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Sound Design

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MSc Sound Design - 1 Year (Full-time)

MSc Sound Design - 2 Years (Part-time)

Information on fees & costs

Individual programme fees are linked above. For detailed information on fee status, policies, payment and funding opportunities see:

Contact information: ECA Graduate School
Phone: +44 (0) 131 651 5736
Email: ecapgtdegrees@ed.ac.uk; Dr Martin Parker (Programme Director)
Phone: +44 (0) 131 650 2333
Email: martin.parker@ed.ac.uk; Address: Graduate School Edinburgh College of Art
University of Edinburgh
Evolution House, Grassmarket
Edinburgh
EH1 2LE

Entry requirements

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its equivalent from outside the UK, in a relevant subject. Applicants who do not have a sound-related undergraduate degree are asked to submit a small portfolio of sound work. This can range from an essay on sound to a small collection of sound recordings, performances or documentation of a sound-based project, such as an installation, film or animation.

International students

All applicants must meet our general entry and language requirements. Detailed advice for international students is available here:

Programme description

The MSc in Sound Design is targeted at individuals interested in exploring the domain of sound in the wider context of new media theory and technology. The programme is strongly interdisciplinary and course content ranges from study of film sound to interactive audio design, sound installation and web design.

This programme will provide students with knowledge, skill and understanding of a range of sound design situations both commercial and creative. Graduates of this programme will be armed with professional, practical, analytical and critical skills to take into sound-related industries or on towards further academic study such as a PhD. The Reid Studio is our new surround-sound mixing and production studio, and our Russolo room offers industry-standard recording equipment and software. Our Sound Lab, which hosts a number of fully equipped workstations, is available for 24-hour use.

Programme structure

Students will attend a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical sessions supported with occasional input from external professionals in the field of sound design and related areas.

Learning outcomes

Students who follow this programme will:

develop specific knowledge and obtain a broadly based foundation in sound design technologies;
explore the use of existing computer-aided sound design techniques in a creative way;
be able to analyse and critically think about sound and its role in a wider creative arts environment;
develop understanding of the scope and limitations of computer applications in sound design;
engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration in the context of audiovisual practice;
discover new creative uses of advanced technologies;
foster the ability to work cooperatively in groups in the context of design;
develop an understanding of the potential for new technologies.

Career Opportunities

Thanks to the rich cross-disciplinary course of study this programme provides, you will graduate with advanced skills in multimedia, audio production, post-production and other digital technologies which are applied to sound design. These skills will allow you to take on commissions in professional sound design, or pursue your own creative path. You'll also gain a wide variety of transferable skills, such as research, teamwork and communication that will increase your employability.

Funding

Edinburgh College of Art are offering scholarships to applicants for postgraduate programmes in our five schools:

Edinburgh College of Art PhD and PG Scholarships (Session 2013-14)

Please see Scholarships and Student Funding Services for other funding opportunities:

Scholarships and Student Funding Services

Further Information

This article was published on Apr 25, 2013