AMS Online and UWL are working to support students affected by the closure.
Following the closure of Deutsche Pop/United Pop, AMS online have come together with University of West London to support students that have been affected.AMS Online (Academy of Music & Sound online) are an online music course provider with over 25 years experience in delivering music qualifications in 13 different countries. Find out more about us HERE>
AMS online have partnered with the University of West London since 2019, and it was then that the first distance learning undergraduate music courses were validated.
We have been contacted following the closure of Deutsche Pop and the knock on effects to students registered on the Diploma and BA courses.
What's Happening?
AMS online are working on offering affected students two pathways to a BA Hons in Music & Sound. Dependent on their experience and prior knowledge, students will either take a one year Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE) followed by the BA Hons Top Up year, or they will take just the one year BA Hons Top Up.
DipHE in Music & Sound
To accommodate Deutsche Pop students who were part way through their studies on the Diploma, AMSonline is planning to launch a DipHE in Music & Sound, which is an accredited professional qualification, equivalent to the first two years of an undergraduate degree and awarded by the University of West London.
The DipHE Music & Sound will be a two-semester programme and is designed for students from Deutsche Pop to continue their studies from where they reached during their previous course. Joining the DipHe with AMS Online should not cost the students any more time and money than they were already committed to with Deutsche Pop.
The DipHE will operate as an accredited access course to the BA Hons Top Up Music & Sound, so students that are offered the DipHE can expect to gain their BA Hons in two years with AMS Online.
More info on both programmes below.
About DipHe Music & Sound
The plan is for the DipHE to start on 17th June, 2024, and finish in early February 2025.
The cost of the full course is £7495, which at the time of writing equates to around €8802.
Payment is made between you and the university, either in one lump sum, or in instalments.
To pay with instalments you need to set up a payment plan with the university by contacting their finance team after you have registered. The usual arrangement is for the total course fee to be split into thirds, payable roughly every 3 months. There is no interest added for setting up a payment plan.
Applications are not yet open but please sign up using the contact form for updates.
Yes, the plan is for students to be able to submit their work in either English or German.
AMS & UWL are currently planning how we would match your previous learning with joining a new course. Usually, this requires a rigorous application process supported by formal certification from previous institutions. However, both AMS & UWL recognise this is not possible for Deutsche Pop students so we are working hard on a solution
Once this information is agreed we will post further updates.
The core and optional modules are detailed in the next column.
The core and optional modules are detailed in the next column.
DipHE Modules of Study
The DipHE is a 6 module programme made up of core and optional modules. You will choose to either specialise as a performer or a producer, which will affect which optional modules you can study.
This module provides an in-depth and essential study of all the main popular music genres from the middle of the twentieth century to the present day.
Each student will research and analyse various production models, production management methods and programme designs, before producing a radio documentary of broadcast quality.
Each semester you will have the opportunity to engage in a considerable amount of core study on your first instrument with a designated mentor.
Studio producers will learn how to record live audio and produce in the styles of: rock, funk/disco, acoustic and a genre of their choice; whereas electronic music producers will study the production styles of House, Trance, Drum & Bass and an EDM genre of their choice.
This module will introduce students to the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for the planning, setting up, and running of a music project, as well as the entrepreneurship theory that underpins these skills. Students are encouraged to investigate career opportunities within the music industry, as well as research various skills that can be applied to a music project. Students will produce a portfolio of work documenting their music campaign, including research and financial projections.
Assessment 1: Portfolio 70%
Assessment 2: Evaluation 30%
Music & Sound for Video Games provides students with an opportunity to compose music and design sound to a medium that requires additional knowledge and skills outside of those traditionally practiced by composers (e.g. interactive music implementation, composing to brief/conceptual art, techniques for looping music, understanding game development).
This is primarily a practical module, with the assignments being original compositions and/or sound design projects. However, it is crucial that students acquire an awareness and understanding of the general context of working as a composer within the video game industry, therefore, the module aims to develop work that acknowledges the implementation of compositions to video games via middleware.
Assessment 1: Presentation 10%
Assessment 2: Video Game Composition 70%
Assessment 3: Evaluation 20%
Each semester you will have the opportunity to engage in a considerable amount of core study on your first instrument with a designated mentor.
Studio producers will learn how to record live audio and produce in the styles of: Soul, Electronic Pop and Metal; whereas electronic music producers will study the production styles of Break Beat, Dub Step, Electronica and an EDM artist of their choice.
About BA Hons Top Up Music & Sound
The BA Hons Music & Sound top up has traditionally started in either February or September each year. The plan for Deutsche Pop students is to offer a June start date in 2024.
The BA Hons Top Up costs £7495, approximately €8800
Application is direct from this website, use the purple button, or THIS link.
Yes. We are currently making a course amendment with the University to allow German submissions.
You either need an undergraduate diploma (such as the DipHE, HND or Foundation Degree) or you need to use your previous experience (both in education and the workplace) to apply. This process is called Fast Track. There is more about this on our main FAQ page HERE>
There are long-term plans to launch a new BA (Hons) which would be music business industry facing for non-performers, and would include optional modules such as Journalism, Photography, Fashion, Design etc. More news to come on this over the coming months.
Details of the modules on the BA Hons Top Up are in the next column.
BA Hons Top Up Modules
The BA Hons Music & Sound Top Up is a 6 module programme, delivered over 2 x 12 week semesters. One of the modules (Level 6 project) is a double module, so there are actually only 5 different modules studied. All students study the core modules, and then each student selects one of the optional modules to complete their programme.
Engage in a large-scale project in an area of your choice: performance, songwriting, composition, dissertation, music production, event management or multi-media.
Study the academic theories behind matching music and sound with media and put them into practice when creating your own soundtrack to a given film clip.
There is a large market for music that film and TV production companies can take ‘off the shelf’ for genres such as sport, gameshows, wildlife etc. In this module, you will create your own portfolio of original music suitable for submitting to a publisher that covers a wide range of moods, styles and uses.
Develop a viable music industry product with all accompanying business research and requirements (business plan, website etc). This will be your calling card when you graduate.
This performance-based module helps students to work towards presenting a live showcase that is supported by relevant and effective promotional materials.
Create your own portfolio of professional productions while developing a keen understanding of the techniques and working practices of leading producers.
Enjoy the challenges of making your own short radio play production that encompasses theme music, incidental music, sound effects (foley) and dialogue editing.
This module is largely self-directed: with the option of specialising in music or artists management, retail management or crowd funding.