Course contact details
Course Enquiries Team
Email:courseenquiries@bcu.ac.uk
Phone:0121 331 6295
Birmingham City University
Curzon Building
4 Cardigan Street
Birmingham
B4 7BD
Sound Engineering with a Foundation Year
- Bachelor of Science (with Honours)
- 4 Years
- Full-Time
- September 2027
- Undergraduate
- Millennium Point
Course summary
Do you dream of engineering the future of sound? Our BSc (Hons) Sound Engineering course with a Foundation Year is designed to immerse you in the cutting-edge world of audio technology and production, equipping you with the skills to pursue careers in live sound, acoustics, audio hardware and software development, and studio production. Delivered in collaboration with Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC), this course blends technical expertise, creative flair, and hands-on experience to prepare you for a dynamic career in the world of sound engineering.
The foundation year will equip you with key knowledge and skills to ensure success on your degree.
The degree offers a comprehensive curriculum to develop your skills across several audio disciplines and employment sectors. You will explore the principles of acoustics, live sound, broadcast audio, studio recording, immersive technologies and software development. Alongside practical experience, you will engage with advanced topics, embracing embedded audio systems, machine learning in audio, and multi-channel sound design—positioning you at the forefront of the emerging technologies shaping the audio industry.
Our facilities are purpose-built for innovation and hands-on learning, from world-leading state-of-the-art recording studios at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire to the immersive SoundLab® in STEAMhouse. You will use industry-standard tools such as Logic, Pro Tools, MATLAB, Python, and C++. You will study on state-of-the-art Solid State Logic (SSL) recording consoles, run live sound sessions with industry-standard PA, and utilise our vast array of microphones from Neumann, Brauner and AKG.
Ways to study this course
Campuses
- Millennium Point
Study options
- Bachelor of Science (with Honours) • Full-Time • 4 Years
Start dates
- September 2027
Apply by
13 January 2027
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 1264
- Institution code:
- B25
- Campus name:
- Millennium Point
- Points of Entry:
- Foundation
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
Birmingham City University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
How to apply
Apply by
13 January 2027
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 1264
- Institution code:
- B25
- Campus name:
- Millennium Point
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
A levelCDD
A Level: 80 UCAS tariff points / CDD (or equivalent). AS Level: Must be in a different subject to A Levels. A maximum of four subjects will be considered
T LevelPass (C and above)
Pass overall (C or above on the core). All subjects considered
UCAS TariffOffer: 80
Scottish Higher
80 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3
GCSE/National 4/National 5
This course does not require evidence of GCSE qualifications.
Scottish Advanced Higher
80 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
80 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
International Baccalaureate Diploma ProgrammeOffer: 24
Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
80 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
80 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
Welsh Baccalaureate: 80 UCAS tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications: 80 UCAS tariff points
NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications: 80 UCAS tariff points
WJEC Level 3 qualifications: 80 UCAS tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | overall with no less than 5.5 in each band. |
If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course.
Historical entry grades data
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Historical entry grades report
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland | £10050 | |
| EU & International | £19220 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
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