Music students at desk on mixers and laptop

Creative Music Technology BA(Hons)

Develop the creative and technical abilities needed to thrive in the music and sound industries.

Key details
Location
Penryn Campus
Course duration
3 years / 4 years
Attendance
Full-time / Professional Placement
UCAS code
W390 / PY02

Course overview

Create music and sound for exciting and diverse platforms and media using analogue and digital technologies. With a focus on music production, electronic music and interdisciplinary working, we’ll support you to develop the creative, technical and business abilities to thrive in the music and sound industries.

Guided by expert academics and industry professionals, you’ll master your craft utilising our professional studios. You’ll collaborate with musicians and students from other creative disciplines, building a portfolio of projects that prepares you for professional life.

You will:

  • Become an industry-ready artist with strong creative, technical and professional attributes 
  • Gain practical and academic expertise within music production, electronic music composition and interdisciplinary working 
  • Study in a vibrant performance centre with high-spec studio facilities and a wide range of industry standard hardware and software including PA systems, cameras and lights, and portable recording equipment 
  • Collaborate with musicians, filmmakers, gaming artists, dancers, animators and designers 
  • Gain business, marketing and entrepreneurial insight, boosting your employability 
  • Develop transferable skills such as project management, problem-solving and communication skills 

Course details

BA(Hons) Creative Music Technology

On this Creative Music Technology degree, you'll have the opportunity to gain a BA(Hons) degree over three years or study Creative Music Technology BA(Hons) with a professional placement option. 

This music technology degree supports your professional journey by giving you the essential technical and industry knowledge, as well as the opportunity to experiment in an inspiring and supportive environment, so that you can accelerate your career after university. 

You'll develop essential skills in composition, critical listening and collaborative practice, learning to apply these skills to music production, sound design and electronic music. 

You'll become immersed in the wider context of music and sound contexts and culture, and learn how to communicate your understanding as an individual and as part of a team. You'll also become industry-ready through developing your knowledge of music business practices such as copyright, intellectual property and contracts, and through increasing your awareness of equality, diversity, inclusion, sustainability and healthy working practices. 

With technical and artistic guidance from staff and specialists, you will become equipped with foundational knowledge, skills and experience in music and sound theory, music production, sound design and electronic music.  

You will receive small-group tuition to help you identify and work on your specialist creative practice, while gaining practical experience using industry-standard software and hardware tools and techniques. You will also develop your essay writing abilities through studying music and sound contexts and cultures. 

Modules

Designing Sound

You’ll be immersed in the creative possibilities of sound design for different visual media, including film, TV, animation and games. Over the course of the module, you will be introduced to new concepts, techniques and workflows and encouraged to explore the ways in which audio can be sculpted to create new sonic forms. 

Electronic Music 

In this module you will develop a theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary electronic music tools, techniques and creative practices. 

Expanding Musical Vocabularies 

This module will introduce you to a range of musical terms, theories, techniques and notations before helping you to apply them in creative and practical scenarios. 

Specialist Music Practice 1 

In this module, you will increase your knowledge and skills in your area of specialist practice and develop co-creation, collaborative and communication skills through collective music making and studio practice sessions. 

Music and Sound: Context and Cultures 

You’ll examine key concepts and debates in music and sounds studies whilst thinking critically about the relationship between music, sound, and culture. 

Studiocraft 

You'll learn to record, edit, mix and master audio in a recording studio environment using microphones, audio interfaces, mixing desks and digital audio workstations (DAWs). 

In your second year, you will expand your subject knowledge, focusing on both practical and academic areas including music business, multimodal creation, composition, immersive technologies and experimental performance.  

You will continue to experiment in cutting-edge areas, push your creative potential and create a wider variety of work through collaboration and open assessment briefs.

Modules

The Art of Production

This module explores the role of the contemporary music producer. This involves collaborative and interdisciplinary working as well as technical and artistic knowledge and skills development. You will work creatively, acting as both composer and engineer.   

The Business of Music & Sound 

You’ll be introduced to intellectual property regulations and the subsequent risks of exploitation across multiple areas of the creative industries. You’ll learn the necessary business skills to work sustainably within the music and sound sectors with confidence. 

Specialist Music Practice 2 

Building upon the work undertaken in the Specialist Practice 1 module in your first year, you will continue to increase your knowledge and skills to further develop co-creation, collaborative and communication skills through collective music making and studio practice. 

Music & Sound: Resonant Futures 

In this module you will question and explore the relationship between music, sound, technology, context and culture in ways that seek to imagine and speculate on the future of music and sound. 

 

Optional modules - Block 1

Immersive & Interactive Audio 

You’ll be introduced to a range of technologies, techniques and applications of immersive and interactive audio. The module is highly interdisciplinary and relevant to film sound, game audio, digital arts and experience design. 

