Songwriting: Concepts and Craft addresses the knowledge and skills required to write songs in a range of contemporary popular styles. Songwriting is a creative practice situated in a discipline with history and context, and theory and method. Students will be guided through a historical overview of major eras and styles of popular songwriting, including since ca.1910s, perspectives from beyond the anglosphere, as well as in analysis of the relevant musical theory and methods that underpin songs from these eras and styles. These skills will inform the student’s own portfolio of original popular songs.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- apply relevant musical theory and songwriting methods to original songs in a range of modern styles and songwriting contexts;
- critically evaluate songs drawn from significant historical eras and styles of the recent century;
- apply song arranging skills to original songs; and
- critically reflect on the key decisions taken during the creative process.
Indicative Assessment
- Oral presentation, 5 minutes (10) [LO 2,4]
- Original song with exegesis, charts and recording (75) [LO 1,2,4]
- Portfolio of 2 original songs with exegesis, charts and recording (15) [LO 1,2,3,4]
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Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks including lectures, workshops, and workshop-like activities; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, composing, reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Available on Wattle
Assumed Knowledge
Basic level of music theory equivalent to MUSI1501, and ability to play an instrument.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 12
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $4020 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $5580 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9056 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |