Songwriting and Artist Development

If you’re looking to launch a career as a professional writer–producer, the BA (Hons) Songwriting and Production degree will teach you everything you need to know to succeed.

Whether you're a beatmaker with an ever-growing sample library, a multi-instrumentalist backing-track wizard at home in the studio, or a writer–producer looking to co-write and pitch on other artist’s projects, you’ll take your writing and production skills to the next level, with personalised guidance from our expert ICMP songwriting tutors along the way.

During your three years on this industry-aligned course, you’ll cover the entire spectrum of contemporary songwriting from both a practical and theoretical perspective – from melody and topline, and lyrics and concepts, to chords and track. You’ll learn to confidently produce songs for yourself and others, gaining in-the-box production skills across a range of digital audio workstations (DAWs), as well as advanced mixing and recording skills. Many of your classes will be taught in ICMP’s high-tech industry-standard recording studios at our Queen’s Park campus, where you’ll become proficient at using the studio equipment, software and plugins.

During your time with us, you’ll collaborate with talented students on this programme’s ‘sister’ course – the BA (Hons) Songwriting and Artist Development degree – as well as musicians and entrepreneurs across other ICMP disciplines. Each week, you’ll write at least two songs to brief across a wide spectrum of contemporary songwriting genres, styles and approaches – from the melodies of pop and alternative, to the beatmaking of hip-hop, grime and drill. As you progress your creative output, you’ll engage in ‘A&R-style’ feedback sessions and intimate group discussions to critique each other’s work and learn to evaluate your own.

As a writer–producer, you’ll be encouraged to cultivate your own distinctive songwriting style and creative production abilities, with a view to developing and maintaining a successful career in songwriting and producing, whatever that may look like.

At ICMP, our talented tutors all have active careers in both higher education and music, so you’ll develop your craft learning from London’s best songwriters, music producers and musicians. They’ll encourage you to establish a unique music industry career path where you control exactly where, when and how you progress. You’ll also be presented with many exciting opportunities to learn about music entrepreneurship and build your network and career portfolio, such as songwriting-and-production-specific masterclasses and events, visits from industry representatives, and opportunities to perform at ICMP’s Songwriters’ Circle nights.

By the time you graduate ‘career ready’, you’ll have developed a strong understanding of the culture and history of songwriting; expertise in enterprise, business and marketing; and, perhaps most importantly, a creative portfolio of more than 100 songs.

This course is currently subject to validation, we expect this process to be completed by spring 2024.

Course Modules

Year 1 (Level 4)

• Songwriting Fundamentals: Exploring Songcraft

• Songwriting Fundamentals II: Establishing Songcraft

• Musicianship Fundamentals For Artists

• Music Business For Artists<br>• Production Fundamentals For Artists

• Performance Fundamentals For Artists

Year 2 (Level 5)

• Applied Songwriting: Extending Songcraft

• Applied Songwriting II: Embedding Songcraft

• Applied Performance for Artists

• Applied Production for Artists

• Applied Marketing Strategies For Artists

• Asset Creation For Artists

Year 3 (Level 6)

• Advanced Songwriting: Creative Identity And Repertoire

• Professional Practice for Artists

• The Enterprising Artist

• The Enterprising Artist II

https://www.icmp.ac.uk/course/ba-hons-songwriting-and-artist-development