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Admissions Update October 2020

The last admissions cycle has been the most eventful we have ever experienced but we are very happy to see so many applicants now enrolling on their courses at Goldsmiths. We are now very much looking forward to the new admissions cycle.

2021 entry requirements

Our grade requirements for undergraduate courses are not changing for 2021 entry. We will add responses to any changes made to the way qualifications are organised on Goldsmith’s dedicated covid-19 web pages. We hope that the coming admissions cycle will be less turbulent than the last one but we are ready to support applicants if there are more alterations.  

EPQ

Goldsmiths welcomes applicants with the EPQ, the additional independent study and in depth exploration of a particular subject area is considered an excellent preparation for higher education. For 2021 entry we intend to make tailored EPQ offers for many of our courses. This would allow the applicant to meet our requirements with a grade lower in their A Levels if they successfully complete the EPQ, achieving a grade B.  

T Levels

We’re also receiving many questions about T Levels. We will consider T Levels in related subject areas for our courses as part of the general education profile of the applicant.   

Disrupted studies

We are aware of the challenges that students preparing to complete qualifications and apply for higher education in 2021 have been facing and we will keep these in mind as we make decisions on applications. However, if there are particular challenges that an applicant has faced on their educational journey it may be wise to include a note in the reference or you can contact us at admissionsconfidential@gold.ac.uk if the circumstances are more sensitive in nature. Please ensure that the applicant is aware if you do this and include their UCAS personal ID number.   

References

When writing references, in general, it is helpful to highlight any achievements, participation in academic or extra-curricular activities, as well as commenting on any challenges the applicant has overcome. Most applicants will be assessed on their achieved and predicted grades and the interest and enthusiasm they display in the personal statement. Where the reference is valuable, is to explain any lower grades or inconsistencies in an applicant’s educational profile. For example, if an applicant has fairly modest GCSE grades but is predicted high grades in their A Levels, it’s helpful to mention if they had some mitigating circumstances during their GCSEs or that they have improved their study skills to the point that they are now able to achieve more strongly.   

Interviews and Auditions

For the 2021 admissions cycle we expect that where interviews or auditions are part of the assessment for an offer, these will be conducted online – usually via Skype.  

We send full instructions with any invite and, where possible, allow applicants to choose their own time and date. If applicants have additional needs relating to interviews, we encourage them to contact us as soon as possible so these can be put in place ahead of the interview date.  

The Goldsmiths Admissions team are ready to help applicants through applying to university in these uncertain times.

Contact us

Discover our specialist degrees at Goldsmiths!

Do you think you can organise the next best exhibition to showcase in the UK? Are you interested in what rituals people living in London have adopted today? Have you got a pioneering design for a new instrument that could disrupt the electronic music industry?

You will have all studied core subjects such as English, Maths and Science whilst being at school and I’m sure heard of many mainstream subjects that you can study at University, such as English Literature, Economics and History. But what about those niche degrees? The ones you haven’t had the opportunity to explore but they spark intrigue in you?

Take a look below at some of the niche courses we offer at Goldsmiths and what they entail…you might be surprised!

BA Curating

The term ‘Curating’ is used to refer to a wide range of activities including organising art exhibitions, festivals and professional events, staging of lecture series, public conversations, reading groups, and even the management of our lives on social media. This course explores how curating allows us to stage culture and put knowledge into circulation in multiple ways, and to place its practices in a historical and critical context.

BA Electronic Music, Computing and Technology 

Imagine being able to create your own tools for performance. Or develop your own instruments, interactive installations or reactive sound design. This interdisciplinary programme gives you that opportunity. Alongside developing your own musical practice, you will learn to create custom software that can be used to further your artistic goals and to pioneer the future of electronic music. You’ll learn electronic music composition, production and performance with software design and digital signal processing.

BA Digital Anthropology

From fake news to data breaches, digital technology is shaping and reshaping our lives faster than at any other time in human history. By bringing together these two areas – anthropology and digital expertise – you’ll learn to investigate the growing role of technology in global challenges, such as health, the environment, economic and political relations, and social justice. You’ll learn to research the digital social world, about how technology is changing the way we live, and even our fundamental understanding of ourselves.

