Program Overview

University Foundation in Film, TV and Music Production Stage1 at Hertfordshire International College (HIC) is designed to prepare you for entry to university-level program. During Stage 1 you will complete a range of modules relevant to your chosen degree, as well as modules concentrating on the skills that are vital for University level education such as Critical Thinking.

A Foundation pathway is available for students who:

• Don’t meet the entry requirements to enter university level study directly (but hold GCSE level qualifications)
• Feel that additional support at the start of university studies will help them stand a better chance of success
• Have been away from studies for a period of time
• Come from a different academic environment to that of the UK
• Require additional English language training

If you fall into any of the above categories, choosing an undergraduate pathway at Hertfordshire International College (HIC) is the right decision. Depending on your academic needs here at Hertfordshire International College (HIC).

Progressing from Foundation

Stage 1 will be the first stage in the 4 stage process. Meaning that on successful completion of stage 1 you will seamlessly progress to stage 2, which is the first year of a bachelor’s degree. There is no need to reapply, you will simply just progress between each stage until you reach the final stage and graduate with a degree from Hertfordshire International College (HIC).

BSc (Hons) Music Production

Building on the University’s long-standing and highly successful Music, Sound Design and Audio Recording and Production courses, the BSc (Hons) in Music Production course is designed for students who see themselves as creative technologists wanting to produce their own music, enhanced by the very best sound production values.  

Students work on a range of musical projects and portfolios centred around music creation, they hone technical skills, and also develop an understanding of a wide range of musical styles, musical theories and cultures, and apply these skills and understanding to the creation of music products.  Students also work with others, including engineers and musicians in order to craft an overall music ‘production’ vision.  

Core modules studied alongside music production practice modules develop students’ techniques and approaches using a range of sound technologies, as well as fostering professional and industrial contextual immersion and awareness, and experience with specialisms within connected musical fields.

• Our program is Industry Accredited by JAMES, who represent the Association of Professional Recording Services (APRS), the Music Producers Guild (MPG) and Associate Industry Bodies.
• Develop excellent technical skills over the course of your degree, and benefit from our high quality studio, listening room, venue and sound resources including those by SSL, Yamaha, Avid, Focusrite, Quested, Genelec, Neumann, TLA, Lexicon and Drawmer to name but a few.
• Excellent industry input is built into the design of the degree awards from a huge number of areas within the wider music industry.
• The degree awards within the program are designed to expose you to areas of music, sound and audio technology that you might not even know exist yet.  "Coming to this course has really given my brain the kick-start it needed, and I'm beginning to see near endless possibilities with where I can go." - Glenn Osborn, second year student
• We have a strong record of students from the program securing placement years between years 2 and 3 of their studies.  Placement destinations include Focusrite,  Sound Technology (a leading distributor of high profile brands for the Music Retail and Professional Audio industries), The Famous Company, and a number of recording studios.
• Every year, organisations and companies approach us to recommend our graduating students.
• Music business is woven into your degree study at every year giving you the skills to slot into the music industry (or create your own business).
• Organise and Participate ‘live’ projects, and our ‘JamJar’ showcase live events.
• Benefit from studying in creative arts school and collaborate with filmmakers and animators in realising fully featured, professional standard media projects.
• We have some of the best resources in the UK, including the 39 million pound entertainment venue – the Forum where our students perform, and engineer every month, and state-of-the art music studios and film and TV facilities in our 12 million pound building for Music, Film and media.

What's the course about?

• Our students are creative technologists, wanting to produce their own music, enhanced by the very best sound production values. You'll work on a range of musical projects and portfolios centered around music creation. You'll hone technical skills, and also develop an understanding of a wide range of musical styles, musical theories and cultures, and apply these skills and understanding to the creation of music products.You'll also work with others, including engineers and musicians in order to craft an overall music ‘production’ vision. Core modules studied alongside practice modules develop your techniques and approaches using a range of sound technologies. They also foster professional and industrial contextual immersion and awareness, and experience with specialisms within connected musical fields.

What will I study?

• BSc (Hons) Music Production sits within the overarching Music & Sound Technology Programme. There are four degree awards within this program: BSc (Hons) Music Production, Bsc (Hons) Music and Sound Design Technology, BSc (Hons) Live Sound and Lighting Technology.
• All courses share the same ethos, and you’ll have opportunities to work alongside our music composition and music industry management students too, ensuring you benefit from teaching and experiences within a large community of musicians, composers, technologists and performers.
• Within the wider school of creative arts at UH, there are opportunities to collaborate with students from other creative areas, including animation and film and TV, allowing you to network with a broad range of creative industries.
• Year 1
  • Within the core modules, you’ll gain a solid grounding on a number of major DAW packages, as well as develop your creative and technical skills in mixing and effects processing, studio work and making your own virtual instruments.  In order to develop your technical knowledge of connected audio specialisms, you’ll investigate acoustics, psychoacoustics, audio and Midi protocols and a number of sound projection systems whilst also using lab time to develop an understanding of audio electronics through building your own synthesizer for your own creative output. The music business is also introduced where you’ll investigate various music business modules and contexts that connect what you are studying to the music industry.
  • In addition to the core modules, music production students also investigate a broad range of music production systems within the creative music context. Through the analysis, re-creation of and development of a range of production techniques and approaches used in a variety of genres, much scope is placed on applying these to individual composition and production work in order to develop a ranged portfolio of musical material.
• Year 2
  • In year 2 much focus is placed on developing your critical ear, and getting your music out there, with detailed work on developing both mixing and mastering techniques, and approaches to digital distribution and delivery.  In addition students continue to develop their deep understanding of microphones and sound signal routing, including network-based systems using our state of the art Rednet enabled facilities. You will continue to hone your studio practice and understanding of the wider music industry. As a music production student this goes hand in hand with dedicated taught areas that help you to continue to develop and enhance your creative music output.
• Year 3
  • By year 3, the vast majority of our students have already formed a number of professional connections, and students are able to make use of these and reflect on their approaches within a dedicated field project. In addition, there is the final major project which under the supervision of a dedicated tutor allows you to specialize in your chosen area which could be for example album recording and production, software / hardware development, an experiment, or dissertation based study. Drawing on the programs’ industry accreditation links, students also engage with a defined real-life / live project within the area of (or relating to) music production. This topic is delivered and supported by sessions from a range of academic staff in addition to bespoke sessions from industry professionals who feed in external expertise, so as to support the realisation, process and achievement of the project as a whole.  Typical projects include large track count mixing, audio and media work, and as such create opportunities for students to test and validate their production skills to a typical externally defined industry brief, including delivering to specification, deadline and budget.