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Course summary

Prepare for a career as a commercial music producer, equipped with the latest techniques and experience in a range of music production equipment, with our degree course in Cambridge. As a student at ARU you'll create a diverse portfolio of work that will prepare you for the modern collaborative creative industries, whether you want to perform as a DJ, produce and release your own music, or create soundtracks for films and games. Our BA (Hons) Music Production degree will allow you access to industry-standard equipment for recording, mixing, editing and production, giving you valuable practice in working as a professional producer at the same time as developing your skills in critical listening, and your historical knowledge of music production. Many of your modules will be shared with our other music courses, giving you the chance to collaborate with different students and develop all-important skills for your professional life, such as teamworking and time management. You’ll also have opportunities to work with students on our film and computer game degrees, creating soundtracks for their projects. In Year 2, you’ll broaden your understanding of the modern music industry by seeking and completing a placement in an area of your own interest. This will also help you learn to self-evaluate your transferable and employability skills and develop them further. Our optional modules will allow you to shape our music production course for your chosen career. For example, Audio for Film or Audio for Games will develop your competence in production sound recording, sound effect creation, alongside specialist skills like automated dialogue replacement or production of non-linear interactive experiences. Professional facilities All our music students have access to:

  • Five climate-controlled recording studios featuring analogue-digital hybrid studio set ups and two mixing suites, all equipped with Pro Tools, Logic and outboard hardware recording equipment (Neve, Universal Audio, Audient, SSL); and an audio-visual studio
  • A spacious recital hall, band rooms and practice rooms
  • Electronic and orchestral instruments; five grand pianos, including a Steinway Model D; synthesisers; traditional instruments from India, China and Africa; a Balinese Gamelan
  • An impressive inventory of professionally rated microphones and recording equipment
As one of our students you'll also have access to all our other art, design and creative industries facilities and equipment. Careers Throughout our BA (Hons) Music Production degree, you’ll not only develop the latest skills and knowledge for a career in music production, but also get the support you need to grow into a confident and creative graduate with a willingness for lifelong learning, and the desire to seek continuing personal and professional development in all aspects of your career. By the time you graduate, you’ll have built up a professional portfolio of music production projects that will act as an enhanced CV for you to present to future employers and clients. This might consist of video showreels, commercial music releases, or other demonstrations of your technical expertise, as well as a fully-developed online profile. You’ll also seek and complete a work placement in an area of your interest in year two, gaining experience of the industry as well as learning to self-evaluate and develop your employability skills. We work with employers to make sure you graduate with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need. They help us review what we teach and how we teach it – and they offer hands-on, practical opportunities to learn through work-based projects, internships or placements. Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our MA Music Therapy. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Modules

Year 1 core module:s Interactive Learning Skills and Communication; Information and Communication Technology; Critical Thinking; Intercultural Studies; Psychology; Ethics; Composition and Style; Social Perceptions. Year 2 core modules: Music in Context 1; Dots, Lines and Waves - Songwriting 1; Studio Techniques; Music Production. Year 3 core modules: Music Performance 2; Ruskin Module; Music Industry. Year 3 optional modules: Audio for Film; Audio for Games; Principles of Music Therapy; Chords, Contours and Grooves - Songwriting 2; Music Business. Year 4 core modules: Major Project - Music; Collaborative Project; Portfolio. Modules are subject to change and availability.

Assessment method

Our open assessment tasks will challenge you to come up with your own creative responses, giving you space for active and creative rehearsals, collaborative experimentation and the development of your own independent work. You’ll also be assessed using different methods and strategies that reflect the wide variety of activities involved in music-making. As well as creative projects, these might include presentations/performance; essays; analytical work; portfolio development; and written and practical exams.


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
W382
Institution code:
A60
Campus name:
Cambridge Campus
Campus code:
C

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://aru.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/music-production


Unistats information

Operated by the Office for Students
41%
Student satisfaction
60%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
80%
Go onto work and study

The student satisfaction data is from students surveyed during the Covid-19 pandemic. 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

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Additional fee information

https://aru.ac.uk/student-life/preparing-for-university/help-with-finances/undergraduate
Music Production [with Foundation Year] at Anglia Ruskin University - UCAS