Overview
Course Aims
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To promote the development of the student as a reflective, flexible, independent learner with transferable skills for employment and learning.
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To develop key and graduate skills and specific competence for a range of careers within the music industry.
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To prepare graduates to understand that learning takes place across all spheres of activity e.g. classroom and workplace contexts.
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To provide graduates with appropriate skills to meet local, regional, national and international employment and self-employment needs.
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To promote understanding of the music industry
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To prepare graduates to undertake roles at higher technician and professional levels
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To promote personal and employment competencies to enable the graduate to create and take opportunities for promotion and progression within the work sector.
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To widen participation and promote access to and further progression within higher education
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To create a strong foundation for lifelong learning
Learning Outcomes
These course aims are broken down into sets of related skills, which are known as learning outcomes.
A. Knowledge and Understanding
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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demonstrate understanding of and apply well established specialist technical principles relevant to the work sector area(s) of study
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apply academic learning and principles to their work environment
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identify their learning needs with respect to personal, academic and employment development
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demonstrate understanding of the main methods of enquiry relevant to the sector
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demonstrate understanding of the legal, political and socio-economic framework in which the work sector operates
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recognise and evaluate the roles, power structure, ethics and values which inform practice
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demonstrate and understanding of teamwork, management and leadership for effective practice
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apply learning theories and strategies to support personal development and effective practice
B. Mental or cognitive skills
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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locate and analyse a range of information with minimum guidance, using classification/principles and compare alternative methods and techniques for obtaining data
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reformat a range of ideas and information towards a given purpose
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select appropriate techniques of evaluation and evaluate the relevance and significance of data collected
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identify key elements of problems and choose appropriate methods for their resolution in a considered manner
C. Subject Specific and Practical Skills
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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apply ethical understanding to specific contexts
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operate in situations of varying complexity and predictability, requiring application of a wide range of techniques
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act with autonomy with minimal need for supervision and direction within defined guidelines
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apply skills appropriate to the work sector, as specified within individual pathway specifications, for example, in relation to the use of:
ICT
appropriate methods of enquiry/investigate skills
specific vocational equipment
protocols specific technical and vocational skills.
D. Key Skills
Key Skills, also known at graduate key skills, transferable skills or general skills, comprise communication, information technology, problem solving, numeracy, working with others and improving own learning
By the end of the course you will be able to:
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interact effectively with a learning group, giving and receiving information and ideas and modifying responses where appropriate
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develop professional working relationships within the discipline
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evaluate own strengths and weaknesses, challenge received opinion and develop own criteria and judgement
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manage information, by selecting appropriate data from a range of sources and develop appropriate research strategies
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take responsibility for own learning with minimum direction
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communicate effectively in an appropriate format and report practical procedures in a clear and concise manner in a variety of formats
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identify key areas of problems and choose appropriate methods for their resolution in a considered manner.
Module Framework
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BFDMUP101
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Personal Development
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20
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M
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BFDMUP102
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Live Sound Recording
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20
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M
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BFDMUP103
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Composition
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20
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M
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BFDMUP104
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Film Music
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20
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M
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BFDMUP105
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Sound Recording
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20
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M
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BFDMUP106
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Audio Systems
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20
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M
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BFDMUP201
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Music Production
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20
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M
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BFDMUP202
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Research Skills and Problem Solving
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20
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M
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BFDMUP203
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Post Production
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20
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M
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BFDMUP204
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Major Client Project
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40
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M
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BFDMUP205
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Sound for Digital Media
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20
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M
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Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Open ended practical and project work will be designed to permit students to demonstrate achievement. Individual feedback will be given to all students on all work produced. Intellectual skills will be developed through practical project work, course work, assignments, portfolio development and work based learning. The acquisition of knowledge and understanding is approached through and emphasis on student-centred learning. Integration of theoretical and practical learning ensures the strong vocational focus as a priority in the provision. Work-based learning will reinforce this.
