Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production
SHOWCASE YOUR VOICE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
Available at
Brisbane,
Byron Bay,
Melbourne,
Perth,
Sydney
Duration(s)
8 Trimesters Full Time
Complete the 16 units across 2.5 years. (8 trimesters).
Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production
Course Durations
8 Trimesters Full Time
Complete the 16 units across 2.5 years. (8 trimesters).
6 Trimesters Full Time (Fast Track)
Complete your course faster by studying the 16 units across 2 years (6 trimesters).
9 Trimesters Full Time
Whilst still classified as a full-time study load, you will complete the 16 units over a 3 year period (9 trimesters).
Part-time
If you want to take a little longer, that’s ok too. We’ll help you work out the best study load to suit your needs.
Note: Part-time is not available for international students.
We understand that things can change, so you'll have the flexibility to change your study load throughout your course if you need to.
Start Date(s)
Feb 2022
Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production
Start Dates
Brisbane
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Byron Bay
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Melbourne
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Perth
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Sydney
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Entry Requirements
Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production
Domestic Entry Requirements
Domestic students must meet one of the following criteria:
Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (your Year 12 certificate) or equivalent; OR
Completion of an Australian Diploma level qualification (for example a TAFE Diploma) or higher; OR
Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production
International Entry Requirements
International Entry Requirements
Minimum age requirements
International students seeking admission to SAE must be at least 18 years of age prior to the commencement of their study.
Academic requirements
Successful completion of secondary school studies (assessed as an equivalent of Australian Year 12 secondary studies). Minimum overall pass is required.
English language requirements
International English Language Testing Sydney (IELTS): An overall score of 6.0 or higher with no individual band lower than 5.5 (only the Academic Test is accepted), OR
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): 73 overall (internet-based test), OR
Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic score of 46 or higher, OR
Completion of Year 12 English in an Australian secondary school or college or equivalent with a minimum result of “Satisfactory” or equivalent.
YOUR CAREER IN SONGWRITING BEGINS NOW
Master your craft in the styles you love, recording your songs and music productions in small and large studio environments.
Develop in-depth knowledge of the music industry with practical, collaborative, industry-standard training.
SAE has a range of approaches to learning and teaching that can be activated to provide flexibility in the face of changing circumstances as required, to support student progression regardless of external factors.
Learn in world class studio environments
Use industry-standard software including Ableton, Pro Tools, Logic.
Practical, immersive training
All work is project-based, with no exams.
Creative collaboration
Create music for games film/screen and for live performances by collaborating with SAE students from other creative areas.
Expand your career
Graduate with a portfolio, work experience, employability and entrepreneurial skills and a network of fellow creatives.
Tools & Software
What you'll learn
Songwriting strategies
Performance recording technique
Acoustic and electronic music
Music production practice
Principles of sound, music and audio technology
Course Structure
The Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production is broken up into three distinct stages, each designed to develop different skills.
Stage 1: Foundations
Develop the essential technical skills and the knowledge required to collaborate with other creative media students and professionals.
Credit Points: 10
An essential foundation for your studies and your future career, You'll develop skills to become an independent learner, critical thinker and reflective practitioner
Examine influencers and trends in Audio, to develop an understanding of the learning process, research and nature of creativity and scholarship.
Potential projects:
Research the characteristics of a music or audio ‘genre’ and create a piece of work that demonstrates that knowledge.
Make an experimental mashup, to see if you can reconcile diverse sources (different genres, cultures or time periods) within one creative work.
An essential foundation for your studies and your future career, You'll develop skills to become an independent learner, critical thinker and reflective practitioner
Examine influencers and trends in Audio, to develop an understanding of the learning process, research and nature of creativity and scholarship.
Potential projects:
Research the characteristics of a music or audio ‘genre’ and create a piece of work that demonstrates that knowledge.
Make an experimental mashup, to see if you can reconcile diverse sources (different genres, cultures or time periods) within one creative work.
Credit Points: 10
Understanding the diversity of musical genres is a core skill for the effective songwriter and music producer. This unit builds on your knowledge of music through a focus of musical genres and styles, their structure, texture, melody, harmony, and rhythm, as well as aspects of their history and social connections.
Knowledge of musical genres is developed through a broad range of activities and projects incorporating analytical listening, transcription, group performance and composition within the specific genres.
Understanding the diversity of musical genres is a core skill for the effective songwriter and music producer. This unit builds on your knowledge of music through a focus of musical genres and styles, their structure, texture, melody, harmony, and rhythm, as well as aspects of their history and social connections.
Knowledge of musical genres is developed through a broad range of activities and projects incorporating analytical listening, transcription, group performance and composition within the specific genres.
Credit Points: 20
This unit introduces you to the core skills and concepts of music production. Across a range of projects, you will develop skills around recording, sampling, sequencing, and synthesis. You will develop your abilities across contemporary tools and technologies to produce original music in a DAW using a combination of MIDI and audio manipulation. You will also learn how to produce a variety of sounds to satisfy a brief and add effects to enhance the sonic qualities of your productions.
This unit introduces you to the core skills and concepts of music production. Across a range of projects, you will develop skills around recording, sampling, sequencing, and synthesis. You will develop your abilities across contemporary tools and technologies to produce original music in a DAW using a combination of MIDI and audio manipulation. You will also learn how to produce a variety of sounds to satisfy a brief and add effects to enhance the sonic qualities of your productions.
Credit Points: 10
This unit aims to develop your understanding of the creative media industries by studying the evolution of the industries over time. Change, evolution and disruption within creative media industries occur regularly and change the way the industries operate by displacing an existing market, industry, technology, person or process and creating something new which is more valuable. Change, evolution and disruption are inevitable and both creative and destructive processes.
In order to develop a career within the creative media industries, you will need to prepare for this disruption and evolve your employability skills over time. The key to maintaining this career is developing hard and soft skills, refining current skills sets and anticipating future changes in required skill sets. You will need to understand how the audience informs and influences the production and distribution of creative media products and how this in turn affects the skills required to succeed within the creative media industries.
You will study these topics alongside your colleagues in other disciplines, to develop an understanding of the intersections between various creative media industries.
This unit aims to develop your understanding of the creative media industries by studying the evolution of the industries over time. Change, evolution and disruption within creative media industries occur regularly and change the way the industries operate by displacing an existing market, industry, technology, person or process and creating something new which is more valuable. Change, evolution and disruption are inevitable and both creative and destructive processes.
In order to develop a career within the creative media industries, you will need to prepare for this disruption and evolve your employability skills over time. The key to maintaining this career is developing hard and soft skills, refining current skills sets and anticipating future changes in required skill sets. You will need to understand how the audience informs and influences the production and distribution of creative media products and how this in turn affects the skills required to succeed within the creative media industries.
You will study these topics alongside your colleagues in other disciplines, to develop an understanding of the intersections between various creative media industries.
Credit Points: 10
Understanding the diversity of musical genres is a core skill for the effective songwriter and music producer. This unit builds on your knowledge of music through a focus of musical genres and styles, their structure, texture, melody, harmony, and rhythm, as well as aspects of their history and social connections.
Knowledge of musical genres is developed through a broad range of activities and projects incorporating analytical listening, transcription, group performance and composition within the specific genres.
Understanding the diversity of musical genres is a core skill for the effective songwriter and music producer. This unit builds on your knowledge of music through a focus of musical genres and styles, their structure, texture, melody, harmony, and rhythm, as well as aspects of their history and social connections.
Knowledge of musical genres is developed through a broad range of activities and projects incorporating analytical listening, transcription, group performance and composition within the specific genres.
Credit Points: 20
Music Studio 1 involves learning through the professional application of a range of songwriting and music production techniques. This includes working with external musicians to produce a recording, contributing to a sample library, remixing an existing track and working to a commercial client brief.
These activities will require you to be adaptive, respond to challenges you would expect while working on commercial productions, solve problems, be self-directed and successfully communicate with others.
Through working in these applied contexts you will deepen your knowledge of (re-)mixing, songwriting, and music production professional practice, and responding creatively to a fast-turnaround brief.
Music Studio 1 involves learning through the professional application of a range of songwriting and music production techniques. This includes working with external musicians to produce a recording, contributing to a sample library, remixing an existing track and working to a commercial client brief.
These activities will require you to be adaptive, respond to challenges you would expect while working on commercial productions, solve problems, be self-directed and successfully communicate with others.
