Integrated Degree Music (including Foundation Year)

This is a four-year degree including a one-year foundation programme. The foundation year allows you to develop key musical skills and experience to prepare you for university life and to continue with our BMus Music.

• This programme gives you the chance to gain key practical and theoretical skills and experience across music theory, performance, technology, composition and musico-cultural theory.
• You'll receive guidance in study skills topics such as critical thinking, researching and writing and inducts you into various musical and institutional facilities and services, from music studios to Wellbeing and Careers teams.
• Upon successful completion of the Foundation year, you gain automatic entry into our BMus Music degree and/or an internal audition for our BMus Popular Music programme.
• The foundation year programme gives you an opportunity to make music with students from across different degree programmes in a lively and vibrant departmental community. This community features everything from orchestral, jazz and pop ensembles to 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.
• 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, which provide a connection to music, art, dance, and theatre with an international focus, but also to local promoters, labels and the London-based music industry.
• Goldsmiths 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.

Contact the department

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

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 playing a musical instrument or other music-related experience. Offers will be made specific to your educational background and experience.

Our admissions tutors' decisions will sometimes be made on the basis of the application form alone. However, we are mindful that not all applicants will have studied music formally, and not all will have been presented with opportunities to evidence their commitment to music.

In these cases, we may be in touch to ask for further information to help us understand and assess your musical development to date. If we do contact you at this stage, we will give clear guidance on what we would like you to do: you will be invited either to submit a simple video recording of performance and/or documentation of composition work, or to attend a short and informal online interview with a member of the music team. Our aim is to make sure the programme is right for you.

If you receive an offer, you will be invited to an on-campus applicant day. There, you will be able to meet our team and current students, and take part in some taster sessions so you can experience what it’s like to study with us.

Alternative qualifications

See our full list of 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.

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.