Curious about studying Music Production with Foundation Year - BA (Hons)at Bucks New University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
High Wycombe Campus
Full Time
Sep 2027
4 Year
Do you have a passion for music and sound? On this course, you’ll explore both the technical and creative aspects of sound, with plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the industry with real life briefs and masterclasses delivered by professionals.Whether you see your future in studio and live production or in a record label, composing or performing, you’ll have the chance to develop your skills with expert guidance, making use of industry-standard technology to compose, perform, record and produce original music.In the Foundation Year of this four-year course, you’ll build essential academic study skills. This year will help you gain confidence in your abilities. You’ll also identify your strengths and areas for development. Together, these will prepare you for progression to the undergraduate degree.
Why study Music Production at BNU?Industry standard facilitiesAt BNU, you'll have access to top-notch facilities, including a Dolby Atmos certified sound lab. This means you'll be working with the same equipment used by professionals, giving you a real edge in the industry. Our studios are equipped with the latest software and industry standard hardware, giving you a head start and ensuring you stay ahead of the curve. You'll also have access to a variety of recording spaces, from our Dolby Atmos certified sound lab to our full analogue recording studio. This range of equipment and spaces is ideal for helping you capture different sounds and styles.
Hands-on learningOur course is designed to be practical and immersive. You'll get plenty of opportunities to work on real-life briefs and projects, helping you build a strong portfolio and gain valuable experience. From recording sessions to live sound setups, you'll be involved in every aspect of music production. This hands-on approach ensures you develop the technical skills and creative confidence needed to succeed.
Collaboration opportunitiesYou'll have the chance to collaborate with students from other courses, such as Film and TV. This interdisciplinary approach will broaden your experience and enhance your creative projects. Working with peers from different backgrounds will help you develop teamwork and communication skills. These collaborations often lead to exciting and innovative projects that stand out in your portfolio.
Industry connectionsBNU has a huge amount of industry connections, thanks to over 25 years of delivering music courses. Our network of guest speakers and alumni can provide you with insights and opportunities in the music business. You'll have the chance to attend industry events, workshops, and networking sessions. These connections can open doors to internships, job placements, and collaborations with established artists and producers.
Diverse Career PathsA degree in Music Production from BNU opens up a wide range of career opportunities. Whether you see yourself in studio production, live sound, composing, or working within a record label, you'll be well-prepared to pursue your passion. Our graduates have gone on to work in various roles within the music industry, from sound engineers to music producers. The skills and knowledge you gain at BNU will equip you to adapt and thrive in this dynamic field.
What will I study?Study both software and hardware to learn the best ways to record, mix and produce audio content for different systems. You'll work on real-life projects and collaborate with students from other courses on projects ranging from the screen to the stage. You'll also learn relevant business skills to help you tackle the challenges freelancers can face, including finance and legal guidance. This is a very practical, detailed course, and you'll also learn about the music and entertainment industries from experienced professionals. Depending your chosen modules, you could also gain skills in performing, song composition, artist management, and create a substantial portfolio.
You'll study the science of sound and develop creative audio skills using hardware and software in the audio studio environment. You'll explore the auditory system and perception and learn to capture and create audio productions. You will study the critical technologies used in the audio industry and identify the science of how these operate.
Discover the technical aspects of delivering sound reinforcement in the live audio industry. You'll explore the key components of professional live audio systems and industry standard technology and techniques in the context of live performance. You'll also study creative mixing and how to operate safely and effectively in the live audio industry.
You'll explore technical and creative approaches required of Sound Design within cinematic and audio-visual forms. This hands-on module looks at audio post-production techniques such as Foley, ADR (dialogue replacement), field recording, SFX search, mixing & processing techniques and other specialist Sound Design areas.
You'll be taught how to capture, edit and mix audio elements into a single output. Topics on recording & mixing will be introduced and demonstrated. You'll explore the use of technology within the science of audio recording & mixing using industry-appropriate equipment. The main emphasis will be on music-based recording & post-production processes.
You'll be taught how to examine the range and role of music and entertainment organisations responsible for the management and administration of the industry, and key issues they currently face. You'll look at artist management, record and publishing companies, copyright and collection societies, retail, streaming, broadcast, social media and DIY culture.
In this module, you will develop your own innovative performance and choreographic practice by creating a music video. To support your creativity, you will explore both theoretical and practical work by leading choreographers in the commercial music industry. You will reflect on the relationship between theory and practice, and document your creative process through a behind-the-scenes video blog (VLOG).
You'll explore a range of detailed, technical concepts and learn advanced creative skills in live audio production & mixing concurrently. Technical concepts will include speaker systems, digital audio, networking, and wireless technologies. The Audinate Dante certification levels 1, 2 & 3 will form part of this module.
You'll study the relationships between equipment, environment and operational procedures involved in audio production in a multi-track recording studio. You'll explore approaches to audio and music production and the history and practices of producers, engineers and composers in popular music and more experimental sound art scenes and how they cross genres.
The aim of the module is to provide you with an introduction to research methods and the skills necessary for planning and conducting research and enquiry within their field of study, discipline or professional contexts.
In this project based, practical module, you'll design and execute a multi-disciplinary, creative event of your choice encompassing live performance, live recording (moving picture and audio) and post-production. This is a great opportunity to add content to your personal portfolio in preparation for graduation.
You'll work on an advanced audio production project in the role of producer/engineer, in collaboration with other artists in a studio environment. The knowledge gained at Levels 4 & 5 will be used in relation to advanced audio production & mixing techniques. You'll produce two professional quality audio recordings, mixes and masters for the artist.
This module will give you a thorough understanding of the fundamental topics needed to manage projects within a complex and ever-changing environment. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of project management and gain the essential skills necessary to plan, monitor, control and deliver successful projects.
This module builds on the audio production skills you've developed in previous years and introduces immersive audio techniques in music production. From binaural audio to Dolby Atmos, immersive audio has become more common in the industry in the last few years and this module aims to put your skillsets at the forefront of technical developments.
Foundation Year
4.4Bucks New University (BNU) is a student-focused university based in High Wycombe, with over 130 years of educational his...
