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WaterBear College of Music

Founded in 2018 by Bruce John Dickinson (Little Angels, and an early co-founder of the BIMM group) and former college principal Adam Bushell, WaterBear runs from Hanover House on Queens Road plus its own gig venues, WaterBear Venue and WaterBear MusicBar, used for both shows and short courses.

Degrees were validated by the University of Chichester at launch, switching to Falmouth University in 2020, at £9,790/yr. WaterBear does not hold an Office for Students TEF rating, unlike Point Blank (Gold) or BIMM (Bronze).

Also has a Sheffield campus, opened 2023 inside the former Gatecrasher nightclub building, sharing the same course catalogue. Its cheapest current option is a short, guest-led weekend camp (Prog Rock Camp with Marillion's Steve Rothery ran at £750 for four days in August 2026) rather than any structured beginner short course.

Falmouth University: Degree-validating partner since 2020 (previously University of Chichester, 2018-2020)Music productionAbletonLogicDJSound engineeringDegreeOnlineShort1-to-1

At a glance

Price
From £750
Location
Hanover House, 118 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG
Subjects
Music production, Ableton, Logic, DJ, Sound engineering
Formats
Degree, Online, Short, 1-to-1
Established
2018
Accreditation
Falmouth University

Course structure

The formats WaterBear College of Music sells, and how long each one runs.

BA (Hons) Degree, on-site3 years, or 4 with a Foundation Year
BA (Hons) Degree, online accelerated2 years
MA1 year on-site or online full-time; 2 years online part-time
Short course camps3 to 4 days

Worth knowing

  • No Office for Students TEF rating, a genuine, citable comparison point against Point Blank (Gold) or BIMM (Bronze), per Discover Uni's own institution record.
  • Short courses are taught by working musicians as guest instructors: Chris Difford of Squeeze (Songwriting Camp), Steve Rothery of Marillion (Prog Rock Camp), and Dan Hawkins of The Darkness with Luke Morley (Classic Rock Camp).
  • Runs its own venues, WaterBear Venue (Brighton seafront, opened 2021) and WaterBear MusicBar (Kemptown), plus a 1,000 sq ft in-house recording studio at the main Hanover House campus.

Frequently asked

What does WaterBear College of Music cost?

WaterBear College of Music's prices start from £750, correct as of our last check.

Where is WaterBear College of Music based?

WaterBear College of Music is based at Hanover House, 118 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG.

What does WaterBear College of Music teach?

WaterBear College of Music teaches Music production, Ableton, Logic, DJ, Sound engineering, in these formats: Degree, Online, Short, 1-to-1.

Is WaterBear College of Music accredited?

Yes. Falmouth University: Degree-validating partner since 2020 (previously University of Chichester, 2018-2020).

When was WaterBear College of Music founded?

WaterBear College of Music was established in 2018.

Sources

Every detail on this page is re-sourced from the school's own site, not copied from a register or aggregator. See the methodology for how that works.

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