Sound Design (with a Foundation Year)

Whether creating the effect of crunching leaves, composing a soundscape or dubbing new dialogue, you’re using the skills of a sound designer.

Now’s your chance to learn all the key elements that go into a soundtrack by taking our BA (Hons) in Sound Design. The course will prepare you for careers in sound and music, where you could be working for TV, film, animation, theatre, radio or games.

There will be ample opportunity to tailor the modules to your own specific area of interest. And you’ll also produce a practical portfolio in your final year.

Throughout your studies, you will have access to our £11.5 million Cadman Studios. The professional-standard facilities include five fully equipped recording studios, all with surround sound and consoles from SSL, Avid, Audient and API. We also have Avid trainers, enabling you to gain additional qualifications in Pro Tools at a low cost.

The course covers an introduction to studio craft and technical applications. You will learn how to plan a recording session and use DAW (a digital audio workstation) to record, edit and produce audio.

Soundtracks typically involve dialogue, ambience, sound effects, Foley and music.

We have a Foley pit to help students create sound effects, whether using gravel, sand or other textures. There’s also a large TV screen to play back footage so you can see which movements require added sound. It could be anything from creating the rustling of a coat or the jangle of jewellery through to the clicking of heels on a pavement.

On the dialogue side, you will learn about dub mixes and dub recording. We will also delve into music composition, songwriting, acoustics and electronics. Students will get to try out experimental software for more unusual noises and experiment through their own compositions.

Collaboration is another key element of the course. We encourage students to pitch their skills for different projects. It could involve working with students from a range of other courses, including Music Production, Animation and Film Production. For one recent project, a group of students also produced voiceover recordings for a local business.

You’ll be taught by staff who bring a wide range of expertise, including experience working in TV and games. By the time you graduate, you will be industry-ready.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BA (Hons) Sound Design

Foundation Year Core: Creative Project: Materials, Methods & Meaning; Exploring Context & Culture; Fundamentals of Creative Practice; Personal Project & Progression
Year One: Establishing Music and Sound Practices; Developing Music and Sound Practice; Creative Cultures: Making, Research & Reflection; Sustainability, Society and Impact
Year Two: Exploring Music and Sound Production Practices; Sound Design Specialisms; Collaborative Creative Industries Project
Year Two Optional: Art Trail; Colour + Surface: Print, Texture & Material Exploration; Creative Heritage; Digital Journeys: UX & UI Design; Experimental Formats; Experimental Music and Sound Art; Marketing, Branding and Cultural Production; Still Life Through the Lens; Surround Sound and Multichannel Audio; Visual Effects & Motion Graphics; Hybrid Production Methods
Year Three Core: Final Major Project of Sound Design; Contextual and Critical Investigation; Professional Practice

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally includes practice or ‘formative’ assessments, for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.