Hi  and welcome to the BA (Hons) Songwriting programme at ICMP! 

I’m Shane Beales, your programme leader, and I’m thrilled that you’ve accepted your place here. The ICMP team and I look forward to working with you, helping you become the songwriter you aspire to be, and building the foundations of your professional career in music. 

I’ve put together a list of resources for you to consider before joining us in September, from equipment lists to recommended reading. You can find it below. 

Have a great summer, and I look forward to meeting you soon. 

All the best, 

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Shane Beales
Programme Leader, BA Songwriting

Have you completed our Online Registration process?

Whether you're a new student to ICMP, or you are returning in September, one of the key steps before your enrolment is to complete our Online Registration process.

Here is how to register online:

New students

  • Log in to our Student Gateway with the details emailed to you
  • Upload your key documents
  • Look out for your 'Confirmation of Registration' email - job done!

Student Gateway

Can't find your log-in details? No problem, our Admissions Team can resupply these, simply contact them on +44(0)20 7328 0222, Live Chat or enquiries@icmp.ac.uk, and they'll assist you.

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About your BA (Hons) Songwriting Degree

The BA (Hons) Songwriting degree is a practically focused, industry-aligned course designed for those looking to become professional songwriters.  

Songs are the lifeblood of the music industry. To be successful, the modern songwriter needs to be courageous, creative, collaborative and enterprising. On the BA (Hons) Songwriting degree, we’ll support you to develop each of these attributes, alongside all the academic skills you’d expect of a university music degree. 

Our songwriting course offers many opportunities for collaborative work, both within ICMP and with the wider music and creative industries, providing excellent opportunities for building your showreel and networking within the music business. The final year sees a research-based creative project and frequent interaction with established industry professionals, allowing you to leave ICMP career-ready. 

By the time you graduate from your songwriting degree, you’ll have a deep understanding of the discipline; an impressive creative repertoire of around 100 songs; a grasp of the history and culture of songwriting; solid production and recording skills; and expertise in musicianship, business, enterprise and live performance. You’ll also have gained a working knowledge of the way the music industry operates, thanks to regular songwriting-specific masterclasses and events, and visits from industry specialists. 

Got a question... just drop us a line

Get in touch

Equipment Checklist

Essential

  • A notebook and pen, for all your new song ideas and lyrics 
  • A phone, to record voice memos 
  • Your instrument (pianos are provided) 
  • Headphones 

Recommended Equipment ​

  • A laptop, preferably a MacBook Pro with Logic Pro/Ableton/other DAW software installed 
  • A basic home recording setup including a microphone, an audio interface and instrument cables. ICMP has all of these items available for use, free of charge 

Don’t forget, as an ICMP student you’ll have access to exclusive discounts from leading music manufacturers, so if you’re thinking of buying new gear (from computers to instruments), it’s worth waiting until you start with us. 

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Have you confirmed your student finance yet?

Find out more

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Recommended Reading

Books

  • Kleon, A. (2012) Steal like an artist. New York: Workman. 

Online Sources

We look forward to meeting you in September... not long now!