Through working in these applied contexts you will deepen your knowledge of (re-)mixing, songwriting, and music production professional practice, and responding creatively to a fast-turnaround brief.
Stage 2: Refine & Expand
Broaden your scope to work on complex multidisciplinary projects in accordance with industry-standard practices.
Credit Points: 10
In CIM210 you will be working on interdisciplinary projects that relate to some of the most important concepts in contemporary media production. You will learn practical and analytical skills in order to help you develop your creative powers and meet briefs that take you out of your comfort zone. You will need to bring all of the skills you have learned so far: technical skills, research skills, communication skills and a growth mindset, and be prepared to encounter new concepts and new ways of working.
In CIM210 you will be working on interdisciplinary projects that relate to some of the most important concepts in contemporary media production. You will learn practical and analytical skills in order to help you develop your creative powers and meet briefs that take you out of your comfort zone. You will need to bring all of the skills you have learned so far: technical skills, research skills, communication skills and a growth mindset, and be prepared to encounter new concepts and new ways of working.
Credit Points: 30
With your facilitator acting as your project manager, mentor, and colleague, in this studio unit, you will further develop your songwriting and music production skills through screen media, topline, and film trailer music projects.
Responding to a brief in collaboration with your your classmates you will work towards established project milestones as you work on songwriting and music production projects. You will adhere to a planned schedule and demonstrate professional practice in remixing, emulation of styles, songwriting and music production. This process includes focusing on the creative, technical and managerial aspects required for a completed music project.
Teamwork, interdisciplinary collaborative skills, and engagement with feedback processes are emphasised in this unit, as you further refine and reflect on your transferable skills.
With your facilitator acting as your project manager, mentor, and colleague, in this studio unit, you will further develop your songwriting and music production skills through screen media, topline, and film trailer music projects.
Responding to a brief in collaboration with your your classmates you will work towards established project milestones as you work on songwriting and music production projects. You will adhere to a planned schedule and demonstrate professional practice in remixing, emulation of styles, songwriting and music production. This process includes focusing on the creative, technical and managerial aspects required for a completed music project.
Teamwork, interdisciplinary collaborative skills, and engagement with feedback processes are emphasised in this unit, as you further refine and reflect on your transferable skills.
Credit Points: 10
Media and culture are not simply entertainment, but something that affects the “real world”, our everyday lives, and our worldviews. As such, we will not ask whether media accurately reflect the real world but instead ask how media shape, reinforce, and challenge power structures that influence our understanding of the world and ourselves. This unit takes a ‘critical theory’ approach to analyze media and culture. In this unit, you will explore media texts, contexts and meaning, society and subjectivity, pop culture aesthetics, and critical cultural discourses that inform creative media practices.
Drawing on a range of creative content and analytical frameworks, you will be encouraged to develop ways of thinking about media and culture that demonstrate a broad awareness of aesthetic principles and stylistic trends; subjectivity, agency, ethics, and relations of power; contexts, disciplines and discursive formations. In support of this exploration, you will produce a range of media artifacts that explore and contextualize the relationship of media to culture through individual analysis, collaborative and interdisciplinary creative practice, and critical reflection.
Media and culture are not simply entertainment, but something that affects the “real world”, our everyday lives, and our worldviews. As such, we will not ask whether media accurately reflect the real world but instead ask how media shape, reinforce, and challenge power structures that influence our understanding of the world and ourselves. This unit takes a ‘critical theory’ approach to analyze media and culture. In this unit, you will explore media texts, contexts and meaning, society and subjectivity, pop culture aesthetics, and critical cultural discourses that inform creative media practices.
Drawing on a range of creative content and analytical frameworks, you will be encouraged to develop ways of thinking about media and culture that demonstrate a broad awareness of aesthetic principles and stylistic trends; subjectivity, agency, ethics, and relations of power; contexts, disciplines and discursive formations. In support of this exploration, you will produce a range of media artifacts that explore and contextualize the relationship of media to culture through individual analysis, collaborative and interdisciplinary creative practice, and critical reflection.
Credit Points: 30
With your Facilitator acting as your project manager and executive producer providing the brief, mentor and colleague, in this studio unit, you will work collaboratively with your your classmates, on a series of three projects.
