Foundation BA(hons) or BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (Music) Foundation
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Course overview
Start Your Creative Journey with Confidence
The Creative Industries Futures (Music) Foundation Programme is designed for students who want to begin their creative industries journey but need additional time, skills or qualifications before progressing to degree-level study.
Across this one-year course, you’ll:
- Develop confidence in your chosen creative discipline
- Build essential academic and industry-ready skills
- Prepare for successful progression into ACM’s undergraduate programmes
The Creative Industries Futures (Music) Foundation Programme is open to students at all ACM campuses.
Creative Industries Futures (Music) Foundation Overview
Our Creative Industries Futures (Music) 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.
Whether you’re interested in music production, performing, or songwriting, our foundation year offers the perfect stepping stone to launch your career.
From instrumental development and stagecraft to songwriting and sound design, this programme is carefully crafted to ensure you leave with a solid foundation to succeed at degree level and beyond.
With access to industry professionals, masterclasses, and collaborative opportunities, you’ll gain real-world insights and develop a diverse portfolio of work.
This programme is designed for:
- Aspiring musicians, producers, songwriters, and creative artists.
- Individuals passionate about creativity who may not yet have the qualifications for a degree.
- Those looking to build skills in vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, rap & MC, or music production.
- Learners of any background who are eager to start a career in the creative industries.
Whether you’re starting fresh or need a boost to move to the next stage of your music journey, our foundation programme offers the tools and support you need to thrive.
Our foundation pathways are tailored to help you explore and refine your chosen discipline.
Specialisms
The Foundation programme allows you to develop your creative direction through specialist study in Performance, Songwriting or Music Production.
Performance, Songwriting students build skills in areas such as instrumental development, songwriting, stagecraft, live performance and collaboration. Music Production students explore digital production, recording techniques, synthesis and sound design.
Alongside your chosen specialism, you’ll develop the academic, creative and project-management skills needed to progress confidently to degree-level study. As your interests and ambitions develop, you’ll have opportunities to refine your creative focus and build a portfolio that reflects your future direction.
All units are informed by current industry practice, helping you gain practical experience while preparing for further study and a career in the creative industries.
Modules
All Students
ACM-001 Specialist Entry Portfolio
This module aims to support students in developing a portfolio demonstrating their readiness for the ACM undergraduate programme.
ACM-002 Creative Project Management
This module aims to provide students with the skills to effectively organise and manage projects.
ACM-003 Academic Practice & Effective Communication
This module aims to provide students with core academic skills in using resources, referencing, presentations and the tools to communicate their ideas effectively.
MIF-004 Creative Product Development – Introduction to Songwriting & Song Structure
This module aims to introduce students to the essential ingredients of songwriting. Students will be aware of the industry expectations of a songwriter and how to best develop and further practice their skill set.
MIF-008 Application of Theory to Practice – Introduction to Music Theory
This module aims to provide learners with the application of theory to practice. Enabling students to develop the interpretive skills required to gain confidence in the reading and writing of relevant practice notations, and to be able to discuss practice concepts using industry-standard language and approaches.
Performance and Songwriting Students
MIF-006 Creative Practice 1: Introduction To Instrumental Development
This module aims to enable students to gain the core skills required in order to practice competently and with confidence by establishing practice strategies that inform, maintain and extend their practice abilities.
MIF-007 Creative Practice 2: Introduction To Stagecraft, Performance & Collaboration
This module builds on the skills of Creative Practice 1 to support students to use aims to apply to a physical or streamed live setting.
Production
MIF-005 Digital Production Development – Introduction to Production & Digital Software
This Skills Unit introduces the basic skills required to produce music within a Digital Audio Workstation and in the recording studio. Introducing students to the functionality of DAWs, essential DAW features and functions, and basic recording and signal flow techniques.
MIF-009 Application of Creative Practice – Introduction to Synthesis and Sound Design
This Skills Unit builds on the foundation of DAW and recording skills learnt in MIF-005, providing students with practical skills to utilise techniques associated with electronic music production, as well as providing context of the evolution of DAW-based production to the present day.
Fees & Entry requirements
- Minimum age 17+ for Creative Industries Futures (Music) Foundation Learners and 18+ for our Accelerated Degree Courses.
- You will be expected to hold a GCSE in English Language / Literature at C grade/ 4 (or higher)
- Suitability for the programme will also be assessed through an audition. View audition guides
- Fees & financing information can be found on our Fees page
- Term dates can be found on the Term Dates page
Progression
The foundation programme is offered as an entry pathway to our Undergraduate (BA / BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures) programmes, and thus is non credit-bearing.
Contact our Admissions team to discuss the possibility of switching to an Integrated Masters program or explore a range of our Postgraduate programs here.
Tutors
Matthew Appleby
Lecturer & Pathway Lead for Foundation
Matthew Twaites
Lecturer & Pathway Lead for Foundation
