Undergraduate BA(hons) or BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (Music) Music Production

Modules 

MIF – 401 Music Industry Futures 

This module gives students an overview of the music industry, past, present, and future. Students learn about the mechanisms, structures, and practices that drive the music industry and where their specialism sits within it, whilst gaining an understanding of key fundamentals of music business, structure, market, and areas of specialism. 

MIF – 402 Music Media and Technology 

This module enables students to examine the role of music across a range of media, exploring the way that music, media and technology intersect. It prepares students to understand how their specialist skills will be used in the industries of today and tomorrow. 

MIF – 403 Impact and influence of Music

This module enables students to explore the varied impact of music, focusing on its ability to influence audiences, create community connections, and support creative practitioners, as well as the physical and mental impact music may have on individuals and wellbeing.

MIF – 404 Music, Culture and Society

This module enables students to understand the cultural and social aspects of music and to connect the theory with the practice, helping students to learn how to navigate the industry whilst being aware of important sociocultural histories, trends, and issues that affect the music industry.  This module encourages you to explore these ideas through discussion and debate, developing your ability to critically explain and justify your work. These skills are essential for defining your identity as a creative practitioner and communicating your values within the industry.

CIF – 405 Preparing for Collaborative Projects

This module enables students to prepare and organise themselves and their work to engage in an interdisciplinary collaborative creative project. Students will work on their discipline-specific skills through a suite of skills units and labs, bringing them to the collaborative project to begin working in communities of practice. 

CIF – 406 – Engaging in Collaborative Projects

This module enables students to work collaboratively on a shared project brief. Building on 405, it prompts the students to further develop their skills and begin realising larger cross-disciplinary projects with creatives across music and/or digital arts pathways.

Skills Units

SKU-PRO-01 DAW Composition & Arrangement 

This Skills Unit reinforces the underlying skills required to produce music within a Digital Audio Workstation. Introducing students to other DAWs and focusing on how arrangement skills can assist the role of the producer.

SKU-PRO-02 Sound Recording Techniques 

This Skills Unit introduces the students to Large Format Mixing Consoles, a wide range of microphones and associated techniques, and how to record and process a range of instruments commonly found in Contemporary Music.

SKU-PRO-03 Sound Design 1: Synthesis & Sampling

Synthesis and Sampling techniques are not only used within Electronic Music but also commonplace across most modern music genres. Looking at different synthesis types from Subtractive, Granular, and Wavetable, but also including FM, physical modelling, and Spectral and the wide and varied ways that Sampling can be incorporated into Production styles.

SKU-PRO-04 Audio Mixing Essentials

Understanding the fundamentals of audio is vital for any Producer to be able to problem-solve and adapt their workflow. Digital Audio principles and correct routing, signal flow, and gain staging will help the students to take their mixes to the next level by comprehending why and where problems may occur.

Modules 

CIF – 501 – Specialist Collaborative Work

This module enables students to contribute through their chosen specialism to an interdisciplinary collaborative creative industries project, and gives them the opportunity to develop more advanced skills through the realisation of highly specialised projects, driven by industry briefs. 

CIF – 502 – Professional Collaborative Work

This module aims to enable students to explore, examine, and review the function of a professional project. Students will work in a professional context to deliver a project in their specialism. 

CIF – 503 – Specialist Route Skills 

This module enables students to use tools, techniques, and procedures to work toward producing work of a professional standard in their chosen specialism. Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. Crucially, this module provides students with additional advanced technical skills development, through which they are assessed. 

CIF – 504 – Professional Route Skills 

This module enables students to create a portfolio of professional, specialist work demonstrating transferable skills to meet sector expectations. Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. Here, the emphasis on specific skills remains; however is realised in a broader context. 

Skills Units

SKU-PRO-05 Sound Design 2: Instrument Design 

This Skills Unit allows students to design and/or adapt their own instruments with a focus on Sound Design. Looking at virtual software instrument development platforms such as Reaktor and circuit bending within hardware.

SKU-PRO-07 Creative Mixing

Building on skills and knowledge gained in the Mixing Fundamentals Skills Unit, this course explores the creativity that emerges from breaking the rules and pushing recording and mixing equipment beyond its sensible limits. Here, you can explore creative approaches and processes as applied to mixing and begin to develop a unique sound as a producer.

SKU-PRO-08 Acoustics

Description: Acoustics crosses over into many audio applications and industries. Getting the best out of your control room, monitoring, live room recording, and other acoustic spaces is one of the many ways that a deeper understanding of acoustics can help.