Emphasis will be placed on advancing your development of intermediate songwriting and music production techniques on works that will contribute towards your portfolio. Working to a clear timeline, you will explore a range of skills and workflows in collaborative, cross-disciplinary and individual work. This includes focusing on the creative, technical and project management aspects required for a completed songwriting and music production.
Teamwork, collaborative skills, and engagement with specific feedback processes are emphasised in this unit, as you further refine and reflect on a set of Transferable Skills.
With your Facilitator acting as your project manager and executive producer providing the brief, mentor and colleague, in this studio unit, you will work collaboratively with your your classmates, on a series of three projects.
Emphasis will be placed on advancing your development of intermediate songwriting and music production techniques on works that will contribute towards your portfolio. Working to a clear timeline, you will explore a range of skills and workflows in collaborative, cross-disciplinary and individual work. This includes focusing on the creative, technical and project management aspects required for a completed songwriting and music production.
Teamwork, collaborative skills, and engagement with specific feedback processes are emphasised in this unit, as you further refine and reflect on a set of Transferable Skills.
Stage 3: Showcase
Execute a project of your own design which is of high quality and externally published, with the knowledge to commercialise if you choose. You'll also apply your skills through industry work placement.
Credit Points: 20
This is the first unit in a two-part process of developing a collaborative project, designed to meet professional publication standards. In a group, you'll design and execute a full-scale creative project which will be designed to a specific target audience and market of your team's choosing.
Working closely with SAE Project Supervisors, your project will be guided through formal pre-production and production processes to deliver a creative media project. If you are undertaking a specialisation in your course, you will be required to align it with this capstone project as part of the approval process.
This unit is designed to support the pre-production process, long term success of the project and the fair and equitable contribution of group members. You'll present to the panel your forward plan for the project, which demonstrates rigourous pre-production processes to mitigate risk to ensure the project can be delivered on time and to specification.
Once you successfully complete this unit the emphasis of the capstone project development will move away from pre-production into full production mode.
This is the first unit in a two-part process of developing a collaborative project, designed to meet professional publication standards. In a group, you'll design and execute a full-scale creative project which will be designed to a specific target audience and market of your team's choosing.
Working closely with SAE Project Supervisors, your project will be guided through formal pre-production and production processes to deliver a creative media project. If you are undertaking a specialisation in your course, you will be required to align it with this capstone project as part of the approval process.
This unit is designed to support the pre-production process, long term success of the project and the fair and equitable contribution of group members. You'll present to the panel your forward plan for the project, which demonstrates rigourous pre-production processes to mitigate risk to ensure the project can be delivered on time and to specification.
Once you successfully complete this unit the emphasis of the capstone project development will move away from pre-production into full production mode.
Credit Points: 20
In this studio unit, based on your consistent engagement with your Learning Journal, deliberate practice, and the improvement of your critical reflection skills, emphasis will be placed on evaluating your work against industry standards to advance your development as a songwriter and music producer. Through a Games Load Screen piece, an interactive performance, and a real-world professional "creative pitch" of your growing portfolio, you will convey your ideas and concepts, and to present evidence of your aptitude.
This studio unit will provide an opportunity to evidence your 'musical ear', music theory and analysis skills, transcription and performance skills, and your stylistic diversity, and highlights your Transferable Skills around teamwork, collaboration, and engagement with specific feedback processes.
In this studio unit, based on your consistent engagement with your Learning Journal, deliberate practice, and the improvement of your critical reflection skills, emphasis will be placed on evaluating your work against industry standards to advance your development as a songwriter and music producer. Through a Games Load Screen piece, an interactive performance, and a real-world professional "creative pitch" of your growing portfolio, you will convey your ideas and concepts, and to present evidence of your aptitude.
This studio unit will provide an opportunity to evidence your 'musical ear', music theory and analysis skills, transcription and performance skills, and your stylistic diversity, and highlights your Transferable Skills around teamwork, collaboration, and engagement with specific feedback processes.
Credit Points: 20
Using the project plan and pre-production work that you completed in the Major Project Development Unit, you'll adopt a quality framework that will lead to the publication of a final creative piece.
This quality process will be accountable to multiple, external stakeholders and will test your ability to problem solve, evaluate and synthesise information to the standard that we expect from all SAE graduates. Throughout this journey, you will interact with your classmates and other key stakeholders using the processes and systems and that you would have developed throughout your course.
