PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION This Programme Specification is correct as of the date indicated; however, minor amendments may be made throughout the year and will be incorporated in the annual updating process. SECTION A: DETAILS OF THE COURSE AND AWARD Programme Title Awarding Body Teaching Institution Faculty School Name of Final Award NQF/FHEQ Level of Qualification BA (Hons) Music Performance Management Buckinghamshire New University Buckinghamshire New University Design, Media & Management Applied Management & Law Bachelor of Arts with Honours, BA (Hons) Level 6: Bachelor's degree with honours QAA Benchmark Statement(s) Hospitality, Leisure & Sport (2008); Music (2007) UCAS Code Course Code(s) Mode and Length of Study Number of Intakes Regime of Delivery Language of Study Details of Accreditation N/A BM1MPM1 Full Time / 3 Years 1: September Attendance English N/A Publication Date 16 September 2013 Potential Student Profile / Criteria for Admission: What the award is about and who the programme is aimed at: This full-time music management course is specifically for aspiring music performers, including singers, musicians, rappers, producers and DJs. The innovative programme has been created to accommodate for today s new (and growing) artist led music industry environment. The programme is a direct response to the required need for music performers to develop their own management skills. These are now particularly necessary for aspiring &/or new music performers. Why students should choose this award: The Music Performance Management programme is the only full-time programme of its kind in the United Kingdom, Europe and the world. It is a multi-disciplinary applied management degree. It uniquely caters for aspiring music performers who seek to develop, manage and market their music performance skills in to a modern day music industry. Opportunities available for students after completion of the award: Previous music management students have found employment in such diverse areas as commercial and public radio, record labels, management companies, law, TV, PR, venue management, festivals & events, statutory industry bodies and gaming. This new programme, would offer the same prospects, but with its additional emphasis upon the engagement of professional music performance experience, the programme could propagate opportunities in many professional music performance areas related to being a singer, musician, rapper, producer &/or DJ. It is hoped that the programme BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 1

will allow equip music performers with the critical applied management skills necessary to sustain a viable career over the longer term. Expected knowledge and skills: This music performance management course is specifically orientated toward music performers. It will be expected that prospective students will possess ability with regards to music performance in one or more of the following categories: singers, musicians, rappers, producers, writers and DJs. Given the diverse nature of candidates they will all be asked to submit evidence of their performance skills as well as sit an interview and if need be audition. UCAS Tariff score of 180. SECTION B: PROGRAMME AIMS, OUTCOMES, LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS Programme Aims The core educational aim of the programme is to enable aspiring music performers to become competent in the ability to manage their own proposed music careers. To familiarise aspiring &/or new music performers, students will be required to record and reflect upon their own music industry observations and experience via professional performance modules delivered at all levels of the course. This forms the central pillar of the programme, and as such it will run throughout the duration of the programme. To fully support and complement the student s professional performance practice the course will also have music production modules throughout the programme. Additionally, the course will integrate a range of relevant marketing and brand management principles, which will enable students to critically analyse and reflect upon managing the development and delivery of their personal music brand. Finally the programme provides an interrelated series of business management modules related to industry structure, culture, entrepreneurship, negotiation and independent research management. As a result the programme will offer students a unique opportunity to understand, develop and manage their own professional music careers. Programme Learning Outcomes A. Knowledge and Understanding 1. Formulate a critical knowledge and understanding of music performance brand value; 2. Locate the role and dynamics of an ever evolving music and entertainment environment in a management context; 3. Identify and define the key principles of contract and copyright law in the context of understanding the various music publishing rights and means of exploiting creative product; 4. Translate accounts of reflective professional music performance. B. Intellectual/Cognitive Skills 1. Analyse popular music cultures and recognise their distinguishing features; 2. Analyse the marketing and promotional practises in the music and entertainment industries; 3. Appraise the perspectives of music marketing communications and Public Relations; 4. Synthesise critically strategic music marketing and brand management principles and practice; 5. Appraise their music performance in a reflexive manner within a professional context. BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 2

C. Practical Skills 1. Employ music production technology to formulate and record music material; 2. Practise entrepreneurship skills to develop music performance business opportunities. D. Key/Transferable Skills 1. Employ a range of independent and self-management skills. Table 1: Programme Skills Matrix Assessment Module Code Information Acquisition Critical thinking, analysis and synthesis Self-reflection and Criticality Communication Skills: Oral Communication Skills: Written Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Numeracy & Quantitative Skills Problem Solving & Decision Making Independent & Selfmanaged Learning Working with Others MC410 MC416 MC413 MC414 MC417 MC515 BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 3

