BMus/BSc (Hons) Electronic Music, Computing and Technology

Note about optional modules (if available): The below is indicative of the typical modules offered, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. The module content and availability is subject to change.

This degree allows you to identify and develop your strengths and interests by choosing various specialist options in the Departments of Music and Computing. 

In your second year, you'll select from two possible pathways through the programme, which will determine the award of either BMus (Hons) or BSc (Hons). 

• Pathway 1: BMus - Music focus in module selection and EMCT Music Final Project in Year 3 
• Pathway 2: BSc - Computing focus in module selection, plus compulsory module in Year 2, and EMCT Computing Final Project in Year 3 

Year 1

In your first year, you'll study the fundamentals of computer programming, contemporary music, and music technology. You will study the following compulsory modules.

Module title	Credits
Introduction to Programming	15 credits
Sound and Signal 1	15 credits
Critical Approaches to Contemporary Music	15 credits
Music Computing 1	30 credits
Live Performance Systems	15 credits
Electronic Music Composition	30 credits

Year 2 modules - pathway 1 BMus

Compulsory modules

For the BMus pathway you'll take the following compulsory module:

Module title	Credits
Music Computing 2	30 credits

Optional modules

You'll take an additional minimum 45 credits in Music modules. The remaining 45 credits can be taken in Music or Computing. The lists of modules are provided annually by the Departments of Music and Computing, and may include the following:

Module title	Credits
Contemporary Jazz Performance the UK Scene	15 credits
Extended C++	15 credits
Creative Computing Project 2	30 credits
Interaction Design	15 Credits
Sound and Signal 2	15 credits
Electroacoustic Composition	15 credits
Introduction to Audiovisual Composition	15 credits
Media Composition	15 credits
Music and Identity	15 credits
Sound as Art	15 Credits
Data Programming for Artificial Intelligence	15 credits
Creative Embedded Systems	15 credits
Audio for Games and Immersive Experience	15 credits
Music/Modernities	15 credits
Musics of East Asia: Politics, Industry, Creativity	15 credits
Soviet and Post-Soviet Music and Politics	30 credits
Music Practice and the Black Atlantic: Britain’s Celebrity Culture	15 credits
Composition: Creative Strategies	15 credits
Techniques in Jazz and Popular Music	15 credits
Music in Film	15 credits
Arranging and Composing for the Jazz Ensemble	15 credits
Music of Africa and Asia	15 credits
Techniques of Contemporary Composition	15 credits
Sounding the 19th Century	15 credits
Aesthetics, Meaning and Culture	15 credits
What is Jazz?	15 credits

Year 2 modules - pathway 2 BSc

Compulsory modules

In year two, BSc students will take the following compulsory modules: 

Module title	Credits
Music Computing 2	30 credits
Sound and Signal 2	15 credits

Optional modules

You will take an additional minimum 30 credits in Computing modules. The remaining 45 credits can be taken in Computing or Music. The lists of modules are provided annually by the Departments of Music and Computing. Options may include the following:

Module title	Credits
Contemporary Jazz Performance the UK Scene	15 credits
Extended C++	15 credits
Creative Computing Project 2	30 credits
Interaction Design	15 Credits
Arranging in Jazz and Popular Music	15 credits
Electroacoustic Composition	15 credits
Introduction to Audiovisual Composition	15 credits
Media Composition	15 credits
Music and Identity	15 credits
Sound as Art	15 Credits
Data Programming for Artificial Intelligence	15 credits
Creative Embedded Systems	15 credits
Audio for Games and Immersive Experience	15 credits
Music/Modernities	15 credits
Musics of East Asia: Politics, Industry, Creativity	15 credits
Soviet and Post-Soviet Music and Politics	30 credits
Music Practice and the Black Atlantic: Britain’s Celebrity Culture	15 credits
Composition: Creative Strategies	15 credits
Techniques in Jazz and Popular Music	15 credits
Music in Film	15 credits
Arranging and Composing for the Jazz Ensemble	15 credits
Music of Africa and Asia	15 credits
Techniques of Contemporary Composition	15 credits
Sounding the 19th Century	15 credits
Aesthetics, Meaning and Culture	15 credits
What is Jazz?	15 credits

Year 3 modules - pathway 1 BMus

Compulsory modules

In your third year, you'll take the following compulsory modules:

 

Module title	Credits
EMCT: Music Project Prototype	15 credits
EMCT: Music Final Project	30 credits

You will take an additional minimum 45 credits in Music modules. The remaining 30 credits can be taken in Music or Computing. The lists of modules are provided by the Departments of Music and Computing.

Year 3 modules - pathway 2 BSc

Compulsory modules

In your third year, you'll take the following compulsory modules:

Module title	Credits
EMCT: Computing Project Prototype	15 credits
EMCT: Computing Final Project	30 credits

You'll take an additional minimum 45 credits in Computing modules. The remaining 30 credits can be taken in Computing or Music. The lists of modules are provided by the Departments of Music and Computing.

Examples of optional modules from the Departments of Music and Computing are listed below.