BA Psychosocial Studies

A multidisciplinary degree that’s ideal if you’re interested in counselling and psychotherapy practices but also want to study the social and cultural contexts of their production. This innovative multidisciplinary degree is concerned with the interrelationship between self, psyche and society and promotes a psychosocial framework of understanding the interconnections between the personal and the social, inner and outer worlds, as well as the social conditions to mental health.

BA Law with Criminal Justice and Human Rights

This programme gives you the opportunity to obtain specialist knowledge and deepen your understanding of criminal justice and human rights, and their challenging interactions. It enables you to contextualise the study of Law and broaden your horizons, opening up career opportunities in criminal justice professions, and human rights jobs in the third sector. You will also hone the essential critical thinking and practical skills needed in representing clients and defending cases as a solicitor or barrister specialised in criminal law and human rights.

Subject Spotlight: BA English Language and Literature

Dr Geri Popova is an academic in our English and Comparative Literature department and teaches on our BA English language and Literature course. This degree will answer some of the most exciting questions in linguistics, for example how language relates to class, ethnicity or age, how we use language to reflect our identity and build relationships, how we acquire the languages we speak and how best to teach languages, and how we connect and communicate using different technologies and media.

Hi there! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

I am one of the linguists at our department. My first degrees combined literature and language, then I did a PhD in linguistics in the University of Essex. I now live and work in English, which is my third language, but because of how life turned out, it is my children’s first language!

Please can you give us a quick overview of the degree course? 

The BA in English Language and Literature is for students who love literature, but are also fascinated by how language works and how it functions in society. Like students in our other degrees you will have access to a wide range of modules in literature (we teach the classics, but also have modules in cinema, fairy tales, and the writing of migrants and refugees). In addition, however, you will explore language structure and language use. Some of our modules look at the relationship between language use and ethnicity, class, gender, or how multilingual societies differ from monolingual ones. We have modules that look at how language functions in professional communication, in digital media, in politics more generally. Other modules explore language learning and language teaching. The degree structure allows quite a bit of flexibility: we aim to ensure all students cover the basics, but also have freedom to pursue their passions and interests. If you are interested in literature and language and would like to study both, then check out the BA in English Language and Literature at Goldsmiths!

What makes the Goldsmiths course distinctive?

One thing that sets us apart is the range of modules on offer. Our students asked for a curriculum that reflects not just the mainstream, but the whole range of voices and experiences that make up our modern world, and we have done our best to respond. In our linguistic modules we place the emphasis on language as a social activity and explore language use in a range of contexts and amongst people of different backgrounds. We have also focused in recent years on providing more targeted support for students, so we integrated academic and research skills in our general modules and we aim to give written formative feedback on a large portion of our assessments, so we can give you personalised guidance on how to revise and improve your work.

What are you looking for in an applicant? Do you have any tips for a great personal statement?

First and foremost we look for interest in both literature and linguistics and evidence of commitment to both subjects. Of course, we also look for evidence of the skills you will need for successful study, e.g. good academic writing skills, analytical and research skills and critical thinking. But we know that you will continue to develop academically during your studies and we will support you with that. There will be challenges along the way, of course. Good understanding of what to expect from the degree you are applying for and passion for the subjects will help you persevere and excel.

How does this degree support students practically for life after university?

The study of both literature and linguistics develops your ability to read critically and synthesise complex sources, as well as relate the detailed exploration of texts to wider political and historical issues. Your studies enhance your skills on your way to becoming an academic writer, who can develop original arguments and put them across in a well-argued, succinct and coherent way. Our linguistics modules often explore theoretical issues that can be applied to real-world problems, i.e. communication in the workplace, in multilingual families and societies, in multilingual schools. Many of our modules teach discourse analysis, which has wide applications in the social sciences. Our Work Placement module provides the students who successfully apply to it an opportunity to explore relevant academic issues in real workplaces.

And finally…tell us a joke!

