Songwriting and Artist Development
About this course
Across the dynamic Cert HE Songwriting and Artist Development course, you’ll develop your songwriting and performance skills and start defining your identity as a creative artist, supported every step of the way by ICMP’s expert tutors.
This groundbreaking one-year course covers a host of modern genres, from hip-hop, R’n’B, grime and drill to indie, rock and pop. Whether you’re a solo artist, rapper, band frontperson, acoustic singer–songwriter or something else entirely, you’ll be introduced to different aspects of contemporary songwriting, covering a range of styles, themes, genres and writing methods.
During the year, you’ll regularly engage with peers on the course’s ‘sister’ programme – the Cert HE Songwriting and Production – as well as ICMP entrepreneurs and musicians across different degrees. As you progress through the year, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of both songwriting and live performance, while learning to analyse your own work and that of your peers through ‘A&R-style’ feedback sessions and small group discussions.
You’ll spend your time at ICMP being inspired by London’s best songwriters, musicians and creative artists – ICMP’s highly successful tutors – who all have extensive careers in both higher education and music. You’ll also be encouraged to take part in regular songwriting and performance events – such as ICMP’s renowned Songwriters’ Circle nights – plus masterclasses and visits from music industry representatives.
Upon completion of the Cert HE Songwriting and Artist Development course, you’ll have developed the beginnings of your first professional songwriting portfolio, and will have built the skills and creative flair to confidently showcase your music live. You’ll be more than ready to show off your talents as a writer–performer in the music industry or, if you’d prefer to continue your studies, you can head straight into the second year of ICMP’s BA (Hons) Songwriting and Artist Development or BA (Hons) Songwriting and Production degree to further develop your talents as a vibrant writer–performer.
Tuition fees
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Extra funding
For students to be eligible for SLC funding, they must be studying a designated course. Courses at the ICMP are designated each year by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. We have developed together with valued partners several scholarships and bursaries which supplement our outreach and widening participation activities and enhance access to our courses. Please contact our admissions team for more information.
The Uni
Institute of Contemporary Music Performance
Music
What students say
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After graduation
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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.
£14k
£15k
£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.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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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?
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