Course summary

The Integrated Foundation Year at WaterBear is designed as an introductory year prior to transitioning into your specialist BA (Hons) Professional Music course. The Integrated Foundation Year course supports access to higher education. It will help you build the core and specialist skills you’ll need for degree-level study. It focusses on the development of relevant and sustainable skills required by musicians and entrepreneurs of the 21st century. If you are taking on a subject that you are yet to study in depth, have been out of education for while or just need some support in preparing to study at a higher level, then the Integrated Foundation Year course could be for you. You will have the chance to explore your creativity, expand professional skills, improve study skills, and develop a deeper knowledge of the area you want to study. If you’re looking for a BA (Hons) degree that gives you the confidence and freedom to experiment, challenge and explore the possibilities of your music, the BA (Hons) Professional Music (Songwriting) is the degree course for you. It’s been designed to give you the confidence and motivation you need to reach your full potential, cut through the noise and get your music heard. It provides tools and techniques for you to take your compositions to a professional level. And like all degree courses at WaterBear, it gives you the perfect blend of artistic freedom alongside practical strategies to forge a solid career in music. As an artist, it’s all about finding your voice and unlocking your creative potential. It’s also about developing the confidence to say what you want to the world and understanding how to build an audience. You’ll be able to access a wide range of content, resources and tuition to suit your individual needs. All online content from our full range of courses is accessible to everyone, so you can tailor your own learning journey. At WaterBear, we believe in smaller class sizes and the value of personal 1-1 mentoring. We also believe you should have the freedom to explore what’s possible and continually push creative boundaries. All students on our 3-yr degree courses learn in small groups on pro-standard gear in environments designed to fuel creative output. Students at WaterBear also get free, bookable access to professional rehearsal and recording studios, so you won’t need to worry about where to practice and record yourself or your band. This course is taught at WaterBear in Brighton, and awarded by Falmouth University.