A long time ago one of my translation tutors used this joke to illustrate how complex the art of translation is. It goes like this: scientists developed computer software that could translate from English to Japanese and vice versa. At the official demo a journalist asked the software to translate the phrase ‘out of sight, out of mind’ into Japanese. The software obliged. All very well, said the journalist, but I don’t understand Japanese. Could you ask the machine to translate back into English, please? A click of the button and ‘blind idiot’ appears on the screen. This old joke still illustrates how complex language processing is… but these days it probably also shows how far computer scientists and linguists have come in improving automatic translation!

Are you attending a UCAS fair? Read our top tips from a student ambassador…

Anthea Islam, a student ambassador at Goldsmiths, shares her five top tips for students attending higher education fairs. 

 

Going to a UCAS fair is a great opportunity to learn about courses, different places to study and a chance to talk to current students or members of staff. However, if you’re unsure of what to expect or how to prepare, check out my 5 top tips! 

 

1. Be open minded!

Why not talk to one of our student ambassadors?

You may think you know exactly what course you want to study or what university you wish to attend, but a UCAS fair will allow you to learn about universities or courses you might have little information on. Also, if you’re completely unsure of what you want to study, it’ll be a great way to see what’s out there to start off your research.

 

2. Have a couple of questions in mind!

Exhibitors have a lot of knowledge about their university. If you want to know whether the University offers the societies you want, how the university is inclusive, the facilities you’d like or if you’re just wondering where it is, make sure to ask. Nothing is a silly question!

 

3. Avoid being in a really large group!

It’s really easy to wander around with all of your friends at a UCAS fair, but if all ten of you are together, you might miss out on conversations with a particular university you wanted to speak to but your friends didn’t! Pairing up with friends who are interested in similar course, locations or types of universities (Campus or City) might be more worthwhile!

 

4. It’s okay to be a bit nervous

UCAS fairs can have a lot of attendees which may feel a bit overwhelming as some of the spaces are massive and fit lots of people! However, don’t let this put you off, exhibitors will always have time to answer your questions, so it’s easier if you have some ready!

 

5. Enjoy yourselves!

Researching Universities and finding the right place for you can be really exciting – make the most of being able to ask experts about it and meeting new people!

 

Subject Spotlight: BA Musical Theatre

Dr Pamela Karantonis is an academic in our Theatre and Performance department and teachers on our BA Drama: Musical Theatre course. This degree creates resourceful and well-informed performers, theatre-makers, administrators and teachers in the musical theatre industry.

Hi there! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

I have a background as an opera chorister and soloist in Australia, performing in seven languages and many genres – my mentality is: why limit yourself? My PhD investigated impersonation, including some unusual and comic genres too. I think that musical theatre is an ever-evolving genre which is why I am drawn to it.

Please can you give us a quick overview of the degree course?

Even though our Programme is new and unique, we have built it based on a secure formula that maximises successful possible outcomes for well-rounded graduates facing the performing arts creative environments and industries. We blend training, critical thinking and entrepreneurship.

  • Psychophysical and analytical training: In the first year you will acquire a grounding in the basic techniques and styles of musical theatre performance (voice, movement, acting, singing and dance) and an introduction to analytical methods of interpreting musical theatre texts and performances
  • Practical and critical approaches to aesthetics of the genre: The second year builds on the foundations of the first, enabling you to learn strategies to work independently as a musical theatre-maker by utilising more advanced and detailed knowledge of the history and aesthetics of the genre, thereby enriching your deployment of key performance skills in producing pieces of musical theatre from the repertoire
  • Entrepreneurship in the creative industries: The final year shows your how to conceptualise musical theatre in industrial and sociocultural terms. Through this, you will acquire a sophisticated perspective on the cultural industries that will motivate your independent and collaborative writing, devising and performance of musical theatre pieces designed to showcase the range of your artistic resources as a professional performer, theatre-maker, administrator or teacher.

What makes the Goldsmiths course distinctive?

Goldsmiths is a research-intensive University, where creative endeavours are underpinned by world-leading research. That means you will be studying among some pretty dynamic thinkers and we will encourage you to be one yourself! Our research publications see us as the internationally-recognised home of the British Musical and also published studies on Voice training. What this means in terms of Musical Theatre is that we are ambitious for our students to help to create the next big wave in the musical theatre landscape. We already have an established MA Programme in Musical Theatre, so we have pioneers to help you lead the way.

