, you’ll hone songcraft, compositional skills and stagecraft, and expand your repertoire. You’ll be able to perform your music live on stage in a real music venue. And you’ll learn all you need to know about the realities of being a professional artist in today’s music industry. There are also regular networking events, masterclasses, collaboration and work opportunities so you can build your all-important contacts list.

This course has been specifically designed for:

· Singer-songwriters
· Composers
· Multi-instrumentalists
· Producers

Every artist at WaterBear has their own story to tell and their own path to follow. We provide a supportive, safe environment for you to experiment and create. You'll also develop a tailored career plan to support your personal goals and ambitions.

Integrated Foundation Year Modules

Production Know-How
What Makes Music Great
Music Performance
Creative Production Workshop
Music Promotion
Showcase

Level 4 Modules:

Your Songwriting
Navigating the Music Industry
Original Composition
Your Strategy

Year Three Modules:

Your Sound
Your Events
Innovation in Songwriting
Innovation in the Music Industry

Year Four Modules:

Your Professional Development
Specialist Report
Professional Project Portfolio

As part of our process of continuous improvement, we routinely review course content to ensure that all our students benefit from a high-quality and rewarding academic experience. As such, there may be some changes made to your course which are not immediately reflected in the content displayed on our website. Any students affected will be informed of any changes made directly.

Assessment methods

For the Integrated Foundation Year, module assessment methods will vary depending on the subject matter and will include a blend of practical and written assessment, and portfolio submission.

The Uni

Course location:

WaterBear, Brighton

Department:

The Academy of Music and Theatre Arts

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.

77%
Music

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.

Music

Teaching and learning

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
92%
Staff are good at explaining things
84%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
74%
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

70%
Library resources
79%
IT resources
81%
Course specific equipment and facilities
70%
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?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
65%
Male students
35%
Female students
68%
2:1 or above
21%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

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.

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.

£16,000
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
59%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

51%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
9%
Teaching and educational professionals
9%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

What about your long term prospects?

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

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.

£13k

£13k

£17k

£17k

£21k

£21k

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.

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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