BSc (Hons) Songwriting and Music Production

at University of Hertfordshire

Building on the University of Hertfordshire Music’s successful composition and technology courses, the Songwriting and Music Production pathway focuses on the technical and creative aspects of being a successful songwriter. You’ll explore a range of songwriting techniques, composing and recording your own songs and building up your studio skills to a professional standard. With access to innovative software and performance opportunities, you’ll develop your own musical language and explore how your means of self-expression connect with your cultural surroundings. You’ll also study the business aspects of commercial music making, pursue work experience and build the skills and experience to become a creative and entrepreneurial musician.
 

Your main campus is College Lane     
 

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.   
 

What will I study?
 

You will receive interactive lectures, seminars, and tutorials, with practical and studio-based teaching. You will have opportunities to collaborate with other music students, film makers and digital animators, and to benefit from the input of movers and shakers in the music industry visiting our University on a regular basis. 
 

Course content 
 

The BSc (Hons) in Songwriting and Music Production focuses on the technical and creative aspects of developing a career as a songwriter. 
 

You will explore a wide range of songwriting techniques through a variety of projects. Lectures and coursework investigate music of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries with a particular emphasis on current, commercial, and popular trends in song writing. Whilst the course’s focus is on the widest interpretation of ‘song,’ other forms of commercially based activities - sound for media, commercials and other applications of music that can be profitable for the composer will be explored.  
 

There will be opportunities to perform your songs as part of the course and in a range of extra-curricular events. Open Days, music industry events, exhibitions, student ‘Jam Jar’ gigs and other festival events allow students to showcase their work in public. The course reflects the cultural, social, and creative aspects of the discipline in seeking collaborative opportunities within the School of Creative Arts. 
 

With the input of industry professionals, you will investigate techniques as used by some of the world's most successful songwriters. You will study the business aspects of popular music culture and how this works within the music industry. 
 

Most of all, you will be an entrepreneurial musician - someone who has talent as a songwriter and has the ability to get their music out there. 
 

Level 4
 

Level 5
 

Level 6
 

Additional requirements
 

Access course: Diploma with 45 level 3 credits at merit.
 

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.

UK Students
 

Full time

• £9250 for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

Part time

• £1155 per 15 credits for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

EU Students
 

Full time

• £14000 for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

Part time

• £1750 per 15 credits for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

International Students

Full time

• £14000 for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

Part time

• £1750 per 15 credits for the 2022/2023 academic year

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers as songwriters, composers and performers and work for organisations such as the BBC and PRS. Composing for television, sound design, creating sound for computer games and sound engineering are all roles our alumni have taken part in. Owing to the balance of technological and creative aspects of our courses, students have been in constant demand for teaching positions.  Many have continued their studies for Master's and PhD degrees.
 

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers as songwriters, composers and performers and work for organisations such as the BBC and PRS. Composing for television, sound design, creating sound for computer games and sound engineering are all roles our alumni have taken part in. Owing to the balance of technological and creative aspects of our courses, students have been in constant demand for teaching positions.  Many have continued their studies for Master's and PhD degrees.