Year 3 Computing optional modules

Module title	Credits
Advanced Audio-visual Processing	15 credits
Computer Security	15 credits
Artificial Intelligence	15 credits
Neural Networks	15 credits
Physical Computing	15 credits
Interaction Design	15 credits
Data Mining	15 credits
Data Visualisation and the Web	15 credits
Data and Machine Learning for Creative Practice	15 credits
Creative Game Engine Development	15 credits
Ethical Computing for the Social Economy	15 Credits
Extended C++	15 credits
Data Visualisation	15 Credits
Expressive Game Design	15 Credits
Mobile Development	15 credits
Pervasive Gaming and Immersive Theatre	15 credits
Physical Computing	15 credits
Data and Machine Learning for Creative Practice	15 credits

Year 3 Music optional modules

Module title	Credits
Soviet Music and Politics	15 credits
Music Practice and the Black Atlantic: Britain’s Celebrity Culture	15 credits
Acoustic Ecology and Field Recording	15 credits
Live Electronics	15 credits
Research Project	30 credits
DIY Practice and Alternative Sites for Music	15 credits
Improvisation	15 credits
Performing South-East Asian Music	15 credits
Music Teaching Skills	15 credits
Creative Orchestration and Arrangement	15 credits
Introduction to Audiovisual Composition	15 credits
Fringe and Underground Musics	15 credits
Music/Modernities	15 credits
Advanced Popular Music Studies	15 credits
Composition portfolio	30 credits
Music Workshop Skills	15 credits
Music and Screen Media	15 credits
Music in Educational, Community and Therapeutic Contexts	15 Credits
Contemporary Jazz Performance the UK Scene	15 credits
Psychological Approaches to Music	15 credits

Teaching style

This programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, workshops and laboratory sessions. You’ll also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. This includes carrying out required and additional reading, preparing topics for discussion, and producing essays or project work.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

• Year 1 - 18% scheduled learning, 82% independent learning
• Year 2 - 14% scheduled learning, 86% independent learning
• Year 3 - 17% scheduled learning, 83% independent learning

How you’ll be assessed

You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These include coursework, examinations, group work and projects. If you opt for an industrial placement year, your placement tutor will assess your work. If you complete the placement year successfully, you earn the endorsement 'with work experience' on your degree certificate.

The following information gives an indication of how you can typically expect to be assessed on each year of this programme*:

• Year 1 - 81% coursework, 10% written exam, 9% practical
• Year 2 - 88% coursework, 13% written exam
• Year 3 - 100% coursework

*Please note that these averages are based on enrolments for the traditional pathway in 2022/23. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices.

Credits and levels of learning

An undergraduate honours degree is made up of 360 credits – 120 at Level 4, 120 at Level 5 and 120 at Level 6. If you are a full-time student, you will usually take Level 4 modules in the first year, Level 5 in the second, and Level 6 modules in your final year. A standard module is worth 30 credits. Some programmes also contain 15-credit half modules or can be made up of higher-value parts, such as a dissertation or a Major Project.

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

We accept the following qualifications:

A-level: BBB
BTEC: DDM
International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall with Three HL subjects at 655
Access: Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject-specific modules
Scottish qualifications: BBBBC (Higher) or BBC (Advanced Higher)
European Baccalaureate: 75%
Irish Leaving Certificate: Three HL subjects with 655

Additional requirements

An A-level, or equivalent, qualification in Music or Music Technology is preferred, although we also accept applicants without a formal qualification in music who can demonstrate relevant knowledge and experience.

You should also normally have at least Grade B/Grade 6 at GCSE Mathematics.

Admission is by interview and/or by submission of a portfolio. The portfolio should include two tracks of original music. These should demonstrate your music production and composition skills. The tracks are best sent as links for download or online streaming. Feel free to make use of online services for this purpose such as Dropbox, YouTube or Soundcloud 

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Alternative qualifications

See our full list of undergraduate entry qualifications.

We welcome students with a range of educational experiences. If you believe you may not meet the standard qualification requirements we would still encourage you to apply because we consider all aspects of your application when making a decision.

We’ll pay particularly careful attention to your personal statement, which is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the subject you’ve applied for. Your referees are also welcome to include any relevant contextual comments around your academic achievements. We’ll look at all these things when making a decision on your application, as well as your qualifications and grades.

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

From August 2021 EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for 'Home' fee status. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will be classified as 'International' for fee purposes, more information can be found on our fees page.

• Home - full-time: £9250
• International - full-time: £20160

If your fees are not listed here, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

Our degrees aim to equip you with a wide range of skills to meet the current demands of industry and increase your career prospects.

Industrial placement year

The degree includes an optional Industrial Placement Year between the second and third year of study. This offers you the invaluable opportunity to develop the practical skills and real world experience that is sought after by employers. You're supported throughout your placement year by a placement tutor, who provides you with guidance and liaises between you and your employer.

Skills and careers

The programme is designed with careers in music technology and music computing in mind. It fosters the development of interdisciplinary understanding across the broad fields of computer science, creative practice and musical research, and is designed to meet the opportunities, challenges and intellectual demands presented by careers in the culture industries, in music technology and in audio, music and media-related computing.

Many of our graduates choose careers in fields related to their musical knowledge: teaching, performing, arts administration, music librarianship, publishing and retailing, record companies and production, or technical work in radio or television. You can read more about careers options after graduating on our Music skills and careers page.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths. 

You'll learn from experts across the Department of Music and the Department of Computing at Goldsmiths.

The Music department has excellent rehearsal, performance and recording facilities including the Goldsmiths Music Studios and the highly specialised Electronic Music Studios.  

The Computing department has a wealth of specialist facilities and equipment for students to use, including the HatchLabs, a VR lab and the Sonics Immersive Media Lab. 

You'll have access to facilities at both Music and Computing departments.