BA (Hons) Music - Part-Time (2 Year Degree top-up)

Course overview

Our part-time degree top courses are a first for Scotland, allowing you to gain a BA (Hons) Degree by studying for one or two days a week over 2 years. Our degree programmes, in Music, Audio Production and Music Business are validated by Kingston University London, meaning they take one year less than the typical Scottish honours degree routes.

Our purpose-built Music Box boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including practice booths, classrooms, midi suites, rehearsal rooms, recording studios and an auditorium.

We welcome applicants from all musical backgrounds and disciplines, including classical, popular, traditional and jazz.

Course Structure

The focus of our degree courses is on our students being able to approach their studies based on their own requirements and trajectories. There are two 30-credit modules in year one focussing on current and relevant industry knowledge and practice, and in year 2, an entirely student-designed and led 60-credit professional project module forming 50% of the curriculum:

Year 1:

Creative Arrangement (30 Credits)

Engagement in Music Making (30 Credits)

Year 2:

Professional Projects Capstone Module (60 credits)

As the taught element of the course is delivered for only one day per week, is based around individual pathways and project-based, it allows for a lot of flexibility in relation to your time and how you might align your course project with your own professional/artistic work outside of college – using external projects as evidence to gain your degree (if you choose to do so).

Does a part-time degree top-up suit you?

The part-time degree options may also be a better choice if you have completed an HND elsewhere, or have relevant professional experience and just want to level up your qualifications or re/upskill around your current job or commitments. This could be to move into a new role, progress onto post-graduate qualifications, for professional recognition and CPD, or purely to continue to raise your knowledge and skills.

Flexible Entrance based on academic or professional experience

Entrance to part-time degree programmes is also flexible. In addition to accessing the course with an HND or equivalent level qualification, we can also accept applications from applicants with a suitable level of professional experience using a ‘accredited prior learning’ (APL) route. APL will allow us to map your current or previous experience against entrance requirements and may mean you can access the programme without the typical HND level qualification *.

Funding

The course is eligible for the SAAS part-time fee grant (PTFG) which may entitle you to having your tuition fees paid.  You may also be entitled to a student loan based on your circumstances.  A means-assessed discretionary fund is also available to all of our HE students for support with course materials. If you require any more information about funding, please contact our applications team.

*APL is assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be coordinated by a member of our degree team and subject to approval by Kingston University

*Part-time SAAS funding is based on a number of requirements which are explained here: Part-time Funding Guide - SAAS

What you will learn

There are three core modules in the BA, each of which allows students a great deal of flexibility and creativity in their learning: they can shape the content in each case to suit their own interests, strengths and ambitions.

For those completing the BA part-time, Creative Arrangement and Engagement in Music Making are taken in the first year, with Professional Project taken in the second year.

Year 1

Creative Arrangement: Shapes, Structures and Styles are worth 25% of the degree. Here students analyse pieces of music in various styles and go on to arrange and re-work music for their choice of instruments and/or voices. The work may involve traditional notation, or be realised in performance without notation - or lie somewhere in between. Students take advantage of each other's experience in practical sessions as they craft and hone their arrangements. This module is led by Finlay Hetherington.

Engagement in Music Making: The Emerging Practitioner also makes up 25% of the degree. In this module, students gain an understanding of music education and musical leadership in formal and informal settings. They then design a series of activities to be delivered in an appropriate setting; there is a fantastic range of placement opportunities both within and out with the college. This module is led by Jess Abrams.

Year 2

Professional Project makes up 50% of the degree. In this module students complete and disseminate substantial self-led projects such as solo recitals, composition or songwriting portfolios, research dissertations or studio recording work, under the guidance of expert supervisors. This module is led by Annette Chapman.

Placement information

• Placements will suit your area of interest. They may be completed in primary or secondary schools, in community music projects or within other music organisations as appropriate.

How the course is assessed

• Project-based coursework (50%)
• Written assessment (20%)
• Practice-based assessment (30%) 

Number of days per week

• 1 day per week on campus 
• Additional student-led learning and project work

Entry requirements

• HND or equivalent level qualification

or

• Entrance may be granted on suitable professional experience, through and accreditation or prior learning process (APL). This may allow for entrance without having completed an HND (or similar). If you require more information about this please mention in your application and a member of the team will contact you

Information on Tests / Auditions / Interview Requirements

Within your personal statement, please indicate what you expect to focus on for your Professional Project within the degree from the following list OR an alternative of your own choosing.

• performance
• composition/songwriting
• research (academic writing)
• studio recording

Once we have reviewed your application, we will contact you offering you a time and place for a live audition/interview.

If you have indicated that you expect to focus on performance, your audition will involve a short informal interview and a performance of two contrasting pieces of your choice.

Please bring backing tracks or sheet music accompaniments as required.

If you have backing tracks on your phone and have a non-standard headphone output, it would be helpful if you can bring an adaptor so the tracks can be played through an amplifier.

For sheet music accompaniments, we will provide an accompanist. You may also bring your own accompanist if you would prefer.

If you have indicated that you expect to focus on an area other than performance, your interview will involve a discussion of your experience and ideas for your project. We also ask you to bring hard copies of relevant completed work you can leave with us OR be prepared to provide links to your work online.

English Proficiency Requirements

IELTS 6.0 requiredFurther information regarding IELTS levels and certification is available from our admissions team

Progression and Articulation Routes

• Post-graduate teaching programmes (in secondary music teaching or general primary teaching)
• Post-graduate performing programmes 
• Post-graduate academic programmes

Career options

• Performing musician
• Instrumental music teacher
• Music producer
• Composer
• Songwriter
• Community musician
• Classroom teacher (after further study) 
• Music therapist (after further study)