Resounding: Situated Songwriting & Composition  

This module encourages you to think about how your practice is entangled with various places—geographic, imaginary, speculative, utopian, abstract and psychological. It introduces you to new critical frameworks and artists who process complex issues like the Anthropocene, the internet, dark ecology and the climate crisis through their music. 

Advanced & Experimental Performance

This module aims to develop your abilities in the art of musical communication, flow, interpretation, expressivity, experimentation and versatility in performance. You’ll be introduced to improvisational and creative techniques to advance your practical skills and ideas.   

Voice and Listening: Life, People and Planet 

The module will develop your vocal and listening skills alongside your creativity and in relation to an increased awareness of concepts in voice studies and relevant contemporary social, political and environmental themes. 

 

Optional modules - Block 2

Composing Music for Media 

You’ll develop a critical understanding of music-image relationships and conduct practical work across a range of media. You’ll also enhance your composition and production skills through being shown industry-standard workflows and techniques. 

Session Musicianship 

In this module you will develop an understanding of the skills, techniques, communication methods and working practices of session musicians in a variety of genres and contexts. 

A/V Radical Artistry & New Media Aesthetics 

This module unleashes the potential of multimodal creation, encouraging you to re-imagine your artistic identity by exploring the rapid acceleration and monumental shifts of the contemporary media landscape. You will explore the dynamic creativity of social media, vlogging, AI, TV, music videos, advertising, and graphic design. 

Enterprise: Innovative Music Business Practice 

Within the context of the ever-changing and shifting music business, this module enables you to approach your practice with agile, innovative, sustainable and ethical business skills and knowledge; from legal to financial, marketing to planning. 

You can choose to take an optional professional placement after your second year on this three-year programme. Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying.   

How you’ll study during your professional placement

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation.   

Over the course of this year, you will complete one module whilst undertaking your placement and compile a reflective portfolio of your experiences. During this year you’ll be supported by the University employability team, with continued access to student support and wellbeing services and academic supervision from a named module leader.  

The University will support students to find and apply for opportunities, but we cannot guarantee every student will be successful in securing a placement.  

Your final year is geared towards solidifying your artistic and professional identity, knowledge, skills and networks in line with your chosen area of creative music technology specialism. You’ll develop your showcase portfolio, enhance your entrepreneurial practice skills and explore career options as you prepare to take your first steps into industry. 

Modules

Music & Sound: Dissertation 

In this module you will expand on your music and sound subject-based intellectual skills developed in your first and second years through an independently-driven written research project. 

Professional Development 

This module enables you to continue developing your specialist skills, contextual knowledge, experience and entrepreneurial mindset in preparation for the Showcase Portfolio module, careers and/or artistic practice beyond your degree. 

Your Future 

This module enables you to understand, develop, practice and analyse skills pertinent to your chosen career path in sustainable ways; both now and in the future. You will further develop legal, financial, marketing and digital skills that relate to specialist areas of the music sector and be able to critically analyse trends and future opportunities that relate to your career. 

Showcase Portfolio 

You’ll produce a professional portfolio of creative work that showcases your specialist skills and artistic practice developed over the last three years, ready to take to industry. 

The modules above are those being studied by our students, or proposed new ones. Programme structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes. If a certain module is important to you, please discuss it with the Course Leader.

Facilities

The Academy of Music and Theatre Arts (AMATA) is a purpose-built live performance venue on Penryn Campus housing an assembly of flexible theatre spaces, performance, rehearsal and recording studios, a box office and exhibition areas. As a Creative Music Technology student, you’ll have access to:

Audio/recording equipment  

From enhancing live performances to creating immersive music recordings, you'll be working with professional-standard audio equipment, including: 

  • Purpose-built sound studios incorporating the best analogue and digital technologies, including SSL and Audient consoles, fully accessible from your own laptop. 
  • Classic and contemporary synthesizers and outboard equipment. 
  • A wide range of professional studio software, hardware and one of the UK's largest collections of microphones in higher education. 
  • The SONVA-x 10.2 Genelec surround system for mixing and performance. 

Rehearsal spaces 

Our rehearsal spaces provide professional-standard facilities and equipment. Key features include:  

  • High-spec performance studio designed for acoustic music. 
  • High-spec studio designed for amplified music. 
  • Recording studio complex. 
  • Music practice rooms for bands and solo work. 
  • 12 practice rooms. 
  • 700m2 of fully sprung dance floors. 
  • Seminar, exhibition and display spaces. 

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How you'll learn & be assessed

Alongside lectures and practical workshops, you'll receive academic, technical and artistic guidance from staff and specialists. Lectures will introduce you to key information, concepts and examples. Workshops enable you to apply the ideas to your own practice and develop your skills through practical exercises. Seminars and tutorials facilitate deeper discussion and questions around lectures, workshops and assessment briefs. These also involve giving feedback on your work towards module assessments. 

