Hello!

I'm sorry if this topic has been posted before, however I did a search and couldn't really find any answers so.... here goes!

I'm currently studying for a BMus and working towards my grade 8 in singing. I'm also thinking about doing some diplomas in the future, although I'm a little confused. I understand that diplomas are equivalent to the performance part of a BMus/BA degree, so is there any point in doing a diploma (or three) if you are already studying for a BMus? Does it offer something that a degree will not?

Many thanks!

Carole. x

Hi Carole. I don't think the diplomas are supposed to be equivalent to the performance part of a degree - they are just broadly equivalent to the standard of an 1st year undergraduate degree module (in the case of the Level 4 diplomas - DipABRSM for example). Check out this post here which compares the different levels and also quotes someone from the AB stating that the NQF applies to all degrees and diplomas regardless of subject, so I think it's just a general way of comparing the standard:

http://www.abrsm.org/forum/index.php?s=&am...st&p=809083

If you can then I think working towards a diploma or more while you're at uni is a good idea. But it is expensive unfortunately and a lot of preparation. I personally regard diplomas as more important than degree qualifications. For one thing they seem to be more difficult to pass and if you are interested in teaching or performing in the future then they are probably going to be more relevant. That's how I see them anyway, but obviously everyone's different.

Good luck! Lucid

May I ask where you are doing your B Mus? I assume your are at university. I got half way through an external Durham BMus and then they discontinued it. Great shame because lots of mature students were working on it. I would like to have another go now I have some time on my hands, but I can't find anywhere that offers an external music degree. The OU only offers a humanities degree with some music modules.

Regarding your query, diplomas are surely a measure of your practicle abilities - well worth doing and quite different from a BMus I should have thought.

I think that it really depends on where you do your BMus degree, because if you're at a conservatoire rather than a university then there is much more performance involved, and the amount of academic work is slightly less as well.