SKU-CAC-07 Composition For Film, TV & Media

This skills unit will allow students to explore advanced songwriting techniques across different musical styles and genres. Topics such as free writing, melodic math, song-mapping & advanced arrangement techniques will be covered.

SKU-PRO-11 DJ & Remixing

With electronic music dominating the commercial charts and artists relying heavily on live performances for financial stability, DJing is a great way for electronic producers to get a handle on live performance. This unit will cover all the essential and fundamental information needed in order to successfully incorporate DJing on industry-standard equipment into a live performance scenario.

This Skills Unit looks at DJs and remixers within production. Utilising both hardware and software to develop DJ mixing skills and how the use of cue points, loops and stem mixing can link to the production techniques used within remix production.

Modules 

CIF – 501 – Specialist Collaborative Work

This module enables students to contribute through their chosen specialism to an interdisciplinary collaborative creative industries project, and gives them the opportunity to develop more advanced skills through the realisation of highly specialised projects, driven by industry briefs. 

CIF – 502 – Professional Collaborative Work

This module aims to enable students to explore, examine, and review the function of a professional project. Students will work in a professional context to deliver a project in their specialism. 

CIF – 503 – Specialist Route Skills 

This module enables students to use tools, techniques, and procedures to work toward producing work of a professional standard in their chosen specialism. Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. Crucially, this module provides students with additional advanced technical skills development, through which they are assessed. 

CIF – 504 – Professional Route Skills 

This module enables students to create a portfolio of professional, specialist work demonstrating transferable skills to meet sector expectations. Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework. Here, the emphasis on specific skills remains; however is realised in a broader context. 

Skills Units

SKU-PRO-06 Musical Directing and Studio Craft

Every Producer working in a studio environment at some stage will work with other Artists. This Skills Unit links Production students to Musicians with a focus on communication & collaboration. Getting the best performance from an Artist, while also managing the technical responsibilities in the studio, is a skill set that prepares the students for the Industry.

SKU-PRO-07 Creative Mixing

Building on skills and knowledge gained in the Mixing Fundamentals Skills Unit, this course explores the creativity that emerges from breaking the rules and pushing recording and mixing equipment beyond its sensible limits. Here, you can explore creative approaches and processes as applied to mixing and begin to develop a unique sound as a producer.

SKU-PRO-08 Acoustics

Acoustics crosses over into many audio applications and industries. Getting the best out of your control room, monitoring, live room recording, and other acoustic spaces is one of the many ways that a deeper understanding of acoustics can help.

SKU-PRO-10 Live Sound Engineering

The Live Sound industry is directly linked to Music Production. This Skills Unit will enable students to understand how their mixes can translate across to venues’ PA systems. Giving the opportunities to learn new skills used by Live Sound Engineers within setup, monitors, and Front of House, and previous technical knowledge can be adapted from Studio Production to work in a live environment.

SKU-PRO-12 Ensemble Recording

Recording an ensemble of instruments is a skill used across numerous genres. Working with the acoustic space and how this interacts with the musicians, this Skills Unit enables students to enhance their recording skills by working with instruments within ensembles such as String Quartets, Jazz bands, and grouped or choir vocals.

Modules

CIF – 601 – Critical Review 

This module includes a research or practical project that critically reviews one or more current issues, constraints or practices that impact your specialism and wider creative industries, the application of your specialism to other industry sectors or broader cultural

or workforce issues relating to your specialism and the creative cultural industries. Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework.

CIF – 603 – Leadership and CPD

This module enables students to engage with continuing professional development and to review and develop their leadership skills in different contexts, whilst also building and maintaining a specialist skills development plan for their chosen specialism. 

CIF – 602 – Leading a Professional Collaborative Project

This module aims to enable students to build their leadership and professional skills through an interdisciplinary collaborative professional project. It acts as the student’s final capstone project, and is driven by the student, culminating in a final performance, showcase, professional body of work, or a combination thereof, to a high professional standard. 

CIF – 604 – Professional Portfolio 

This module enables students to create a portfolio and digital presence that includes course output, work experience, freelance work or volunteering targeted to professional opportunities or further study. Through the delivery of their assessment, students are invited to position their work through the lens of industry, creating a portfolio of work and an accompanying plan for professional development and progression in their chosen field.

