Sound Design with Professional Placement

Explore the possibilities of contemporary sound design practice

Gain the creative, technical and business skills to become a sound designer for film, games, broadcast media and more.

Learning from lecturers with a broad range of specialist knowledge and experience, you’ll study Foley and effects, location and studio recording, audio post-production, games engine implementation, mixing and mastering. As professional sound designers rarely work solo, you’ll collaborate with film, games and music students as part of your studies – developing a distinctive portfolio of work ready to take to industry.

You will:
Build core sound design and related audio skills, encompassing concepts, practices, tools and workflows
Work with industry-standard software, hardware and technical facilities, including mixing consoles, portable recording equipment, Foley/ADR suites and dedicated post-production audio suites
Experiment with and consider future applications of sound, including sonic wearables and branding, soundscape ecology and sound design in wellbeing
Develop a contextual knowledge of contemporary sound design
Collaborate in project teams across a range of creative disciplines to develop and apply knowledge, experience and transferable skills
Gain business, marketing and entrepreneurial insight, boosting your employability

You’ll develop a contextual understanding of contemporary sound design and gain practical skills in areas like recording and mixing, immersive technologies, game audio and media composition. With a focus on preparing for industry, you’ll analyse current and future trends in sound design that relate to your career ambitions, while also learning core business, marketing and entrepreneurial skills.

Year One:
Upskill & Integrate
The first year of this Sound Design course is all about upskilling and getting immersed in disciplines from across the University's creative departments, from the perspective of sound design. You'll develop your core sound design and related audio skills as well as your understanding of sound design workflows in various contexts. You'll also begin to develop fundamental theoretical and contextual knowledge of contemporary sound design practice.

Modules
Understanding Sound & Audio
Designing Sound
Sound Design: Workflows, Tools & Techniques
Studiocraft
Music & Sound: Contexts and Cultures
Non-Linear Sound Design

Year Two:
Experience & Expand
The second year of the degree is focused on live projects, study options, gaining practical sound design experience and developing business and brand thinking. You’ll identify, acquire and apply new skills as you take on collaborative projects with students from across the University. You’ll also explore immersive audio technologies and contemplate future directions of the sound design discipline

Modules
The Art of Post
Music and Sound: Resonant Futures
The Business of Music and Sound
Sound Design Project 1: Game Audio
Sound Design Project 2: Team Project
Immersive & Interactive Audio (optional)
Composing Music for Media (optional)

Year Three:
You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the employability team. Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying.

How you’ll study during your professional placement

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks.

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation.

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth.

Year Four:
Focus & Connect
Your final year focuses on building your professional identity, knowledge, skills and networks in line with your chosen sound design specialism. You’ll develop a professional portfolio, enhance your entrepreneurial skills and carry out business planning as you prepare to take your first steps into industry.

Modules
Music and Sound: Dissertation
Professional Development
Your Future
Showcase Portfolio

As part of our process of continuous improvement, we routinely review course content to ensure that all our students benefit from a high-quality and rewarding academic experience. As such, there may be some changes made to your course which are not immediately reflected in the content displayed on our website. Any students affected will be informed of any changes made directly.

Modules vary in their requirements, but all design projects and assessment tasks can be tailored to suit your own interests, aims and objectives.

You'll be assessed through coursework and practical submissions.

Assessment methods
Assessments can take many forms, including:

Artefacts
Case Studies
Essays
Journals
Portfolios
Practical projects
Presentations
Reports
Dissertation
Each module of study has either one or two summative assessment points. You will receive feedback in a range of formats, including written feedback sheets, feedback tutorials and feedback in live sessions.