The publication and subsequent success of the final deliverable will represent the broadening and deepening of your professional practice which has occurred during your journey.
Using the project plan and pre-production work that you completed in the Major Project Development Unit, you'll adopt a quality framework that will lead to the publication of a final creative piece.
This quality process will be accountable to multiple, external stakeholders and will test your ability to problem solve, evaluate and synthesise information to the standard that we expect from all SAE graduates. Throughout this journey, you will interact with your classmates and other key stakeholders using the processes and systems and that you would have developed throughout your course.
The publication and subsequent success of the final deliverable will represent the broadening and deepening of your professional practice which has occurred during your journey.
Credit Points: 10
Gain an introduction to the principles of entrepreneurship to create and operate your own creative media small business venture. Through analysing the global media landscape, You'll be able to identify and explore start-up opportunities within the creative industries.
This unit is designed to be done in parallel with your capstone project. You'll apply the skills and knowledge from this unit to formulate a rigorous business case to help you commercialise your capstone project and use it as a basis for a creative media start-up.
Gain an introduction to the principles of entrepreneurship to create and operate your own creative media small business venture. Through analysing the global media landscape, You'll be able to identify and explore start-up opportunities within the creative industries.
This unit is designed to be done in parallel with your capstone project. You'll apply the skills and knowledge from this unit to formulate a rigorous business case to help you commercialise your capstone project and use it as a basis for a creative media start-up.
Credit Points: 10
Future jobs will require workers to learn on the job; focus on relationships with people; have strong communication skills; use a range of transferable skills. Research consistently points to the benefits of students being prepared with documents that are required for job applications, such as a Resume, Cover Letter, and E-portfolio.
In addition, the value of a Work Placement which provides you with professional experience and an opportunity to use skills and knowledge gained from study to complement this.
The Work Placement for SAE Bachelor students requires a minimum of 80 hours at one or more host organisation. Both the student and the host are required to complete an SAE Agreement which formalises the placement.
Future jobs will require workers to learn on the job; focus on relationships with people; have strong communication skills; use a range of transferable skills. Research consistently points to the benefits of students being prepared with documents that are required for job applications, such as a Resume, Cover Letter, and E-portfolio.
In addition, the value of a Work Placement which provides you with professional experience and an opportunity to use skills and knowledge gained from study to complement this.
The Work Placement for SAE Bachelor students requires a minimum of 80 hours at one or more host organisation. Both the student and the host are required to complete an SAE Agreement which formalises the placement.
Credit Points: 10
CRICOS Course Codes
105151A (6 TRIMESTERS)
105153K (8 TRIMESTERS)
105149F (9 TRIMESTERS)
Australian Qualification Framework
AQF LEVEL: 7
SELF ACCREDITED BY SAE
We consult closely with industry professionals so you can expect a course that’s highly relevant and equips you with sought-after skills, as well as providing you with some amazing work placement opportunities.
Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead me into?
- Studio Composer
- Music Producer
- Music and Sound Designer
- Live Music Performer
- Commercial Music Composer/producer
- Small business owner
- Musician
- Songwriter
- Music Promoter
- Music Technician
- Music Supervisor
- Music Library Curator
- Composer for film, games and other media
- Creative Director
Easy transition into postgraduate courses
SAE Bachelor Degrees are structured in an integrated course framework.
This means that when you complete an SAE of Songwriting & Music Production you will be awarded the maximum credit points available, providing you with the opportunity to seamlessly transition into the higher-level postgraduate qualifications if you choose to do so.
Course FAQs
All SAE courses have a focus on practical, hands-on delivery. The amount of practical time you experience during your studies does vary, depending on your course. You will also have opportunities to access campus resources and facilities outside of class time, during campus opening hours.
FEE‑HELP is a ln Australian Governement loan scheme that assists eligible fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. It cannot be used for additional study costs such as accommodation or text books. The total amount of FEE‑HELP a person can use is known as the ‘FEE‑HELP limit’.
Once a person begins using FEE‑HELP, the amount of FEE‑HELP they have left to use is known as their ‘FEE‑HELP balance’.
CREDIT AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a VET or a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program.
For full details, please refer to SAE's policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a VET or a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program.
For full details, please refer to SAE's policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
