Curious about studying Songwriting and Music Production - 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
Oct 2026
3 Year
Do you have a passion for song writing? Do you want to make a career out of it? Our course gives you the opportunity to access expert guidance and the space to focus on, and hone, your craft. Develop your song writing skills to a professional standard, whilst learning about the process behind the art form, from recording and music promotion to making money from your songs.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?As BNU has been delivering courses in the music industry for over 25 years, we have a wealth of expertise from within our network of lecturing staff, guest speakers, and alumni, all with a track record of success in a wide variety of roles in the music business internationally.Like the industry, we put collaboration at the centre of what we do. You will get the chance to work with other BNU courses, such as the Film and TV students. You’ll record sound and work on post-production which will give you experience of working with a wide variety of genres to help you perfect your production skills. During your time with us you’ll learn hands-on practical skills to help you stand out to potential employers. You’ll get to grips with industry-standard equipment including in our Dolby Atmos certified sound lab, ensuring upon graduation you are prepared for your first role. You’ll also benefit from our work-opportunities. Previous students have worked with companies such as Sony, Sennheiser and Universal Music. All our music degrees at Buckinghamshire New University come with membership of UK Music’s Music Academic Partnership (MAP), a ground-breaking collaboration between educational institutions and UK Music.By the time you graduate, you’ll have the ability to project manage yourself and a portfolio crammed with real life experience.
What facilities can I use?Our state-of-the-art recording studios and Dolby Atmos certified sound lab, give you access to the space and technology you need. From individual edit rooms up to large Pro Tools Ultimate studios with attached live rooms and vocal booths, we have it all to help you gain hands-on experience. Visit the course website for full details of our top-quality suppliers and studio equipment: https://www.bucks.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-songwriting-and-music-production
What will I study?You’ll learn how to develop your song writing skills to a professional standard by working on your material with our experienced tutors. You’ll explore a variety of techniques for writing songs, to help you maximise your creative potential and find a method that works for you. You’ll study audio production and recording, so that you can become confident at producing recordings of your own work as well as other people’s.You’ll also learn how to monetise and promote your creativity. As part of this, you’ll have the opportunity to study artist management, music publishing (with a placement option), music law, A&R (artist & repertoire), sociological issues related to music and the music industry, and how to build your brand as a professional song writer. You’ll learn about a number of DIY approaches to the music business, and explore other areas of music entrepreneurship too, such as sources of funding and how to set yourself up as a business.You will take part in shared master classes and attend guest lectures with our industry partners and associates, including professional song writers and music publishers, who’ll share the latest insights and expert knowledge with you.This course is also offered as four-year programmes, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate degree.
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.
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.
This module looks at branding and the creation of identity across multiple platforms, both on and offline, with a focus on managing a personal brand in the context of the mainstream and independent music and entertainment industries. You'll also be introduced to fundamental principles of management, both self and in the context of organisations.
You'll develop your music performance abilities through workshops and live practice. You'll study how to read and inform others whilst playing in a group, how to both lead in a group dynamic and take direction. You'll consider your contribution in an ensemble, develop your movement on stage and apply new approaches to playing your instrument.
This module enables you to explore songwriting and composition within a range of popular music genres. You will learn to identify key characteristics, such as instrumentation, musicianship, compositional approaches, lyrical themes, rhythm, tempo, and production techniques, and apply them to your own work. Through case studies and practical workshops, you will combine these conventions to create original songs that demonstrate a hybrid approach to genre for your assessment.
You'll study historic and current developments of publishing practice and legal principles underpinning today's music industry, including examining the creative, financial and business roles within music publishing. You'll study collecting societies, copyright law and publishing contracts with practical application to the music and entertainment industry.
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.
You'll work on developing performance skills in a recording studio environment, which needs different techniques from live performance. You'll study the skillsets through practical, technical and psychological aspects and also study the socio-historic role of session musicians through case studies from classic & modern-era popular music.
This is an advanced exploration of songwriting and composition in relation to popular music. We'll help you learn to identify characteristics and conventions of popular music genres and how to combine these to create novel variations in your songwriting craft, through case studies and practical workshops. You'll compose two original songs for assessment.
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.
You'll study digital marketing management in the context of the music, event & entertainment industries. You'll look at current and future challenges presented by new & emerging technologies as they apply to marketing management, and consider how to apply an integrated marketing approach to promotion in the music, event & entertainment industries.
You'll further stretch your performance capabilities & study the key requirements that go into performing, putting on & promoting a gig. You'll make strategic management decisions about your self-directed learning experiences. You'll be able to challenge your own strategic music performance management decisions made in negotiation with your tutor.
This module introduces you to key theories and practices in composing music for moving image media, including film, video games, and interactive installations. You will learn to identify music cues, interpret visual and narrative context, and shape musical responses that support the intended emotion and storytelling. You will explore elements such as tempo, melody, harmony, timbre, structure, and production, and examine how these are applied in professional contexts. Through lectures and workshops, you will critically analyse the work of successful media composers, reverse-engineer their methods, and gain insight into their creative and technical approaches.
In this module, you will explore lyric writing as both an artistic craft and a means of social and cultural expression. You will study the impact of tempo, timbre, rhythm, rhyme, and key in relation to lyrical themes. You will also examine devices such as metaphor, simile, irony, and hidden meaning, and consider how political and social issues are expressed in lyrics. This will inform your analysis and recreation of a songwriter’s work through a case study and reflective report.
4.4Bucks New University (BNU) is a student-focused university based in High Wycombe, with over 130 years of educational his...