The FdA Music Production course team will use lectures, practical sessions and workshops, group work, individual lessons and tutorials as appropriate. Cognitive skills are evaluated through a range of formative and summative assessments, including workplace assessments, course work, projects and assessment under controlled conditions. Subject practical skills to be developed in a co-ordinated and progressive pattern. Initial attention to be focused on the acquisition of basic skills and safe working practices.
Progressively more advanced techniques to be introduced. A variety of assessment methods to be used to assess practical skills. Although all assessment decisions will be made by tutors, where possible and practical employers / practitioners will be involved in the assessment process to ensure reflection of current industry thinking and practices.
Promotion of key/transferable skills begins with the induction period. From that point onwards skills will be delivered and developed as an integrated component of all modules. These skills underpin every module in the programme. The major vehicle to be student self audit and action planning. Assessment feedback for all modules to inform and advise students on skills achievement.
Timetable
The teaching is divided into two semesters, semester one runs from September to January and Semester Two from February to June. A full time student is expected to take three modules each semester, making six modules in one year. A part-time student will take one or two modules each semester. Students can expect to have to attend UCS for four to five hours per module for the twelve weeks of the semester and to spend at least an equivalent amount of time per week in independent study. Students will be provided with timetables when they join the course.
Course Delivery
The course is delivered at University Campus Suffolk Bury St Edmunds mainly in the music production.
Placements/Work Based Learning/Work Experience
The nature of employment in the professional activity of “Music Production”, i.e. small/medium enterprises or self employed/freelance work, does not readily offer opportunities for conventional relevant work-placement experience for students. The level 1 Module entitled The Creative Industries introduces students to the nature of employment in the sector and also gives them the opportunity to plan for the level 2 module Major Client Project in which they will replicate those patterns of employment. To meet the design template’s stipulated minimum hours in the workplace as well as contributing the programme’s work-based learning outcomes, students are required to undertake supervised music production practice in the module Major Client Project. This 40 credit module is taken in the final semester and offers students the opportunity to apply concepts, practice and skills obtained from the previous modules to a realistic work environment.
Bury Music Productions
The College offers a commercial recording and music production service through Bury Music Productions, and has the potential of providing a unique work-experience link for the FdA Music Production students, subject to the normal commercial regulatory frameworks and practice.
In cases where it is possible to arrange other relevant work placements, this will be done within the terms of the HE placement policy.
Tutorial and Study Support
Every student will have a Personal Tutor in line with the Personal Tutor entitlement policy for HE. For FdA Music Production, tutorial support is seen by the teaching team as an essential underpinning of the student higher education experience. During the course induction programme each student will be placed with an individual tutor. Twice each semester each student will meet with the individual tutor to review progress. Individual students are made aware of their progress on a regular basis through meetings with personal tutors, as well as through the module assessments such as written work and other assignments. Personal tutors may or may not be the student's subject tutor but students will be aware of whom their personal tutors are and the special role the personal tutor plays.
The overall role of the Personal Tutor is to act as a first point of contact within the UCS campus from whom the individual student can obtain academic support. This may take the form of giving personal or academic advice, or helping students to access the appropriate specialist support services. Tutors effectively support student learning by:
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Helping to develop effective study skills and habits.
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Reviewing overall academic progress and providing feedback and advice.
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Helping to understand relevant University rules and regulations.
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Providing appropriate information, support and guidance.
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Where appropriate helping and advising on University processes.
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Making email address or telephone number available to keep in touch outside tutorials.
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Informing students of times when they are normally available to see them.
Opportunities on Completion of the Course
These degrees enhance a current or potential career in music composing, publishing, location recording, live sound and studio recording. Skills learned would be equally useful in the film, radio and television broadcast industries. Related opportunities could include music for web, music for games design, musical software production, sample libraries and manufacturing. Students also have the opportunity to continue their studies to Honours degree level at University Campus Suffolk.