ACM (The Academy of Contemporary Music) has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
The Creative Artist Pathway will give you a 360 degree view of the skills and knowledge required to be a professional songwriter or performing / recording artist. Whether you’re embarking on a career as a singer/songwriter, professionally writing for commercial artists, or fronting a band as a lead singer – ACM is the place to hone and develop the skills and knowledge required across songwriting, music business, production & performance practices. Students of this route don’t just ride music waves, they make them, learning all about the music and creative industries they are about to walk into, as they do so. This programme is quality assured by Middlesex University and you will receive a Middlesex award on successful completion.
Modules
Our tripartite commitment to our students’ academic, professional and personal development is recognised in a brand new curriculum, specifically purposed to bridge the gap between what industry needs and what education has traditionally provided. ACM's pioneering Creative Industries Future programme framework treats our students as individuals. We build bespoke programmes of study for each of them, based on their own history and aspirations for the future, with over 100 different modules and numerous unique module combinations to choose from. On UCAS, we actively publish a certain number of career destinations that are commonly stated as aspirational by our applicants and desirable by our industry, advising you as to which module combinations you might want to consider in pursuit of those particular career goals. If you’d like to pursue something different, however, it’s also completely possible to build and personalise your own programmes, as you see fit. Of course, we also understand that not everybody has a specific career destination yet, and so for those of you who haven’t quite made up your mind, the first thing we ask you to think about and choose from is one of six broad study routes. These study routes are described as Musician, Creative Artist, Producer, Management & Entrepreneurship, Games Development and Live Production and Sound. Choosing a route will dictate a selection of route-specific modules that you will study. Further into your course, in addition to the route-specific modules, you can then select from a suite of zero-credit elective modules and credit-bearing elective modules as you start to formulate your ambitions for the future more clearly. We also believe that there are some things that every Creative professional needs to learn about and understand. Things such as copyright, who the main players in Industry are and how the various sectors of artist management, records, publishing and live are changing in an ever more digital world. That’s why our Creative Industries Futures qualification also includes a small number of mandatory modules that every student must engage with. Whether students choose to focus on music performance, songwriting, production, live sound and production, games development and business management, we pride ourselves on delivering an immersive creative industry education in which we match the highest quality of teaching and learning with an unparalleled student experience. With its students representing every corner of the field they one day hope to work in, ACM is a microcosm of the creative industry in which they really can work together and learn by doing. We’re interested in our students’ careers as much as their studies, dedicating an entire department to supporting their professional development and helping them take their first steps into the creative industry. ACM’s Industry Link team ,through regular networking events, work placements, performance and audition opportunities, students are able to showcase their knowledge and talent to music industry executives (from labels, publishers, management companies and more) and gain first-hand feedback from those in the know. The department connects students to a network of top-tier industry partners in the music and wider creative industries, and also offers regular tutorial and masterclass opportunities with visiting guests. ACM students also enjoy an access all areas pass to Europe’s largest recording complex, in which the likes of Queen, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Will.i.am and countless others have recorded, and some still record, today. This joining of educational and professional environments, where over 50% of the UK Music chart is recorded, mixed or mastered in an average year, has created a unique end-to-end proposition for those wanting to pursue a career in the music and wider creative industries, not to be found anywhere else in music education.
Assessment method
ACM uses real-world activity, learning and problem scenarios for all of its assessments. Our ethos is to embody learning-by-doing and students are therefore assessed through the demonstration of this learning by industry professionals who bring the latest knowledge, highest calibre of creativity and their entire experience into the classroom. Assessment methods are varied and balanced to suit a wide range of learners and may take practical, written, portfolio or other form. Students are often given the opportunity to work collaboratively with those studying other music related disciplines, representative of the way in which the Music and wider Creative Industries also require collaboration. Showcasing work to industry is inbuilt into the assessment process thanks to our unique link with Metropolis Studios and students will receive feedback from industry experts, supporting their professional and career development in addition to their academia. All written and portfolio assessments are submitted electronically by way of our Virtual Learning Environment and where possible, feedback is delivered in audio and video form, as well as written.
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
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 104 points
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
| Republic of Ireland | £11100 | Year 1 |
| England | £11100 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £11100 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £11100 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £11100 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £11100 | 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
Where we identify passion and potential for a creative industries career and issue you with an offer of study, we promise that we’ll do all we can to make sure that our immersive education is affordable to you. With our accelerated study programmes, you'll graduate in 2 years, instead of the usual 3, saving £5,550 in tuition fees and a whole year's worth of living costs compared to those students opting to study on a traditional 3 year pathway.
ACM's range of Scholarships reduces the cost of studying for those students who are academically, technically, creatively and/or entrepreneurially gifted (see https://www.acm.ac.uk/scholarships for more information) whilst those from low income backgrounds can access our Bursary Scheme, to further improve the accessibility and affordability of studying at ACM (see https://www.acm.ac.uk/bursaries).
More information on matters relating to Student Finance can be obtained from our Student Finance team on 01483 500 800 or via email on [email protected] .
Provider information
ACM (The Academy of Contemporary Music)
The Rodboro Buildings
Bridge Street
Guildford
GU1 4SB