Program Overview

Our BSc (Hons) Songwriting and Artist Development degree is one of five exciting courses in the Undergraduate Music Programme. To help you grow as an artist we have created the UKs only songwriting course offering a Bachelor of Science (BSc), due to its unique blend of creative, technical and business aspects, setting you up for a successful career as a songwriter.

The course will develop your songwriting skills to establish your own musical style whilst learning how to record, produce and master your products to ensure they are industry ready for marketing and promotion.

On this course you will collaborate extensively within the School of Creative Arts, connecting with peers in the fields of Composition, Music Production, Audio Engineering, as well as Live Sound and Lighting to reflect industry practice. The course provides many opportunities for students to collaborate and perform their music in state-of-the-art performance spaces, including our regular HertsLive event and our end of year SonicHerts festival.

Many of our university staff within the Music department are active within the music industry as producers, songwriters, composers, remixers, sound designers and engineers, bringing their experience and expertise into the teaching space.

This tailor-made course has been designed to include the core values required for a successful career as a songwriter. This will include writing engaging songs and making them sound great through contemporary production techniques. You will gain the knowledge to market and promote them effectively in a learning environment where you will develop personally and professionally.

So, if you are a talented songwriter, performer, producer or other music-creator with an appetite to expand your understanding of songwriting and its place within the wider creative industries, then this course is the ideal fit for you.
Why choose this course?

The Songwriting and Artist Development course is part of the School of Creative Arts, which is a dynamic academic community. The course is delivered by a diverse range of music specialists who have been specifically selected to teach core subjects in songwriting, composition, music production and marketing.

The school's delivery uses a blended learning environment to create engaging and nurturing teaching spaces. Students will learn through a variety of theoretical, technical and practical approaches, all of which are designed to reflect industry practice, therefore appropriately preparing students for the industry.

Teaching sessions take place in lecture halls, classrooms, computer labs, music studios, rehearsal spaces and venues. Students will have access to state-of-the-art spaces to develop their own practice, as well as access to a range of high-spec equipment and facilities during their studies.

The modules are designed to develop key professional attributes in creativity, technical knowledge, entrepreneurship and scholarly activity. Furthermore, modules empower students to choose their own path through a range of electives, whilst various projects enable students to co-write, collaborate and network with their peers across the school of music.

On this course you will benefit from strong industry links via the Music Academic Partnership (MAP), a groundbreaking initiative that unites educational institutions with members of the UK music industry. This collaboration aims to strengthen the connection between academia and the music sector, offering students unique opportunities to engage with industry professionals and enhance their career prospects within the dynamic world of music.

You'll be inspired further, by our highly qualified staff  who are members of the ISM (Independent Society of Musicians) and the MU (Musicians' Union) and are certified trainers for key music software applications.