Course summary

The BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering degree is designed to equip you with the creative, technical, and professional skills to thrive in today’s music and audio industries. From your very first study block, you’ll be working in professional studio environments, developing a deep understanding of recording, mixing, and music production through hands-on experience and critical reflection. This course offers the perfect balance of creativity and technical precision. You’ll explore studio techniques, composition and arrangement, production workflows, sound design, and engineering principles, all while developing your own sonic identity. Optional modules in years 2 and 3 allow you to tailor your experience to your interests, whether that’s immersive audio, hardware-based production, commercial music creation, or sound for live broadcast. As part of a suite of interlinked music degrees, you’ll also have the opportunity to collaborate with musicians, songwriters, composers, and performers on real-world projects. This reflects how the industry works and helps you build the skills to navigate professional creative environments with confidence. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge topics like multichannel audio, spatial sound, and innovation in music technology. This degree prepares you to thrive as a forward-thinking music producer, equipped to adapt, evolve, and lead in a fast-moving and constantly changing industry. Year 1 In your first year, you’ll build a strong foundation in studio practice, music production, and sound engineering. Through a blend of hands-on sessions and guided exploration, you’ll learn how to operate studio equipment, shape sound creatively, and understand the core processes of recording and mixing. You’ll also begin to analyse music production in context and explore the wider industry landscape, gaining insights into the roles, technologies, and workflows that define contemporary audio work. This year is about building confidence, experimenting with ideas, and learning how to bring your creative and technical skills together in the studio. Year 2 In year 2, you’ll expand your skill set through more advanced modules in music production, mixing, and mastering, while starting to shape your own areas of interest. You’ll also choose from a range of optional modules in areas like acoustics, composition and arrangement, hardware production, live broadcast, and immersive audio. This year places a greater emphasis on creative decision-making, critical listening, and responding to real-world briefs. You’ll begin to work more independently, collaborate with students from other courses, and conduct research that will inform your final year projects. Optional modules are subject to availability and are designed to support a broad range of specialist pathways. There is a strong focus on innovation, technical exploration, and growing your understanding of the wider sound and music industries. Year 3 In your final year, you’ll bring everything together through two major projects: a creative innovation project and a professional portfolio. These projects allow you to define and realise a personal area of focus within music production and sound engineering - whether it’s a studio album, a sound installation, a spatial audio experience, or a unique production system you’ve developed. You’ll also choose from a range of optional modules that support your interests in leadership, collaboration, education, or future-facing production methods. Optional modules are subject to availability and designed to reflect current trends in the industry. A research-led module in sound cultures encourages deeper reflection on the cultural, social, or political dimensions of sound, while supporting your ability to produce informed, original work. This is your opportunity to push creative boundaries, refine your professional voice, and build a body of work that sets the tone for your next step.