What are you looking for in an applicant? Do you have any tips for a great personal statement?

It is really important that you are true to your passions and be yourself. We are looking for people who are not afraid to say something original about why they love musical theatre. It can be tempting to be hard on yourself and think that you have to be a perfect triple threat in a competitive environment or conform to a stereotype of a musical theatre performer. We do not have these expectations; rather a stereotype limits your creative possibilities. Just tell us the range of what you have experienced. We also want you to be open to learning, thinking, experimenting and working as a team.

How does this degree support students practically for life after university?

We start by building confidence in our students, through detailed and supportive skills training and a positive audition mentality, which helps with work opportunities upon graduation. We regularly invite in industry professionals with West End experience to host workshops and training events for the students. This not only helps to build skills but also practises networking skills. Moreover, as this degree is within an Arts and Humanities context, you will have all the invaluable advantages of a University education and the careers that can open up from that nurturance:  to think progressively, creatively and dynamically for any opportunity your future may bring.

And finally…tell us a joke!

Well a musical theatre song is referred to as a “number”, so here we go with that theme (you probably need to say this aloud): “Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9.”

UCAS: Next steps

The undergraduate application deadline is here! You might be ahead of the game and have submitted your application weeks in advance and already have replies from universities, or you might be cutting it close to the finish, making last minute decisions on what courses to apply for. Either way, the waiting game begins…

 

 

 

 

 

What happens next?

If you’ve got your applications in before the 15 January deadline, your universities will give you a decision by 2 May, but these are often received much earlier. As you can imagine, January is an extremely busy time for university admissions teams so don’t worry if you are waiting until February or even March to hear back. Keep an eye on UCAS Track and your email to follow your applications.

When universities do get back to you, you’ll see one of the following in Track:

– Conditional offer: you still have some entry requirements to meet before you can take up a place (these are usually results from current qualifications)

– Unconditional offer: you have met all entry requirements and your place at the university is confirmed (though you may need to show proof of qualifications or for certain courses undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check)

– Invitation received: you’ve been invited for an interview, audition, or similar (the university will likely contact you via email with details)

– Unsuccessful: you haven’t been accepted (feedback can sometimes be seen in Track or you can contact the university)

– Withdrawn: the university has withdrawn the choice (the reason should be shown in Track or you can contact the university)

 

Making your decision

Once you’ve heard back from all universities, you’ll be given a deadline to respond to your offers. This is no earlier than the start of May, but may be later if you’ve had to wait a longer time to receive responses from universities. You have these choices to make:

– Firm: this is your first choice of course and university

– Insurance: this is your back-up choice if you don’t meet the requirements of your firm choice

– Decline: all other offers need to be declined

If your firm choice is a conditional offer, you’ll now have to wait for your results and work hard to make sure you meet the requirements. As soon as you have your results, Track will be updated to confirm if you’ve fulfilled the conditions of your offer.

If your firm choice is an unconditional offer, you’re pretty much there. You’ll just need to check if there are any extra requirements from the university (such as DBS checks and proof of qualifications).

 

Aside from your university application, you’ll need to start thinking about applying for student finance, looking into bursaries and scholarships, and if you need to apply for accommodation. Watch this space for future posts on all of the above. Good luck to you all!

Subject Spotlight: Electronic Music, Computing and Technology

Freida Abtan leads on the BMus/BSc Electronic Music, Computing and Technology degree, a new course for September 2019. This interdisciplinary programme gives students the opportunity to create their own tools for performance and develop their own instruments, interactive installations or reactive sound design. Read on to find out more!

Hi there! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

I’m a Canadian audiovisual composer and interdisciplinary artist. I work between fixed and real-time computational technologies in sound and video for concert diffusion, installation, and large-scale multimedia performance situations. My academic background is split evenly between mathematics, computer science, electroacoustic composition and visual art.

Please can you give us a quick overview of the degree course?

Electronic Music, Computing and Technology investigates the cutting edge of music technology. At Goldsmiths, this is an interdisciplinary programme offered between the departments of Music and Computing. After their first year, students can choose to pursue a more artistic or technical path of study, leading to either a Bachelor of Music (BMus) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree.

