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Programme Specification for Creative Musicianship Cert HE

Final award

UG Associate Certificate, Cert HE

Intermediate awards available

N/A

UCAS code

TBC

Details of professional body accreditation

N/A

Relevant QAA Benchmark statements

QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

QAA Music subject benchmark statements

 

In addition these documents were also referenced;

DublinDescriptors

SEEC Level Descriptors

Date specification last up-dated

May 2012

BANNER BOX:

The Cert HE Creative Musicianship focuses on developing students’ creativity and expressing their own unique ‘creative voice’ through performances and multimedia collaborations along with the development of musicianship, music business and performance skills.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS  

Applicants will typically have GCE /VCE A levels equivalent to 120 UCAS points, Institute BTEC level 3 Diploma MP profile, Institute Higher Diploma BTEC level 5 pass profile or equivalent qualifications in suitable subject areas.

Applicants will usually be expected to possess 3 GCSEs with grades A-C, including Maths and English Language, and applicants who do not have English as a first language will need to meet IELTS 5.5 with no component below 5.5.

All applicants will be expected to attend an audition and interview which will assess their abilities in performance, aural perception, harmony and theory technical ability on instrument, chart reading and creativity.

The Institute also welcomes applications from established practitioners who are keen to undertake study at the HE level but may not possess the required qualifications.

Students may be admitted through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes.

International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education undergraduate programmes.

Applications will be made directly to the Institute. The Institute Admissions team will manage the process internally.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

What is Creative Musicianship

The Cert HE Creative Musicianship focuses on the development of students’ unique creative voice. This, along with the development of musicianship, music industry awareness and performance technology skills will provide the tools needed to exploit ones creative ability.

Programme structure

The Cert HE Creative Musicianship is a 1 year full-time programme that can be studied part-time over 2 years.

Learning environment

Modules are taught by lectures, small group lessons, practical workshops and technology sessions as appropriate at the Institute’s bespoke facilities in Kilburn.

Assessment

All modules are individually assessed through a variety of means, including practical exams, presentations, submission of portfolios, essays, reflective commentaries, and projects.

Work experience/placement opportunities

Students at the Institute are regularly offered to take part in professional practice through the student opportunities team. This typically includes auditioning for tours, gigs or other musical projects.

Project work

The Cert HE Creative Musicianship focuses a lot on collaborative and individual project work around creating and performing music, specifically in Developing Performance Skills and Developing Creative Skills.

Added value

By studying at the Institute you will be in a highly creative environment, with many hundreds of other like minded students. You will find this a highly stimulating, exciting and vibrant environment! 

Moreover, as the Institute is located inLondonand at the heart music capital of the world, this provides students with unrivalled opportunities to experience and interact with all aspects of the music industry.

Students on the Cert HE Creative Musicianship will be offered many opportunities for collaborative work both with other Creative Programmes in Londonand professional organisations. These opportunities, offered in addition to the curriculum, are a great way for students to build their show reels.

IS THIS THE PROGRAMME FOR ME?

If you are interested in .......

  • Performing music within a band
  • Creating music individually or in collaboration
  • Working within the wider music industry

If you enjoy....

  • Performing music
  • Using musical technology
  • Being highly creative
  • Collaborating with others

If you want....

  • To develop your unique creative voice
  • To improve your musicianship and performance skills
  • To improve your instrumental/vocal skills

Your future career

  • Band Leader/Member performer/Co-writer
  • Contemporary media/multimedia Composer/Writer
  • Solo Performer/Artist/Writer
  • Progression to post graduate study

How we support you

All students have access to the Student Services Department for support and advice concerning welfare, finance, personal development, safeguarding etc. You also have access to ‘The Hub’; the Institute Professional Development team, who provide careers advice, student opportunities, auditions, internship, gigs, etc

You will also have access to the Learning Resource Centre, containing key texts and industry journals, online resources, listening library, PC resources etc, as well as access to the wider Institute facilities which include rehearsal / performance studios, project studio, digital audio workstations and drum booths.

In addition, all students have ‘open door’ access to the Programme Leader and their personal tutor.

As a student of UEL you will also enjoy access to a range of UEL facilities, including the 24/7 multimedia libraries, with over 300,000 books, journals, audio-visual resources and archives, 500 electronic books and 25,000 electronic journals and databases.

Bonus factors

Studying inLondon, the musical capital of the world, provides opportunities to engage with the music industry that are unequalled. Students have immediate access to gigs, events, conferences, industry, promoters, agents, mangers, aggregators and distributors, fixers, agents, publicity and PR agents.

The Institute also has a dedicated Careers Service, known as ‘The Hub’, whose remit is to support and assist student in the transition to the workplace.

The Hub provides a wide range of services to meet this aim, including 121 sessions (such as A and R, career planning, personal development), careers events and fairs, networking events, internships, auditions, student opportunities, performances, showcases, industry days, etc.

Members of the Institute faculty are drawn from a pool of musicians and business leaders who have all performed at the highest levels professionally. More importantly, all are still active in their fields allowing students to benefit from their practical experience and industry networks.

Programme aims and learning outcomes

What is this programme designed to achieve?

This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:

  • Develop your creative skills and your unique creative identity
  • Develop your music business understanding
  • Develop your performance skills
  • Introduce you to the broad structure and concepts of the wider music industry
  • Prepare you for further study

What will you learn?

