Songwriting

Entry requirements

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• Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree (NFQ Level 8) with at least a second-class honour, grade 2 (2:2) in a relevant or appropriate subject or
  an equivalent capability based on prior professional experience in songwriting and/or performance.

• The university will shortlist and invite you to an interview and audition

Other Entry Considerations:

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet the standard entry requirements, as long as you can show that you have the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for the programme.

At UL, we value all kinds of learning and support different ways to qualify through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy.

Checklist of documents:

• *Academic transcripts and certificates
  • UL graduates only need to provide their student ID.
• Copy of your birth certificate or passport
• English translation of your qualifications and transcripts
• Copy of your CV
• Cover letter outlining your interest in the course and experience of songwriting to date
• Additional audio, visual or written material may be required.

Guidelines on Completing your Application

• To make sure we can review your application quickly, please:
  • Upload all documents. Your application can’t be reviewed until we have all the documents on the checklist. 
  • Title the documents you are uploading. For example, "Personal Statement", "Undergraduate Transcript", "Postgraduate Transcript", "English Language Certificate" etc. 
• *If you are waiting to graduate, submit your application with the documents you have to date, you don’t need to have finished final exams before applying.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Master of Arts in Songwriting is a one year, full-time postgraduate programme, which focuses on the artistic practice of songwriting with opportunities to perform and record work. The course is cognisant of the wide variety of approaches to songwriting that one might adopt and will not attempt to be a ‘how-to’. Rather, this is a space where students can explore and be exposed to a range of writing techniques, whilst having the dedicated time and resources to develop their own body of work. This will be through a combination of solo work and collaboration with a community of fellow songwriters with guidance from songwriting mentors.

In addition, the course provides a toolkit of core skills that students can draw from in areas such as music theory and arranging, technology and production, promotion, copyright and publishing as well as the central focus of writing, recording and/or performing.

Objectives:

The student will gain:

• Originality - a strong sense of individual voice
• Wide core skill set
• Strong basis for sustainable career as a songwriter / space to explore and spend dedicated time to support existing career as songwriter
• Critical engagement with artistic practice
• Songwriting honed through supportive and reflective critique
• Exposure to wide range of approaches to songwriting

Information for international students

• Postgraduate Entry Requirements for International Students
• English Language Requirements

Email ULGlobal@ul.ie for further information.

Fees and funding

Assessment