Live Event and Audio Engineering

The live events and audio industries are evolving rapidly, with advances in sound, broadcast, and immersive technology reshaping everything from festivals and concerts, to flagship sports and corporate productions. This hands-on degree equips you with the technical skills and creative expertise to thrive as a live event and audio engineer - meeting the industry’s demand for skilled professionals who can deliver world-class experiences.

Across your studies, you’ll build specialist skills through practical learning in our state-of-the-art facilities, including a 29-speaker Dolby Atmos Cinema, HD outside broadcast vehicle, and 10-meter wide Virtual Production screen within our live event space. You’ll gain a high level of working knowledge in specifying, installing, operating, and optimising audio, video, and lighting systems, with a particular emphasis on sound engineering for live music, broadcast, and mixed-media events.

The course combines a strong technical foundation with real-world experience. Students regularly get the opportunity to work at the UK’s best music festivals and sporting events - including Glastonbury, Boardmasters, and Camp Bestival - building confidence, industry contacts, and employability. You’ll also experience the unique pressures of delivering professional live broadcasts and large-scale shows, preparing you for the fast-paced demands of the industry, and come out with a degree with a reputation that big employers trust.

This course is part of the South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT), a partnership of colleges, universities and industry-leading employers to create new career opportunities in the technology sector. IoT courses like this one are precisely tailored to the needs of employers in the maritime, engineering and digital industries – industries which are hungry for talented new engineers, technologists, technicians and creatives like you.

Who is this course for?
Our BSc (Hons) Live Event and Audio Engineering is perfect if you're curious about tech, love solving problems, and want to build strong engineering skills. You’ll use those skills in some of the most creative, high-energy places on the planet, from music festivals to sports arenas. You don’t need an engineering background to apply - just a passion for learning, a willingness to tackle challenges, and the drive to turn ideas into real experiences. If you're up for using your numeracy skills now and then to make amazing things happen, this course is for you.

YEAR ONE
CORE MODUELS

Audio and Video Production
Media Engineering
Computing and Networking
Visual Enhancement

YEAR TWO
CORE MODULES

Live Sound and Event Technology
Sound Reproduction
Project Management

OPTIONAL MODULES - Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Outside Broadcast
Game Audio

FINAL YEAR

Sound Design and Postproduction
Audio Systems at Scale
Technical Production
Media Technology Project

You may be assessed by a combination of:
Group presentations
Individual presentations
Assignments
Practical activities
In-class tests
As part of this course, you will study one module at a time, giving you the chance to build a deeper understanding and see the results of your hard work more quickly. With regular assessments and feedback, rather than exams all at once, you’ll also benefit from improved focus, and a more manageable workload.