Knowledge (Understanding)

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  1. have sound understanding of the main professional music industry practices, functions  and structures
  2. understand the underlying concepts of the application of music in contemporary media

Cognitive Skills

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  1. evaluate and implement a range of approaches to individual and collaborative projects
  2. communicate accurately and reliably and to construct a structured and coherent argument
  3. evaluate the appropriateness of a range of their own creative processes

Subject Specific Practical Skills

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  1. demonstrate a solid proficiency on instrument or vocals in performance contexts
  2. demonstrate ability to use relevant music technology in the performance of music

Skills for Life (general skills)

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  1. work effectively within a structured environment
  2. collaborate effectively as a member of a team
  3. communicate accurately and reliably
  4. exercise some personal responsibility for own learning

The programme structure

Introduction

All programmes are credit-rated to help you to understand the amount and level of study that is needed.

One credit is equal to 10 hours of directed study time (this includes everything you do e.g. lecture, seminar and private study).

Credits are assigned to one of 5 levels:

0          equivalent in standard to GCE 'A' level and is intended to prepare students for year one of an undergraduate degree programme

1          equivalent in standard to the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

2          equivalent in standard to the second year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

3          equivalent in standard to the third year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

M         equivalent in standard to a Masters degree

Credit rating

The overall credit-rating of this programme is 120 credits.

Typical duration

The expected duration of this programme is 1 year when attended in full-time mode or 2 years in part-time mode.  It is possible to move from a full-time mode of study to a part-time mode of study and vice-versa, to accommodate any external factors such as financial constraints or domestic commitments.  Many of our students make use of this flexibility and this may impact on the overall duration of their study period.

How the teaching year is divided

The teaching year begins in September and ends in June. A typical student, in full-time attendance mode of study, will register for 120 credits in an academic year. A student in a part-time mode of study may register for up to 80 credits in any academic year.

What you will study when

This programme is part of a modular scheme. A student registered in a full-time attendance mode will take six 20 credit modules (or fewer, if any are 40 credit modules) per year.  A Cert HE student will complete modules totalling 120 credits at level one.   

LEVEL

UEL

Module

Code

TITLE

SKILLS

 MODULES

CREDITS

STATUS
SINGLE

1

PA1907

Developing Performance Skills

 

40

Core

1

PA1908

Developing Creative Skills

 

40

Core

1

PA1909

The Music Industry

Y

(Study Skills)

20

Core

1

PA1910

Live Performance Technology

 

20

Core

 

Note that ‘Study Skills’ is embedded within the module specified above.

Requirements for gaining an award

In order to gain aCertificate of Higher Educationyou will need to obtain 120 credits at level one or higher

In order to gain an Associate Certificate you will need to obtain a minimum if 20 credits at level one or higher

Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching and learning

Knowledge is developed through:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars

Thinking skills are developed through:

  • Project work
  • Seminars

Practical skills are developed through:

  • Workshops
  • Tutorials

Skills for life and work (general skills) are developed through:

  • Project work
  • Lectures
  • Seminars

Assessment

Knowledge is assessed by:

  • Course work
  • Presentations

Thinking skills are assessed by:

  • Course work
  • Demonstrations

Practical skills are assessed by:

  • Performances
  • Course work

Skills for life and work (general skills) are assessed by:

  • Course work
  • Presentations

How we assure the quality of this programme

Before this programme started

Before this programme started, the following was checked:

  • there would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme;
  • adequate resources would be in place;
  • the overall aims and objectives were appropriate;
  • the content of the programme met national benchmark requirements;
  • the programme met any professional/statutory body requirements;
  • the proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such as admissions policy, teaching, learning  and assessment strategy and student support mechanisms.

This is done through a process of programme approval which involves consulting academic experts including some subject specialists from other institutions.

How we monitor the quality of this programme

The quality of this programme is monitored each year through evaluating:

  • external examiner reports (considering quality and standards);
  • statistical information (considering issues such as the pass rate);
  • student feedback.

Drawing on this and other information, programme teams undertake the annual Review and Enhancement Process which is co-ordinated at School level and includes student participation.  The process is monitored by the Quality and Standards Committee.

Once every six years an in-depth review of the whole field is undertaken by a panel that includes at least two external subject specialists.  The panel considers documents, looks at student work, speaks to current and former students and speaks to staff before drawing its conclusions.  The result is a report highlighting good practice and identifying areas where action is needed.

The role of the programme committee

This programme has a programme committee comprising all relevant teaching staff, student representatives and others who make a contribution towards the effective operation of the programme (e.g. library/technician staff).  The committee has responsibilities for the quality of the programme. It provides input into the operation of the Review and Enhancement Process and proposes changes to improve quality.  The programme committee plays a critical role in the quality assurance procedures.

The role of external examiners

The standard of this programme is monitored by at least one external examiner.  External examiners have two primary responsibilities:

  • To ensure the standard of the programme;
  • To ensure that justice is done to individual students.

External examiners fulfil these responsibilities in a variety of ways including:

  • Approving exam papers/assignments;
  • Attending assessment boards;
  • Reviewing samples of student work and moderating marks;
  • Ensuring that regulations are followed;
  • Providing feedback through an annual report that enables us to make improvements for the future.

Listening to the views of students

The following methods for gaining student feedback are used on this programme:

  • Module evaluations (e-survey)
  • Course evaluations (e-survey)
  • Student representation on programme committees (meeting each semester)
  • Academic Programme committee (meeting annually)
  • Suggestions box

Students are notified of the action taken through:

Publishing the minutes of the Student Rep meeting on the student website providing details on the programme notice board                                                                

Listening to the views of others

The following methods are used for gaining the views of other interested parties:

  • Annual student satisfaction questionnaire
  • Questionnaires to former students

Where to find further information

Further information about this programme is available from:

  • The UEL web site (http://www.uel.ac.uk)
  • The student handbook (www.icmpstudent.co.uk)
  • Module study guides (www.icmpstudent.co.uk)
  • UEL Manual of General Regulations http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/
  • UEL Quality Manual http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/
  • Regulations for the Academic Framework http://www.uel.ac.uk/academicframework/
  • School web pages (www.icmp.co.uk)

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