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Course information

Entry requirements

UCAS code

W3I1

Length

1 year (Foundation) + 3 years (undergraduate degree).

Department

Music
Computing

Course overview

This is a four-year degree at Goldsmiths. If you successfully achieve the progression requirements of the foundation year, you can continue with the full-time three-year BMus/BSc Electronic Music, Computing and Technology.

Why study Integrated Degree in Electronic Music Computing and Technology (including Foundation Year)

  • In this course, you'll work towards creating your own tools for music-making, developing your own digital musical instruments, building interactive installations, composing or working in sound design
  • This interdisciplinary programme provides the opportunity to build these skills and will prepare you for university life and to study our BMus/BSc Electronic Music, Computing and Technology
  • You'll develop a range of interdisciplinary and academic skills in music and computing
  • As well as developing your own musical practice in composition, you'll learn key skills in computing
  • With the help of personal and one-to-one tuition, you'll develop essential knowledge in areas such as mathematics and programming, creative musical skills, and academic skills such as essay writing, setting you up for success in your undergraduate degree
  • You'll have the chance to make and explore different styles of music with students across the Department of Music. Styles are varied and include laptop ensembles, instrumental ensembles, open mic nights, gamelan, mbira and improvising groups.
  • You'll also have the opportunity to perform at open mics, student-run showcase and PureGold, our annual music festival that celebrates music created and performed at Goldsmiths.
  • Studying in New Cross means you'll be within easy reach of South East London's many venues during your time with us, as well as those across the capital.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Jenn Kirby or Naomi Matsumoto.

What you'll study

You'll study the following compulsory modules during your foundation year.

Module title Credits
Introduction to Musicology

Introduction to Musicology

15 credits

As a preparatory module for the BMus Music Year 1 module ‘Discovering Music’, this module introduces you to the development of music in its historical and cultural context. It explores musical repertoires of all kinds (from classical, electronic, to popular) and of all periods (from medieval, renaissance, to contemporary).

You'll focus on the stylistic/formal changes in music. As part of the module, you'll develop your understanding of diverse musical styles, and familiarise yourself with technical terms and definitions important in musical studies. As an integrated part of this module, you will be expected to develop your reading and writing skills in the English language to the standard appropriate for entry to the BMus programme.  

In the module, you will acquire skills for software packages such as Word, Powerpoint, and Zotero (a bibliographic management tool).

 15 credits
Foundation for Composition

Foundation for Composition

15 credits

As a preparatory module for the BMus Year 1 module ‘Composition’, this module introduces you to several basic compositional techniques drawn upon compositional practices and modes of presentation from various musics.

You'll be expected to apply a selected number of those techniques in your own work and to develop your capacity for creativity by creating short exercises and an independent composition. The module also develops basic music technology skills by using a DAW for music creation.  

 15 credits
Foundations of Programming

Foundations of Programming

30 credits

This module aims to give students a basic understanding of computer programming. On completion, students should have the necessary skills to be able to design, build and test a small system in a high-level language that supports object-oriented programming (eg. Python).

 30 credits
Foundations of Mathematics for Computing

Foundations of Mathematics for Computing

30 credits

This will introduce you to some basic yet fundamental mathematics that underpins many of the information technology and software systems of today.

 30 credits
Academic, Professional and Study Skills

Academic, Professional and Study Skills

30 credits

This module engages you in the core skills and concepts that are needed for academic study in Music at Level 4 and beyond, with particular reference to the ways that those skills can be developed in partnership with—and are supported by—the facilities and departments available within Goldsmiths.

You'll consider your academic, personal and professional development as holistic and interlinked, producing a portfolio of short pieces of work that reflect their individual interests and developments across aspects of academic research, critical writing about music, and personal reflection. As such, you'll prepare yourself for the range of assignments offered in Music at the BMus level and consider how your musical interests and academic work might be developed co-dependently as an aspect of your academic study.

You'll develop key technology skills used in academic study, including bibliography management tools. In collaboration with Goldsmiths’ Career Service, and other departments in Goldsmiths such as the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship, this module will introduce you to a range of career options for music graduates, and encourage students to reflect on how you own existing and potential skills can be developed to meet future employability goals. You'll also consider how academic study is not only linked to research and study skills, but to personal wellbeing, and will explore how you can be supported by the college and support yourself and each other in your academic journey. 

 30 credits

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. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

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

For 2021-22 and 2020–21, we have made some changes to how the teaching and assessment of certain programmes are delivered. To check what changes affect this programme, please visit the programme changes page.

Entry requirements

We would normally expect applicants to have some level 3 study equivalent to grade C at A Level or PP in a BTEC Diploma, however, we will also consider experience of music technology or electronic music composition and production. Offers will be made specific to your educational background and experience.
 
Admission is by interview and/or by submission of a portfolio. The portfolio should include two tracks of original music and a written description of experience in music, technology and computing.

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.

Fees & funding

To find out more about your fees, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

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.

Careers

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

This integrated degree is designed to provide the basis of knowledge, understanding and skills for a wide range of careers in fields related to music and computing. These include:

  • Teaching
  • Performing
  • Creative work in the media
  • Arts administration
  • Publishing and retailing
  • Record companies and production
  • Community musicianship
  • Technical work in radio or television
  • Audio development
  • Creative coding
  • Sound design

In particular, our module in Academic, Professional and Study Skills, in collaboration with our Careers service, gives you advice based on your personal career goals. The foundational skills in programming and mathematics within the Computing modules could lead to career opportunities in application programming, mobile app development, or web development.

The programme as a whole provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate the wide range of transferable skills that employers are seeking, and students would have access to specialist support via our Careers service, and via specialist Careers events run by the Department in conjunction with Careers and as part of our Dept Employability Action Plan.

Employment and industry links

The Music Department has strong links with the music industry, employing professional musicians, producers, and artists as guest speakers and as lecturers. We also present frequent, high-profile speakers from the music industry at our talks and events. Recently, these have included Dave Okumu, Nigel Godrich, Darkstar, Mica Levi, Matana Roberts, and Arts Council Music Relationship Managers.

Beyond music, you’ll get a strong grounding in skills that are important to the world of work. Employers look for initiative-driven people who think critically about their actions, work well with others and adapt quickly and creatively to new ideas. All of these skills are developed as part of this wide-ranging Foundation.

Industrial placement year

If you progress to the BMus/BSc Electronic Music Computing and Technology degree, you’ll have the opportunity to complete an optional Industrial Placement Year between the second and third year of study. This gives you an invaluable opportunity to develop the practical skills and real-world experience that is sought after by employers. You’ll be 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.

Staff

You'll learn from experts across the Department of Music and the Department of Computing at Goldsmiths. Staff on this programme include: