Foundation Music Programme, Creative Industries Futures

Program Overview

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Start Your Journey in Music and Creativity with Our Foundation Programme

Overview

Our Foundation Programme in Birmingham and Guildford is designed to help you develop essential skills in vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, production, songwriting, and more, setting you up for success in the creative industries.

Foundation Overview

Our Foundation Programme combines academic learning with hands-on creative projects, giving you the experience, skills, and confidence you need to pursue a degree and a career in the creative industries.

Modules & Skills Units

Each pathway includes specialised units designed to build both your practical and academic skills, setting the stage for your future studies and career.

• Creative Practice 1: Introduction To Instrumental Development
• Creative Practice 2: Introduction To Stagecraft, Performance & Collaboration
• Academic Practice & Effective Communication
• Creative Project Management
• Specialist Entry Portfolio

Course Details

Award

BA / BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures

Awarding Body

Middlesex University

Modes of Study

• Full time
• Accelerated

Duration

3yr Programme (1yr Foundation + 2yr Accelerated Degree)

FHEQ Credits

Degree 360

Progression Options

The foundation programme is offered as an entry pathway to our BA / BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures programmes

Entry Requirements

• All candidates should hold at least a Grade C/4 in English GCSE.
• Candidates should be capable of using the English language fluently, and able to structure arguments and present evidence to a standard appropriate to study at Level ‘0’.
• Where the application materials appear insufficient to form a clear judgement on the candidate’s fluency, additional documentary evidence (e.g. recent essays) will be called for.
• Applicants for whom English is a second language are required to have achieved IELTS level 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent qualification.

Faculty & Visiting Professionals

ACM blends expert tutoring, professional mentorship, and 100 industry-developed modules, ensuring students gain relevant skills and insights for success in the fast-evolving professional world, with personalised 1-to-1 tutorials and practical experiences to prepare for industry careers.

UCAS Codes

• Production: CIPF
• Rap MC: RMC2
• Creative Artist: CASF
• Musician Bass: MPBF
• Musician Guitar: MPGF
• Musician Vocals: MPVF
• Musician Keys: MPKF
• Musician Drums: MPDF
• Jazz and 3rd Stream: J3SF
• Music Composition: MCPF

Fees

View course fees

About You

• Information about you and your contact details.
• First Name
• Surname
• Gender pronouns
• Date of Birth
• Your Email Address
• Your Mobile Phone Number

Emergency Contact Information

• If you're under the age of 18, we require the name(s) of the parent(s) who consent to you studying at ACM.
• 1st Emergency Contact Name
• What is their relationship to you?
• 1st Emergency contact telephone number
• 1st Emergency contact email address
• Do you give us permission to speak to this emergency contact?

Course Selection

• Which course are you interested in studying? If you don't have a preference yet, choose 'I'm unsure' from any section.
• Choose your preferred ACM Campus
• Choose a preferred Study Level
• Preferred Year of Entry
• Preferred Subject Area

Admissions Assessment

• A few questions we need to ask to process your application.
• Are you a UK citizen?
• Eligibility to study
• Do you have any criminal convictions or ongoing investigations?
• Do you have any additional needs or disabilities that we can support you with?
• Learning / Health information
• Are you or have you ever been subject to an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?

Data Fair Processing Notice

• I consent to ACM storing and processing the information above in accordance with my application to this study programme and to contact me in the future using the contact details I have provided.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

The Foundation Music Programme, part of Creative Industries Futures at ACM, is a non-credit-bearing access course designed to prepare students for a degree in the creative industries. It's a three-year program structured as a foundation year followed by an accelerated two-year degree course. This option is ideal for those lacking the necessary credits or experience for direct degree entry. The program combines academic learning with hands-on creative projects, aiming to provide students with the experience, skills, and confidence needed for a degree and career in the creative industries. The program focuses on developing skills in vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, rap & MC, and music production. It offers pathways tailored to help students explore and refine their chosen discipline. The foundation year builds confidence, creative skills within the chosen discipline, and essential academic skills to prepare students for degree-level study. Teaching methods include lectures, seminars (online and in-person), discipline-specific skills units, online activities, masterclasses, workshops, independent study, portfolio building, and collaborative projects. Modules cover areas such as portfolio development, creative project management, academic practice & effective communication, songwriting, production & digital software, instrumental development, stagecraft, collaboration & performance, synthesis & sound design, and music theory.

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Outline:

The program is a three-year program (one-year foundation + two-year accelerated degree). The foundation year includes several modules:

• Specialist Entry Portfolio (CIF-001): Develops a portfolio demonstrating readiness for the undergraduate program.
• Creative Practice 1: Introduction To Instrumental Development (SKU-FDN-006): Develops core skills in competent and confident instrumental practice.
• Creative Practice 2: Introduction To Stagecraft, Performance & Collaboration (SKU-FDN-007): Applies skills from CIF-003 to live or streamed performance settings.
• Academic Practice & Effective Communication (CIF-003): Provides core academic skills in resource use, referencing, presentations, and communication.
• Creative Project Management (CIF-002): Develops skills in effective project organization and management.
Each pathway (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Music Production, Rap & MC, Creative Artist, Music Composition, Jazz & Third Stream) includes specialized units designed to build practical and academic skills. The content is described as cutting-edge and industry-driven. The accelerated degree condenses a three-year program into two years by adding a third term during the summer. This doesn't increase the intensity of weekly study; the extra learning occurs during what would normally be a longer summer break at a traditional university.

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Teaching:

The program uses a variety of teaching methods, including lectures and seminars (both online and in-person), discipline-specific skills units, online activities, masterclasses, workshops, independent study, portfolio building, and collaborative projects. The faculty includes seasoned industry professionals who bring specialized knowledge, qualifications, and hands-on experience. Examples of faculty members and their industry experience are provided (Matthew Twaites, Matthew Appleby, Amie Chatterley). The program emphasizes opportunities for collaboration with diverse artists and real-world projects.

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Careers:

The program aims to prepare students for careers in the creative industries. Specific career paths are not explicitly listed, but the skills developed (vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, production, songwriting, rap & MC, creative artistry, music composition, jazz & third stream) suggest potential careers as musicians, producers, songwriters, performing artists, and other roles within the music and creative industries. The program's focus on real-world projects and industry connections suggests opportunities for work experience and networking during the program.

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Other:

The program is offered at Guildford, Birmingham, and London campuses. It leads to a BA/BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures degree awarded by Middlesex University. The program is offered full-time and in an accelerated format. ACM's accelerated degree model, pioneered in 1999, condenses a three-year degree into two years. The program welcomes applications from those with alternative qualifications or prior experience, considering each application individually. The program also mentions that students can optionally pursue a Masters degree in just 3 years after completing the undergraduate program.