Learning, Teaching and Assessment Methods to achieve the Programme Learning Outcomes Throughout this full-time taught programme the principal objective is to enable students to operate successfully as music performers in the music & entertainment industry. This objective is reflected in the approach to teaching, learning and assessment. The regulations governing assessment are in accordance with Buckinghamshire New University regulations for taught awards. This is essentially an applied music management course. Some modules require independent research, evaluation and individual development of skills; others require the ability to work with focus, commitment, energy and control under the supervision of a lecturer. Students learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and reflections, accrued through self-directed industry observations and experience. Learning outcomes for specific modules play a key part in identifying the subject specific skills and vocational competencies the students will gain on successful completion of the module, whilst individual practical skills will be developed through lecture and seminar based learning. The course team provide clear guidance on the programme delivery, modes of study and how students are supported. Students are also encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. There are regular opportunities for students to undertake self-directed work, with advice and written feedback given to students on their progress and learning needs throughout the programme. Each part of the syllabus is supported by introductory sessions where appropriate. Throughout the course, teaching concentrates on the development of the individual, identifying and working to strengths whilst supporting any identified weaknesses. This is achieved through regular dialogue between the lecturers and student about all aspects of a student s work through seminars, small group and/or oneto-one tutorials. Lectures, seminars and tutorials address multiple topics pertinent to professional music performance as well as the more general aspects of professional industry practice. The students are encouraged to fully participate in the exchange of views and to formulate and express opinions in the evaluation of their own work and that of others. Importantly, the teaching strategy adopted involves the student in all aspects of their learning and will encourage them to take charge of their own learning experience. The Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) will also form an important aspect of the learning experience. The VLE (which can be remotely accessed from both within and outside the campus) will be employed to give students access to a range of supplementary research material related to specific modules, as well as providing an opportunity for students to contribute to online discussion forums on topics of specific relevance to module content. Blackboard will increasingly represent the single, main point of contact for relaying all course and module related information to students (assessment outlines, module programmes, handbooks, reading lists etc.), as well as acting as a valuable supplement to the classroom based teaching experience on the course. Assessment Method The course uses a variety of assessment methods, including practical plans, studio tests, music recordings, essays, reports, TCA s, and journals. As the course progresses, negotiation of individual student-led projects, along with small group production briefs will enable the student to identify and explore aspects of their programme which are of particular personal interest. This culminates in the completion of Level 6 dissertation. Negotiated briefs and the completion of the projects will require the submission of written proposals, with well-planned research and stated aims and objectives. Strict deadlines apply to all briefs to reflect the professional ethic pervading the student experience. Dependant on the module in question, assessment can include peer and self assessment. BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 4

SECTION C: PROGRAMME STRUCTURE(S) AND MATRIX MAPPING Table 2: Programme Structure Table Course Title Course Code Mode of Study BA (Hons) Music Performance Management BM1MPM1 Full Time, Attendance Credit Value UK 360 Credits ECTS 180 Credits Assessment Regime Module Code Module Title QCF/FHEQ Level Course Stage / Year Status in Award ([C]ore / [O]ptional) Credit Value Written Exam % Coursework % Practical % Semester Taught MC416 Principles of Music Marketing 4 1 C 15 100 S1 Music Brand Development 4 1 C 15 100 S1 MC413 The Music Industry Environment 4 1 C 15 100 S2 MC414 Music Cultures 4 1 C 15 100 S2 MC410 Music Production Principles and Practice 4 1 C 30 50 50 SB MC417 Professional Performance Context 4 1 C 30 100 SB Music Promotion Techniques 5 2 C 15 100 S1 Public Relations for the Music Industry 5 2 C 15 100 S2 MC515 Music Publishing 5 2 C 15 100 S1 The Music Entrepreneur 5 2 C 15 100 S2 Studio Production Techniques and Process 5 2 C 30 100 SB Professional Performance Practice 5 2 C 30 100 SB Strategic Music Marketing 6 3 C 15 100 S1 Digital Music Marketing 6 3 C 15 100 S2 Dissertation / Project 6 3 C 30 100 SB Production Company Project 6 3 C 30 30 70 SB Professional Performance Management 6 3 C 30 100 SB BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 5

Table 3: Mapping of Programme Outcomes to Modules Programme Learning Outcome Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Level 7 A. Knowledge and Understanding 1. MC416 2. MC413 3. MC413 MC515 4. MC417 B. Intellectual / Cognitive Skills 1. MC414 MC515 2. MC416 3. MC416 MC413 4. MC416 5. MC410 C. Practical Skills 1. MC410 2. MC410 MC515 D. Key / Transferable Skills 1. MC410 MC414 MC417 MC515 BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 6

SECTION D: CONTACT HOURS Hours are worked on the basis of full-time study. 1 Academic Credit is equated to 10 notional learning hours. A full-time undergraduate student will study 120 credits in an academic year which is therefore equated to 1200 notional hours. Module Descriptors provide detailed breakdowns of the categories given below. Table 4: Breakdown of Contact Hours Year of course Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities Guided Independent Study Placement / Study Abroad Total Year One 372 828 0 1200 Year Two 390 810 0 1200 Year Three 356 844 0 1200 Total 1118 2482 0 3600 SECTION E: ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS This programme conforms to the approved University procedures as detailed on the University website. The calculation of this award will be as follows: Overall weighted average of Level 5 (33%) and Level 6 (67%) modules. The following modules may not be condoned: Dissertation This programme will be covered by the following University regulations: University Academic Framework and Assessment Regulations 2013 Buckinghamshire New University BA (Hons) Music Performance Management (FT) Page 7