The course combines electronic music composition, production and performance with software design and digital signal processing. Students create original performances; instruments; interactive installations; and reactive sound design. Alongside developing their own musical practice, they learn to create custom software that can be used to further their own artistic goals and to pioneer the future of electronic music.

The degree is designed to meet the opportunities, challenges and intellectual demands presented by careers in the arts and creative industries, in music technology and in audio, music and media-related computing.

What makes the Goldsmiths course distinctive?

The Computing department is a world leader in creative computing practice and has a strong research community focused around new technologies for musical expression. The Music

department is famous for its innovative and passionate teaching, and its exploration of modern musical practice. Students have the opportunity to study and participate in both departments and don’t need to choose their specialization until the end of their second year. The degree supports a wide range of outcomes between musical and technological practice and encourages each student to find their own unique identity between the two fields.

What are you looking for in an applicant? Do you have any tips for a great personal statement?

I’m looking for electronic musicians who have already mastered the standard tool set for production and want to go deeper into their understanding of digital audio.  Usually, they suspect that a standard production degree might bore them.

There is a certain kind of artist that finds themselves subverting their tools rather than using them “properly”. It shows a kind of creativity in exploration, but also a curiosity towards how the tools work.

These are the people who will make the future sound different than the past.

How does this degree support students practically for life after university?

I recently went to the Audio Developer Conference and met a crowd of former students working in industry.  Some of them were balancing independent contracts with their own musical careers and some of them were working for their favourite audio companies. I was happy to meet students there from both specializations of the degree, though of course, many who pursue the BMus find other destinations for their talents.

Our graduates have started their own businesses, joined the professional audio developer community, pursued PhD studies in science or art, toured as musicians, and shown their installations internationally.  I think the programme really encourages the mastery of an individually chosen topic in third year and this helps to launch students into the next phase of their lives.

And finally…tell us a joke!

I’ve had enough of the dubstep jokes. I wish people would just drop it.

 

Find out more about the BMus/BSc Electronic Music, Computing and Technology

Eye on admissions

With many changes to the education system, and a focus on encouraging those from non-traditional backgrounds into higher education, our admissions experts explain how this translates to applications.

GCSEs

The new grading system for GCSEs has not fully started to affect universities yet but some applicants who have been taking GCSEs alongside Level 3 qualifications are now presenting with the new grades. Most higher education providers have agreed that the equivalent to an old style C grade is grade 4. Finding an appropriate equivalent for a grade B at GCSE has been more complicated, with grades 5 and 6 to choose from. Goldsmiths have settled on grade 6 for programmes where a GCSE grade B was previously required. However, we are looking at this flexibly, particularly where the applicant can demonstrate that they have the required skills in these subjects in other parts of their application.

 

A levels

In the summer we received the first results for reformed A levels for our offer holders. Most applicants had a mix of reformed and old style A levels. While overall there was a drop in the number of applicants achieving top grades in the reformed subjects, at Goldsmiths this did not have a noticeable effect on the number of applicants meeting their offer conditions.

 

Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs)

A very common question at open days is how we consider EPQs. At Goldsmiths we don’t ask for a particular grade in the EPQ in an applicant’s offer conditions but this does not mean the EPQ is not considered at all. The research element of the EPQ allows students to gain skills invaluable to them on a degree programme, and can help demonstrate a genuine interest in a subject. In addition, a good grade in the EPQ may allow us to confirm an applicant who has not met their A level/BTEC requirements. Find out more about the effect of the qualifications reform from UCAS and other universities on the UCAS website.

 

Widening Participation

The Admissions team at Goldsmiths clearly sets out criteria when assessing applications to ensure a fair and consistent approach for all our applicants. A core part of this approach is ensuring that applicants who come to us with a non-traditional range of qualifications or from backgrounds that have not tended to access higher education, have an equal opportunity as those students who come with more traditional qualifications. We particularly look at certain groups of applicants, such as care leavers or those from local boroughs, and ensure these applicants receive extra consideration. This can take the form of an interview, a piece of written work, or an offer with a lower grade requirement from our typical offer. We don’t make decisions on the basis of this information alone, but, through the coordinated use of contextual data, we aim to ensure we take account of the effect that applicants’ social and cultural backgrounds might have on their ability to enter university. All of this is designed to draw out the potential to succeed that may not be obvious through a simple consideration of the qualifications obtained.

