Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 4 Modules

Level 5 Modules

Level 6 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers 

Enrichment activities will support the modules content such as Songwriting, Production, Composition, Music Business specialists.  

Volunteering 

N/A 

Fieldwork 

N/A 

Fieldtrips 

A range of recOpportunities in recording studios, the film industry, live sound, production suites. Recording studios, music conferences and enrichment opportunities.  

Work Placements 

Opportunities in recording studios, the film industry, live sound, production suites, audio companies.  

Work-based Learning 

Opportunities in recording studios, the film industry, live sound, production suites, audio companies.  

Sandwich Years 

N/A 

Employer Forums 

A variety of audio communities 

Other 

N/A 

Means of Assessment

Production

Presentation Asynchronous

Report

Classroom test

Project Output

Research plan / proposal/project/log

Essay

Portfolio

Practical Coursework

Self Reflective Assessment

Field Coursework

Work Placement

Dissertation/Major Project

Learning Support

Induction 

Induction forms part of year 1 of the programme and is arranged and planned within partner colleges. Induction is standardised and covers the following: 

• Introduction and welcome by the course team 

• Induction activity – getting to know you 

• Award structure 

• Assessment 

• Supervision 

• Support  

• VLE: Google and Blackboard induction and tutorial 

• Health and Safety  

• Tour of facilities 

• Library induction 

• Course handbook and Module handbooks. 

The learners will also attend an induction at USW. 

learners are able to access the following: 

• All learners are allocated a personal tutor 

• Regular tutorial sessions with their personal tutor to discuss any issues they may be experiencing with any aspect of the Course, College facilities etc 

• Module evaluations are completed at the end of each module. These are anonymous so that all positives and negatives can be included. 

• The Course Leader will provide group tutorials if any issues are raised concerning the course. 

• The Complaints/Concerns procedures within the College and University 

• Provision for learner Representation  

• The Faculty Learning and Teaching Enhancement Committee (FLTEC), Faculty Quality Assurance Committee (FQAC), course boards and validation events all utilise learner representation and will receive information from Partner College Boards. 

Personal Academic Coach1 

• Every course area will have a STAR (Student academic representative)  

• Every learner has a personal tutor and each academic year group has a 1 hour tutorial per week in line with the College policy.  

Learner Analytics  

Learners are enrolled on the EBS system at Bridgend College and information about enrolments can be obtained via MiHub. Power BI is a dashboard that is used at the college to analyse learner statistics such as attendance data and recruitment postcodes, also giving us the ability to analyse data trends and extract themes that will inform future improvement initiatives.  

Office hours 

Staff office hours relate to a one-hour designated weekly Tutorial where learners can electively meet their tutor, additional to timetabled taught hours. 

Tutorials 

The College provides formal academic and pastoral support for learners through a programme of individual tutorials, which are used as a forum to report on progress and discuss any issues that staff or learners wish to raise. In addition to the above, learners are made aware of the various counselling and support services that are available to all learners of Bridgend College.  

A one hour tutorial session is timetabled each week for level 4 and 5 of the programme. 

Learners engage in the following sessions with their personal tutor and discuss any issues they may be experiencing with any aspect of the Course, College facilities:- 

• Module evaluations, which are completed at the end of each module. They are anonymous so that all positives and negatives can be included. 

• Group tutorials are held to air any issues, when required 

• Learners are made aware of the Complaints/Concerns procedures within the College 

• Provision for learner Representation. 

Seminars 

Throughout the academic year learners attend a variety of seminars and music conferences at institutions such as USW, Ditto X, and BBC introducing LIVE.  

Formative Assessment 

This is an integral part to many of the course’s accessible outputs. 

Progress meetings 

Tutorials and progress meetings are held individually or with small groups, during weekly scheduled sessions. 

Research Supervision 

A range of online resources will be provided by Bridgend College in the form of reading lists, journals, governmental papers or documentation, lecture notes, tasks, quiz, revision questions, Harvard referencing guide, and critiquing frameworks, amongst others. The Student Success Centres at Bridgend College enable learners to access material online relating to academic writing, study skills support, referencing guidance and other resources to support them with their studies. Blackboard is used as a platform for storing learning resources. Wider use of Blackboard is being encouraged by USW Link Officers and training and support will be offered to Course Leaders to provide them with individual module pages. This was an action following external examiner comments relating to academic scripts being accessible from one site during the latest report.  

Live sessions using Blackboard Collaborate have meant that learners not able to come into college for any reason can take part in the session. USW are looking to improve IT facilities this academic year though to date, feedback has been positive, and learner report that sessions are clearly recorded, and participation is possible both synchronously and asynchronously. Blackboard is organised so that both colleges and USW have their own module pages where course resources are stored and shared, and learner’ assessments are uploaded. There are opportunities for cross-marking exercises using Blackboard as a central hub and external examiners can access all course related material for scrutiny. 

Online Resources 

A Course Handbook is produced in e-book format each year with comprehensive information relating to the student support services available. The Bridgend College Student Handbook is also available for HE learners. Handbooks will be distributed electronically to all HE learners.  

All course resources, learning materials, course handbook and module content are available via the college's Google suite or Blackboard, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Here, there are also further resource links to relevant information within each module page. There are departmental Instagram and Facebook pages that highlight activity and any information about networking events. We inform the learners about the use of a number of online materials to support their studies, as well as directing them to faculty technicians responsible for supporting recording studio work. We also advise the use of specific online software tools and help with additional support for software tutorials.  

Advice Zone 

Available via USW online appointment-based system. The College will have access to these facilities and also promote their own support services to complement that of the USWs. 

Learners are made aware of the help and support that they can receive from the Student Advice Team at the University of South Wales with any issues, especially if this is affecting their studies. This is particularly important with matters around health and wellbeing. We also make sure that they are aware that there is valuable support in learner Development and Study Skills and advice for any learner finance concerns. 

Disability  

Learners with disabilities are able to access assessment by the college Disabled Students’ allowance (DSA) team and support is provided by the teaching team and support staff to meet their needs. This includes interpreters, note takers and specialist equipment. The College is also represented on the GO website to provide accessibility information to learners. 

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Msc Music Engineering and Production in USW

MA Songwriting and Production in USW

Studio Engineering

BBC (Various roles)

Post-Production

Freelance Songwriter

Freelance Sound engineer

Composing for Film

Library Music

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

The entry criteria below show the qualification range within which the University will make offers. Most offers we make are at the top of the range, but we take all aspects of an application into consideration and applicants receive a personalised offer. Combinations of qualifications are acceptable and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable.

Typical A Level Offer:

BCC (this is equivalent to 104 UCAS tariff points)

Clearing : CDD (this is equivalent to 80 UCAS tariff points)

Typical BTEC Offer:

BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction Merit Merit (this is equivalent to 112 UCAS tariff points)

Clearing : Merit Merit Pass (this is equivalent to 80 UCAS tariff points)

Typical Welsh Baccalaureate Offer:

BC A level and C Welsh Baccalaureate (equivalent to 104 UCAS tariff points).

Clearing : CD A level and C Welsh Baccalaureate (equivalent to 80 UCAS tariff points).

Typical Access to HE Offer:

Pass with 15 Distinctions from, a further 21 Merits and 9 Passes. Other combinations equating to the same level of UCAS tariff points are also acceptable (102 UCAS tariff points).

GCSE requirements:

Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including Mathematics and English Language (or equivalent qualifications), but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

Inclusive Curriculum Statement

The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/

Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution

N/A