Skills Units

SKU-PRO-13 Performance & Technology

Through case studies and hands-on demonstrations, this Skills Unit explores cutting-edge technologies, their application within live music performance, and technology’s ability to enhance the music production process.

SKU-PRO-15 Mastering

Mastering is the final stage of any audio production. This Skills Unit allows students to advance their mastering skills, using both software & hardware. As Digital Distribution continually evolves, keeping up to date with the latest formats and specifications is important. From vinyl, CD, and digital mastering, the students will learn the skills to finalise their own music within Industry standards.

SKU-PRO-20 Immersive Audio

Immersive sound and music have been a staple of digital media for decades, experienced mostly in modern cinemas. As the wider music industry begins to embrace immersive formats offered across all major music streaming platforms, this skills unit offers students the opportunity to learn about immersive recording and mixing. The course covers contemporary formats such as Dolby Atmos and Ambisonics and teaches the techniques and processes associated with building immersive listening experiences.

SKU-PRO-21 Navigating Industry

This Skills Unit is designed to link students to the working Industry, preparing them for their chosen areas of expertise and how to adapt and use their specialism within the workplace.

Modules

CIF – 601 – Critical Review 

This module includes a research or practical project that critically reviews one or more current issues, constraints or practices that impact your specialism and wider creative industries, the application of your specialism to other industry sectors or broader cultural

or workforce issues relating to your specialism and the creative cultural industries. Students will be able to use relevant academic research and sources to critically review and place their practice in a humanities, phenomenology or cultural framework.

CIF – 603 – Leadership and CPD

This module enables students to engage with continuing professional development and to review and develop their leadership skills in different contexts, whilst also building and maintaining a specialist skills development plan for their chosen specialism. 

CIF – 602 – Leading a Professional Collaborative Project

This module aims to enable students to build their leadership and professional skills through an interdisciplinary collaborative professional project. It acts as the student’s final capstone project, and is driven by the student, culminating in a final performance, showcase, professional body of work, or a combination thereof, to a high professional standard. 

CIF – 604 – Professional Portfolio 

This module enables students to create a portfolio and digital presence that includes course output, work experience, freelance work or volunteering targeted to professional opportunities or further study. Through the delivery of their assessment, students are invited to position their work through the lens of industry, creating a portfolio of work and an accompanying plan for professional development and progression in their chosen field.

Skills Units

SKU-PRO-14 Arrangement & Orchestration

This Skills Unit focuses on the arrangement & orchestration techniques used by Producers. Taking a song in its basic format and being able to expand its instrumentation is a valuable skill. Linking to previous work with Ensembles, the students will work with a variety of music & instruments to understand how they can be arranged within their productions.

SKU-PRO-15 Mastering

Mastering is the final stage of any audio production. This Skills Unit allows students to advance their mastering skills, using both software & hardware. As Digital Distribution continually evolves, keeping up to date with the latest formats and specifications is important. From vinyl, CD, and digital mastering, the students will learn the skills to finalise their own music within Industry standards.

SKU-PRO-20 Immersive Audio

Immersive sound and music have been a staple of digital media for decades, experienced mostly in modern cinemas. As the wider music industry begins to embrace immersive formats offered across all major music streaming platforms, this skills unit offers students the opportunity to learn about immersive recording and mixing. The course covers contemporary formats such as Dolby Atmos and Ambisonics and teaches the techniques and processes associated with building immersive listening experiences.

SKU-PRO-21 Navigating Industry

This Skills Unit is designed to link students to the working Industry, preparing them for their chosen areas of expertise and how to adapt and use their specialism within the workplace.

CIF – 701 – Professional Practice Frameworks

This module enables students to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the professional sector-specific expertise required for a creative industries profession. Students here reflect on their own specialist and professional experiences and map to professional standard frameworks. There is the opportunity to engage with additional external qualifications through this module. 

CIF – 702 – Applied research 

This module enables students to evidence academic expertise in an applied research

context. Students will be able to use relevant academic research to drive their project, over two terms, where they will submit a final portfolio of work. Some examples include: professional portfolios, thesis, creative portfolios, live performances, creative artefacts and products. 

CIF – 703 – Ideas into action 

Within this module, students will investigate the project management processes needed to develop a project from concept to release, developing their own craft into project(s) which align with their chosen area of study. 

CIF – 704 – Making connections 

This module enables students to identify, inform, and establish a network of peers and relevant industry and community contacts to develop opportunities and advocacy in key organisations in the local community, research organisations, charities and the creative industries, as well as connect with communities of investors.