Where applicants have either left school with lower-than expected grades or left school many years ago with no formal qualifications, we also offer a number of foundation programmes. Initially these were designed for mature students, but they are now also popular with students who have perhaps not achieved the qualifications they had hoped for, and who decide to take a year or more out of education to reflect and develop, and seek to re-enter education with renewed zeal to succeed. These programmes provide an excellent introduction to both the subject and the important study skills needed to succeed on degree level study.

As a team we believe that, given the right encouragement and support, admitting students who have faced challenges to entering higher education is a positive thing, and these students can achieve the same progression and degree classification as their more advantaged peers when given the chance.

 

Jennifer Geary, Head of Admissions, and Yeliz Ali, Admissions Policy and Fair Access Manager

Season’s Greetings!

This year’s e-Christmas card was designed by Koby, one of the students at our National Art&Design Saturday Club

Subject Spotlight: History & Journalism

Dr Maurice Walsh is a senior lecturer and the convenor of the BA History and Journalism. His research is focussed on media and culture in the 20th century, particularly the convergence of journalism, political ideas and literary culture. Here, he tells us about the unique History and Journalism course at Goldsmiths.

Hi there! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? 

I teach History and wrote Bitter Freedom: Ireland in a Revolutionary World 1918-1923. In a previous life I was a foreign correspondent and documentary maker, reporting for the BBC from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the US. I’ve written for publications such as The Guardian magazine, The Irish Times and Granta.

Please can you give us a quick overview of the degree course?

This is a degree in which students learn how to use a keen understanding of the past to produce riveting journalism about the present. It is based on the idea that the best journalism is informed by a sound understanding of the history.  For all the stories I have covered as a foreign correspondent – from revolutions in Latin America to the effect of oil exploration in Africa – knowledge of history was vital to be able to grasp the context for fast-moving events. Especially in these turbulent times many of the big issues from Brexit to the rise of populism cannot be understood without some grasp of history.

Anyone thinking of going into journalism or the media who does this course will have distinct edge over journalists who don’t look beyond the present. Students study history modules and journalism modules – such as feature writing and video reporting – side by side. They then bring together what they have learned by working on long-form pieces of journalism using the skills they’ve acquired as historians to give their work more depth and edge: using archives and documentary sources, researching how history has shaped current events.

What makes the Goldsmiths course distinctive?

We think our degree is unique. Unlike courses at other universities where you can take history and journalism in parallel, the BA History and Journalism at Goldsmiths is designed so that the two strands mesh seamlessly together. It is taught by historians who are also journalists and journalists who have written about history and covered major historical events. There are two bespoke modules where students learn how to apply their history skills to journalism. One of these is the big project they undertake in their final year, producing an extended piece of journalism on an historical theme which should be of a standard for publication on a journalistic platform.

What are you looking for in an applicant? Do you have any tips for a great personal statement?

We’re looking for students who love history at school and also have a passionate curiosity about current events, constantly noticing how history shapes the present and interested in   writing about it. Ideally, they will be aiming to work in journalism or the media but they could also be interested in communication more generally, say for an NGO or in a job requiring research skills.

The best personal statements come alive when someone shares their enthusiasm for reading history books that have not just been assigned for the A level course.

How does this degree support students practically for life after university?

Students on this course will leave with a comprehensive set of skills: knowledge of multimedia journalism techniques and practices, the ability to gather information, analyse it and then present it to a wide variety of audience in a range of genres and forms. And again, given the times we live in, whatever career you eventually pursue, the ability to be able to assess contemporary events in the light of knowledge about history will be a huge practical help in negotiating the fog of claim and counter-claim that dominates the news and social media.

And finally…tell us a joke!

I’m afraid I have a weakness for corny jokes. Theft in multi-story car parks? Wrong on so many levels…

 

Find out more about the BA History & Journalism at gold.ac.uk/ug/ba-history-journalism