Study a UK Music Foundation course with OCA

Have you ever wondered how music can tell a story without words? Do you listen to the works of Stravinsky, Elgar, or Strauss and wish you could write something like it? Then this music foundation course is for you.

Our Open Foundations Music is a bespoke course designed to help you develop as a composer, musician, or music critic.

The music foundation course will give you a firm grounding in many aspects of music, including music theory, basic composition and arrangement, and music history. You will also develop skills in the use of the notation software Sibelius which is integral to the music foundation course.

Whether you are starting completely from scratch or topping up your skills, our Open Foundations Music course is designed to give you a well-rounded basic music education, taking you from beginner or novice to higher education ready.

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What’s involved in a music foundation course?

During the open music course you will learn music theory to around Grade 5 standard (ABRSM/TCL). You will then be able to utilise this knowledge practically in a range of composition and music arranging tasks. The music foundation course helps students to learn independently and to reflect on their listening and learning experiences. You will also learn how to start writing about music, how to perform basic research and how to write academically. This will be in manageable chunks, and with personalised guidance from your tutor.

This UK music foundation course has five sections and, with feedback from your tutor, you can expect to make rapid progress. On completion of the open foundation classes, you can go with confidence to further study with the Open College of the Arts, or elsewhere, and be able to decide on the nature and direction of your studies or musical practice.

The music foundation online learning course is suitable for students who are unsure whether they are ready to engage in degree level study and require a re-introduction to the subject, or to those who wish to study a single stand-alone music foundation course to develop their skills and understanding.

So don’t wait, get your creative energy flowing and enrol with OCA today!

Course Aims

The course aims to:

  • Familiarise students with the language, history and terminology of music.
  • Develop a solid knowledge of music theory and its practical application.
  • Help explore and utilise the Sibelius* notation software.
  • Encourage and develop independent learning and research skills.
  • Prepare students for successful transition to undergraduate degree level study.

Course Outcomes

Through the course, you will:

  • Learn music theory to Grade 5 (ABRSM/TCL).
  • Gain skills to apply this theoretical knowledge to practical tasks.
  • Develop basic compositional and arranging techniques.
  • Have gained an understanding of the main historical musical periods.
  • Have begun to critically reflect on your learning and listening.
  • Have researched a personally chosen subject, with guidance from your tutor, and written academically about it.
  • Have acquired basic skills in using the notation software, utilising it to organise and experiment.
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Foundations

£1025

Per course

Level 1 (HE4)

£4,950

For the level

Level 2 (HE5)

£4,950

For the level

Level 3 (HE6)

£4,950

For the level

Total approximate undergraduate fees

Breakdown of costs...

Foundations

£1,175

Per course

Level 1 (HE4)

£5,670

For the level

Level 2 (HE5)

£5,670

For the level

Level 3 (HE6)

£5,670

For the level

Total approximate undergraduate fees

Breakdown of costs...

Fees, Funding and other costs

Foundation courses are ineligible for Student Finance funding, but we have deposit and instalment options available to help spread the costs. 

There are also bursaries available for students on low incomes. See our fees and funding page for more info.

All students will need access to Sibelius or Dorico software (around £80 for the most basic version), and other general costs would be expected to be under £100 for the foundation course

Fees, Funding and other costs

BA Music

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