As you progress through the course, you will have more flexibility in terms of what you choose to study, who you collaborate with and how you respond to the assessment briefs.  

At Falmouth, we use a 'digitally enhanced learning and teaching' approach. Your experience will always be predominantly in-person. Video materials and online meetings are used where there is a clear advantage to do so, for example short one-one meetings or instructions on using the recording studios. You can read more here.

There is a variety of assessment methods used on this course. These all have relevance to professional practice and include: 

  • Portfolios of practical work. 
  • Learning journals documenting your work using text, video, photos and audio recordings. 
  • Written assignments such as project reports, essays and, in the final year, a dissertation. 
  • Presentations 
  • Studio-based assessment of practical work. 

Staff

You’ll learn from composers, performers, producers, sound artists, sound designers, audio engineers, and musicologists, as well as our associate leading instrumental tutors, composers and songwriters. What’s more, our industry contacts range from Yamaha to Island Records to the Philharmonic Orchestra. Our regular industry guest lecturers have included producer Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, The Pixies, Patti Smith), Eric James (Philosopher’s Barn Mastering), Jana Winderen, and Robert Curgenven.

Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every staff member who teaches on the course.

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Got a question about this course?


If you want to know more about the course structure, our application requirements or what our graduates have gone on to achieve, our friendly course team is here to help.

Chat to Simon

Careers

This Creative Music Technology degree will prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities, including:   

  • Musician  
  • Music producer  
  • Sound engineer or designer 
  • Audio editor  
  • Media composer  
  • Location sound recordist  
  • Digital artist  
  • Music industry professional (e.g., label management, events management)  
  • Music educator  
  • Digital content creation  

Research methods, critical thinking and development of specialist skills embedded throughout the modules could allow you to successfully progress into postgraduate study in related fields. 

How to apply

Ready to join us? You can apply for September 2024 through UCAS. You'll need to reference the course and University code (F33).

Apply via UCAS

Course route UCAS code
Creative Music Technology BA(Hons) three year degree W390
Creative Music Technology BA(Hons) with professional placement PY02

We consider all applications on their own individual merit and potential. We invite all applicants to an interview day or audition to give them the opportunity to demonstrate this along with what inspires and motivates them in their field. Applicants will also be able to show their portfolio or give a performance depending on the course. We welcome applications from all subject backgrounds, whether you’ve specialised in STEM, the arts or humanities.  

Course route Entry requirements
BA/BSc(Hons) three year degree 104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points
BA/BSc(Hons) four year degree with professional placement 104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points

Check the title of your course to see if it's a BA or BSc award. UCAS Tariff points will primarily be from Level 3 qualifications such as but not limited to A-levels, T Levels, a BTEC/UAL Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma. 

Check how many points your qualifications are worth

For applicants whose first language is English we require you to have or be working towards GCSE English Language Grade 4 (C), or equivalent. 

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the same standard which is equivalent to the IELTS Academic 6.0 overall score, with at least 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. We accept a range of in country equivalencies and approved tests.  

If you need a student visa to study in the UK, you may need to take a recognised language test. You can read our English Language Requirements for more information.

For starting your studies in 2024

UK applications: 31 January 2024 (for equal consideration)

Applications after the 31 January will be considered on a first-come, first-served as long as there are places available. Apply for this course now.

International fee payers

International fee payers can apply throughout the year. But we recommend applying as early as possible, to make time for visa and travel arrangements.

What we're looking for

This Creative Music Technology degree is for students who wish to study the creative use of a range of music and audio hardware and software to produce music, sound art and sound design.  

We are looking for applicants who are passionate about music and sound in a variety of genres and want to explore the creative potential of music technology. You may already have studied music and be creating and/or producing music using typical music production software but may also come from a more traditional music-making background, having developed your skills in your own time.   

Above all you will be motivated to expand your creative practice through learning new techniques, working with new hardware and software and collaborating with others. 

Fees, costs & funding

Tuition fees for September 2024 entry

Annual tuition fee Student
£9,250 per year Full-time UK
£17,950 per year Full-time EU/international
£1,850 per professional placement year Full-Time UK and EU/international

Tuition fees for September 2025 will be confirmed in summer 2024.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. 

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs

Typical course costs

  • One-off costs for the duration of the course 
  •  £500+ - Laptop/computer able to run professional Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software 
  • Monitoring headphones - approx. £80 - £100
  • DAW software – approx. £60 (we currently provide access to Ableton Live Sute 11 for free). 
  • Live @ AMATA pass - £25
  • Physical file storage (at least 1TB) – approx. £60

Ask a student

What better way to find out about life at Falmouth University than by asking our current students?

From course details and academic support, to the social scene and settling in, our students are ready and available to answer any questions you might have. Simply set up your account, send them a question and they'll get back to you within 24 hours.

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