Leeds Conservatoire has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Writing music for the moving image has become an increasingly attractive career option. Refine your composition, arranging and production skills and develop an entrepreneurial approach to working in the film music industry at Leeds Conservatoire. Developed to meet industry demands, this is the first course of its kind in a UK conservatoire. It uniquely combines one-to-one composition tuition, Mac lab production software sessions, and a variety of supporting topics such as harmony, orchestration and historical, cultural and professional studies. Students will have access to a unique library of notated soundtrack scores and cues, and the conservatoire’s well-equipped Apple Mac suites, not to mention established links with the film music industry. The course also benefits from masterclasses delivered by professional film score composers, directors, industry specialists and in-house talent. These are in addition to the weekly lectures and seminars and usually generate between 2-3 hours extra per week. There are monthly ‘Film Night’ events where students showcase their music to film in front of a live audience and a panel of professionals. Visitors have previously included Nicholas Dodd, Harry Escott, Michael Price and David Julyan and may include David Arnold and Harry Gregson Williams in the future. We are also visited regularly by notable alumni successful within film music; in the past these have included ex-students who have worked (or are still working) in Hollywood. At Level 6, students also participate in ‘Student Enhancement’ activities, where various valuable and interesting events take place, such as one-to-one sessions with directors and professional film score composers.
Modules
The BA (Hons) Music (Film Music) modules focus on developing you as a professional film composer through one-to-one tuition, small group work and creative projects. The professional studies strand will develop your core business skills, and other optional modules will introduce additional cross-genre capabilities. The programme has strands in Specialist Study, Contextual Studies and Professional Studies that span the three levels of the programme. Students focus primarily on their Specialist Study. Year 1 (Level 4) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study Film Music 1 Specialist Group Study Film Music 1 Film Music in Context 1 Professional Studies 1: Working in the Creative Industries Creative Project Year 2 (Level 5) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study Film Music 2 Specialist Group Study Film Music 2 Film Music in Context 2 Contextual Studies 2 Professional Studies 2 Contextual Studies 2 optional modules, one of: Arranging and Orchestration Collaborative Composition Entrepreneurship Introduction to Music Technology Music and Ideology Musical Direction Performance with Electronics Songwriting Professional Studies 2 optional modules, one of: Artistic Management Business Start-up Concerts and Touring Instrumental Music Tuition Self-Promotion and Music Marketing Structure and Functions of the Film Music Industry Working with Music in the Community Year 3 (Level 6) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study Film Music 3 Final Project Contextual Studies 3 Professional Studies 3 Students select either an Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Project or a Practice in Context Research Project for their Final Project module. Contextual Studies 3 optional modules, one of: Composed Theatre Computer-Based Composition Electro-acoustic Composition Emerging Music Models Extended Improvisation Intercultural Music Software Environments – Performance and Sound Creation Professional Studies 3 optional modules, one of: Business Leadership and Ethics Community Music Project Film Music – Aesthetics and Narrative Function Live Music Management Music Journalism Module specifications can be accessed via the Leeds Conservatoire website: http://bit.ly/LC-Film-UCAS
Assessment method
The course is assessed via practical and written assessment and will involve composing, arranging and production of film music. Periodically students will be required to produce notated scores (handwritten or Sibelius) to accompany their work. The exact nature of assessments will depend on the Contextual Studies and Professional Studies module options chosen at Level 5 and Level 6, as well as the choice of project for the Final Project module at Level 6. Formal assessments tend to take place at the end of each semester or the end of the year. There are a handful of assignments with deadlines halfway through a semester.
How to apply
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W3W3
- Institution code:
- L30
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Please visit the international page on our website for further information: http://bit.ly/UCAS-international-apply
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 96 points
A level
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Additional entry requirements: Applicants should also have achieved a minimum of three GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above. UCAS tariff points from music graded exams are also accepted (highest achieved per instrument (grade 6 and above), awarded by ABRSM, London College of Music, Trinity College, Rock School). All applicants will be required to either attend an audition or submit a portfolio of work, followed by an interview. Please see https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/audition for up to date details of our audition process. English Language requirements: All applicants must meet the minimum English Language requirement, as set by the conservatoire. For UK applicants this is GCSE English Language at grade C/4. Equivalent qualifications, such as Functional Skills English Level 2 or National 5 English grade C, will also be accepted. For applicants that require a Student Visa to study in the UK, the standard requirement is IELTS 6.0 with no sub-test less than 5.5.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Portfolio
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| EU | £20300 | Year 1 |
| International | £20300 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
For details of any additional costs associated with your course, please see https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-study/fees-funding/tuition-fees/
Provider information
Leeds Conservatoire
3 Quarry Hill
Leeds
LS2 7PD