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Songwriting & Music Performance (Online)

  • Bachelor of Arts (with Honours)
  • 2 Years
  • Full-Time
  • 13 September 2027
  • Undergraduate
WaterBear, Brighton
More about Falmouth University

Course options

2026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

An online songwriting & performance degree for independent, self-motivated artists and musicians.

The BA (Hons) Songwriting & Music Performance online 2-year accelerated degree at WaterBear is designed for today’s independent, self-motivated musicians and artists. It offers a flexible blend of artistic freedom and practical skills to help further your career in music. Your own music projects and activities can be brought into the course, and its primary focus is to motivate you to create and deliver high-quality music. It’s also about driving specialist and transferable skills development and gaining a deep understanding of modern music industry patterns and trends. All underpinned by a strategic, pro-active approach to building a long-lasting career.

As with other online courses at WaterBear, it offers ultimate flexibility so that you can study in a way that suits you. It also includes a £750 bursary and a range of studio software and plugins come as standard with our online courses.

Whether your goal is to become an independent artist, professional musician, entrepreneur, or build a diverse portfolio career, you’ll engage in a comprehensive and flexible learning experience designed to support your strengths, interests and your professional, artistic, and academic development.

At WaterBear, your degree isn’t just academic it’s a launchpad for your artistry. You’ll work on your own music, projects, and ideas, guided by tutors who are active in the industry. It’s hands-on, relevant, and designed to move with you. Our online degrees are made for real musicians living real lives. Whether you’re gigging, parenting, producing, teaching, or returning to music later in life — this is a place for you to grow. You don’t have to fit into one mould.

This course is taught online by WaterBear, and awarded by Falmouth University

Modules

Course Modules

The course is all about the creation of great, high-quality music. You’ll hone instrumental and vocal techniques, songcraft and composition, and expand your creative repertoire. In your business classes, you’ll learn all you need to know about building your career as a professional in today’s music industry, and you’ll be able to collaborate with other WaterBear musicians and artists from around the world. There are also opportunities to attend regular networking events and masterclasses, so you can build your all-important contacts list.

WaterBear’s online degree courses are studied remotely and there is no requirement to attend the WaterBear campuses. Interaction with your course leader, tutors, guests and fellow students via online video conferencing and all course content is accessed via WaterBear’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Canvas. In addition, all course content from all WaterBear degree courses is available to everyone. This enables you to choose from a huge range of extra subject matter in addition to your chosen course material, to customise your own learning journey.

Even as a student studying an online course, you’ll still have the option to get involved with the wider WaterBear college community at our events, festivals, conferences, work experience and career development activities; how much you want to get involved with is up to you.

Level 4 Modules:

Creative Music Making
Navigating the Music Industry
Your Artistic Development
Your Strategy

Level 5 Modules:

Your Sound
Making Things Happen
Performance Technology & The Creative Industries
Enterprise in the Music Industry

Level 6 Modules:

Your Professional Development
Specialist Report
Professional Project Portfolio

We regularly review course and module content to ensure our students receive a high-quality and rewarding academic experience. As such, there may be changes made to the curriculum which are not immediately reflected in the content displayed on our website. Optional modules may be updated to maintain the best experience. Any students or applicants affected will be informed of approved changes directly.

https://waterbear.org.uk/courses/ba-hons-songwriting-and-music-performance-online/

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • WaterBear, Brighton

Study options

  • Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) • Full-Time • Accelerated • 2 Years

Start dates

  • 13 September 2027

Apply by
13 January 2027

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
W371
Institution code:
F33
Campus name:
WaterBear, Brighton
Points of Entry:
Year 1, 2

Falmouth University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
13 January 2027

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:
W371
Institution code:
F33
Campus name:
WaterBear, Brighton

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Entry requirements

Typical qualification requirements

A level

We welcome A Levels in a wide range of subjects, especially in those relevant to the course for which you apply.

T Level
P-M

P (Pass) grade must be C or above, not D or E

UCAS Tariff
Offer: 104

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points, primarily from Level 3 equivalent qualifications, such as A levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma, or current, relevant experience. Grade 4 (or C) or above in GCSE English Language, or equivalent, is a minimum language requirement for all applicants. Due to the creative nature of our courses, you will be considered on your own individual merit and potential to succeed on your chosen course. Please contact the Applicant Services team for advice if you are predicted UCAS points below this range, or if you have questions about the qualifications or experience you have.

Scottish Higher

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

AS

We may consider a standalone AS in a relevant subject, if it is taken along with other A Levels and if an A Level has not been taken in the same subject. However, you will not be disadvantaged if you do not have a standalone AS subject as we will not ordinarily use them in our offers.

Access to HE Diploma

60 credits (with a minimum of 45 credits achieved at level 3) in a relevant subject.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Extended Project

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Offer: 24

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points, when combined with a minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points from the Supporting Qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Leaving Certificate - Ordinary Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points, when combined with a minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points from the Supporting Qualifications

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

At Falmouth, we recognise excellence in many forms, and we see the whole you.

Our diverse community is creative, innovative and entrepreneurial.

We recognise that these qualities aren’t always shown in academic grades alone. That’s why, while many of our applicants achieve high academic grades, we also welcome those who can demonstrate their potential through an exceptional portfolio or performance.

To support this approach, during a friendly conversation with our academic team, we’ll consider your ideas, your creative output and your ambition to ensure you’ll thrive at Falmouth.

If you are able to demonstrate relevant, current, equivalent experience instead of formal qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Please contact our Applicant Services team before applying, for advice regarding your individual experience and eligibility.

If you are an international applicant and require a Student visa to study in the UK, you must have a recognised English language test approved and vouched for by the University at the appropriate level. You can see what we accept on our website https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements Our Applicant Services team can help you with any general questions you may have about study visas or suitable language tests. For more specific advice, we recommend you also consult UKCISA http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/ https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/entry-requirements

Additional entry requirements

Interview

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for successful completion of your studies. We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications that are equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic minimum score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listeninghttps://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

At Falmouth University, we take a rounded approach to admissions. Instead of focusing on criteria like grades alone, we operate a contextual admissions policy, where we look at you as a person: your talents, your experiences and your potential. Every offer we make is shaped around you and your circumstances, and our conditional offers are always intended to be realistic and achievable.

Learn more on the Falmouth University website

International entry requirements

https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/apply/apply-as-an-international-student

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Republic of Ireland, EU & InternationalTBC

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

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

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